chapter 4

Reese was all in on fixing Malcolm's leg. It wasn't run-of-the-mill paralysis; this was more serious. She pressed down on a spot on his leg and pulled out a silver needle.

"Hold up," Malcolm said, eyeing those sharp needles like they were about to bite him. "You got a medical license or something?"

Reese blinked, looking up at him. A medical license? She was a professor; did that count? But even if she said that, he probably wouldn't buy it. Heck, she wasn't even sure she believed it herself right now.

"My license is left in the village, but trust me, I know what I'm doing."

Still, she knew she'd need to keep an eye on his situation for a while.

"Alright, I'm gonna start. It might sting a bit, so hang tight." She lined up the needle again, but her hand shook, almost dropping it.

"Sorry, it's been a minute since I last did acupuncture. Got a bit of the jitters."

Malcolm's face was grim as a storm cloud. Seriously? This chick almost dropped a needle, and she was saying she can fix him? And she was just "nervous"? Was she messing with him?

Just as Reese was about to stick the needle in, Malcolm grabbed her wrist. She looked at him, eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

"Listen, my leg's been checked out by top docs from all over the country, even abroad," he said, his voice dripping with skepticism.

Now, given her earlier action, he doubted her ability.

Reese shot back, "You sure you've seen all the famous doctors?"

None of those so-called famous doctors were like her, that was for sure.

Malcolm's mind flashed back to something his grandpa had mentioned—a young doctor at a professor level, supposedly a medical prodigy. This person was super mysterious, turning down offers from all the big medical schools. The last name was Brooks, just like Reese's, but he couldn't remember the full name.

Still, he figured it was probably just a coincidence. No way it was her.

Seeing Malcolm lost in thought, Reese decided not to waste any more time. She slapped his leg, grabbed the needle, and quickly inserted it into several acupuncture points. When she was done, Malcolm glanced at her work and noticed the needle placements were spot on.

Even though Malcolm wasn't a medical expert, he'd seen enough doctors to recognize the right spots. It seemed like Reese did know her stuff.

Alright, he thought, she seems confident. Might as well let her give it a shot.

Reese was an interesting character. Despite her plain clothes and average looks, there was something about her that set her apart.

Malcolm couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Reese carefully pressed on other parts of his leg, then pulled out the needles, examining them closely. She raised an eyebrow and said, "This isn't your typical paralysis, but I can fix you."

She had just checked that Malcolm's leg was gradually stiffening. In less than three months, he could be facing amputation.

Malcolm frowned, "What are you getting at?"

"Someone's out to get you," she said seriously. "During your treatment, they slipped something extra in. But I need more time to figure out exactly what."

The idea that someone wanted to harm him wasn't exactly a shocker. In a wealthy family like his, there were plenty of folks who'd love to see him six feet under. But this girl, figuring out he was being framed just by poking him with a few needles? That was something else.

Reese hadn't even had time to put away her silver needles when Jason came knocking.

"Mr. Malcolm Flynn, Mr. Aiden Flynn wants Mrs. Reese Flynn to come downstairs."

Malcolm didn't respond, still watching Reese intently.

This gave Reese the perfect excuse to make her exit.

"I'll head downstairs then. And don't close the curtains again, it's not good for your legs."

After Reese left, Malcolm looked at the sunlight streaming in, realizing it wasn't as harsh as he remembered. He called out to the servant.

"Mr. Flynn, do you need something?"

"Close the curtains."

"Okay." The servant stepped forward, ready to shut them.

"Wait, forget it. You can leave."

"Alright." The servant was puzzled, but she could only know one thing that this new girl, Reese, had some serious skills. She'd managed to get Malcolm, who hadn't seen sunlight in years, to open the curtains and even agree to keep them open.