Inside the room, only Celeste, Alaric, and Adrian remained.

“How can I assist you?” Adrian asked, his voice steady.

“I need to use cupping therapy on Alaric’s back to release some blood. Mr. Wrenford, can you help me hold him steady?” Celeste replied calmly. Alaric’s eyes were glazed, and his condition didn’t look good.

Adrian quickly stepped forward, lifting Alaric off the bed. With swift movements, he loosened Alaric’s clothing, exposing his broad back, and placed his hands on either side of his shoulders to support him. Celeste swiftly took out her acupuncture needles and cupping tools, her hands moving with practiced precision as she began the treatment.

As she worked with the cups, her arm brushed lightly against Alaric’s, which was resting on her right side. The skin-to-skin contact sent a subtle warmth through Adrian’s body. But Celeste was focused entirely on her task, unaware of the small detail. Adrian’s gaze lingered on her profile. A strand of hair fell from her temple, and she gracefully pushed it back with her fingers, continuing to set the third cupping cup on Alaric’s back.

This was the first time Adrian had witnessed her treating a patient. The phrase “an angel in white” suddenly surfaced in his thoughts. Though Adrian didn’t know much about traditional medicine, he had seen other doctors perform acupuncture and cupping therapy. Her technique, however, was clearly more refined and professional than anything he had seen before. She didn’t even need to use her fingers to find the acupuncture points. With ease, she pinpointed the exact spots with precision. Then, the needle went in, followed by a ten-minute wait.

Neither of them spoke. They simply observed Alaric’s condition in silence. It wasn’t until blood began to flow down his back into the cupping cups that Celeste finally relaxed with a soft exhale. Alaric’s breathing became steadier, and his mind seemed to clear.

After everything was settled, Adrian stood by the bed, glancing down at his watch. The entire process had taken no more than fifteen minutes.

In the whole of Longdale, there were probably few people with this level of skill.

“Alaric, do you feel better?” Celeste asked gently.

“Much better. I can breathe freely now,” Alaric smiled warmly at Celeste. “Tonight, I owe it to you, Celeste…”

“Alaric, it’s nothing. This is what I should do. You don’t need to worry about it. Just rest tonight. I’ll stay here and keep an eye on you.”

“Alright.”

As Celeste and Adrian stepped out of the room, they found Damien standing in the corridor, smoking a cigarette. Upon seeing Celeste, Damien quickly snuffed out his cigarette and walked toward her. Without stopping his pace, Damien grabbed her wrist and briskly pulled her downstairs. “Come with me. I need to talk to you.”

“What are you doing? Let go of me!” Celeste struggled, but she couldn’t break free from his grip. Adrian had reached the railing at the top of the stairs. He placed his hand on the redwood balustrade, watching as Damien dragged Celeste into a room. The loud sound of a door slamming shut echoed through the house.

Adrian furrowed his brow. His hand, still resting on the railing, tightened involuntarily, his knuckles turning white. He hesitated for a moment but finally took a step forward and made his way downstairs.

Inside the room, Damien threw Celeste onto the bed. He loomed over her, his gaze intense and filled with frustration. “Celeste, what is the meaning of this? You ignored my calls, but as soon as my uncle called you, you rushed right over! Are you doing this on purpose to make me look bad?”

“I didn’t know Alaric was unwell. How was I supposed to know you were calling about this—”

He cut her off, his voice sharp. “You think I’m just sitting around with nothing better to do, calling you for no reason?”

Chapter 51