“Slow down, Evelyn… Don’t push yourself,” William said gently, supporting her back as she tried to get up from the bed.

“I can do it myself,” Evelyn muttered, trying to hide the pain radiating from her shoulder.

But her hands were trembling. She nearly toppled sideways if William hadn’t caught her just in time.

“Careful!” William exclaimed, quickly sitting beside her. “You were just nearly kidnapped and killed, and now you want to play hero?”

Evelyn sighed, leaning back against the pillows.

“If I couldn’t rely on myself, I wouldn’t have survived in there.”

“And if I had arrived five minutes later—” William looked at her sharply, “you might have...