Chapter 3 A Touch of Healing

Anna looked up to see a man in a wheelchair had appeared in the hall, seemingly out of nowhere.

The man's expression was cold, his scrutinizing eyes scanning the room with an intensity that created an immediate sense of pressure.

William!

Anna realized he had mistaken her for Megan.

Before she could explain, William suddenly groaned and clutched his head. Large beads of sweat instantly formed on his forehead and began to fall.

Startled, Anna raised her hands and stepped back. "I didn't touch you."

Was he trying to frame her for something?

William felt as though thousands of needles were stabbing into his brain. His paralyzed legs, typically without sensation, now burned with excruciating pain that felt like fire ants crawling beneath his skin.

Gritting his teeth, he glared at Anna with bloodshot eyes and struggled to speak. "Medicine!"

"What?"

Anna leaned forward cautiously, but William grabbed her arm with surprising strength and shouted, "I said, medicine!"

His grip was ice cold. Anna suddenly realized something was seriously wrong.

She reached for his wrist to check his pulse and found it alarmingly irregular.

"How severe is this?" she muttered.

As the words left her mouth, she noticed William had closed his eyes and lost consciousness.

The situation was critical. Without hesitation, Anna opened her personal bag and pulled out a leather case containing a set of silver needles. She moved quickly toward William's head, carefully inserting the thin needles at specific points across his scalp.

Behind her came the sound of a teacup shattering on the floor, followed by a servant's alarmed cry.

"Help! Someone help! Mr. Sterling has collapsed!"

Following the cry, Alexander Sterling and his wife Victoria hurried down the stairs, supporting the elderly Irene Sterling between them.

"William! William! What's happening to him?" Irene's voice trembled as she caught sight of her grandson's head covered with thin silver needles. "Stop that! Who are you?"

A nearby servant quickly explained, "Mrs. Sterling, this is the Rice girl."

"Preposterous!" Irene struck her mahogany cane against the floor. "Your marriage was arranged to bring him hope, to help him heal after that horrible accident, not for you to dabble in some strange practices! Someone pull her away immediately!"

"Pull her away! Now!" Alexander waved urgently at the servants. "Quickly!"

"If you don't want a death on your hands, don't interfere," Anna said calmly without looking up, continuing her precise movements.

Her words stunned everyone into silence. After a moment, Irene looked around frantically. "Where's the doctor? Has anyone called Dr. Thompson?"

"Mother, please stay calm," Alexander turned to Irene and said soothingly. "Dr. Thompson is on his way." He turned to the servants and barked, "What's taking so long? Go check!"

"He's here! Dr. Thompson has arrived!" someone announced as the crowd parted to make way for the silver-haired doctor who rushed forward.

At that moment, Anna was placing the final needle at the crown of William's head. She straightened up and explained, "The situation was critical. I had no choice but to intervene with acupuncture."

"Do you actually know what you're doing? Using needles recklessly? If anything happens to William, I'll make sure your family pays dearly for this!" Alexander glared at her.

Anna gave him a cool look. "Whether I know what I'm doing is a question best answered by medical professionals."

"You've got some nerve. We'll see about that," Alexander said with an incredulous laugh before turning to Richard Thompson. "Dr. Thompson, please examine William and tell us what's happened."

The room fell silent as all eyes turned to Richard.

Richard released William's wrist after checking his pulse, then carefully examined his head, paying special attention to the points where Anna had inserted the silver needles. When he observed the precise placement of the needle at the crown of William's head, his eyes widened in astonishment.

"This neural convergence point is where the body's energy pathways meet. Very few practitioners can manipulate it with the required precision," he remarked.

Turning to Anna with genuine admiration, he continued, "Young lady, your technique is remarkable. Truly exceptional."

Looking at Irene, he smiled reassuringly. "Mrs. Sterling, you can rest easy. This young woman's medical skill surpasses even my own. Mr. Sterling will recover."

"Are you certain?" Irene asked anxiously.

Richard nodded confidently. "Absolutely."

He pointed to the crown of William's head. "This point is extraordinarily sensitive. Applied incorrectly, it could cause severe damage to the central nervous system. But this young lady's technique shows masterful precision. I suspect she's had formal training in medicine. May I ask where you studied?"

"You're too kind," Anna replied modestly. "I've simply read some medical texts in my spare time."

Seeing she was reluctant to elaborate, Richard didn't press further.

"Mrs. Sterling, please don't worry. Judging by his condition, Mr. Sterling should regain consciousness shortly."

Richard was the highly-paid medical director of Sterling International Medical Center, known for his exceptional skills. Irene trusted his assessment completely.

Still, she couldn't help asking, "William usually injures himself during these episodes. Will that happen this time?"

"You needn't worry, Mrs. Sterling," Richard said, indicating the needle at the top of William's head. "This point stabilizes the autonomic nervous system and alleviates neural pain. Mr. Sterling will be fine this time."

Hearing this, Irene finally relaxed completely. "Move William to his bedroom."

She then turned to thank Richard.

Richard acknowledged her gratitude with a slight bow before turning to give Anna his business card. "I hope you might find time to discuss Mr. Sterling's condition with me sometime."

Anna accepted the card and placed it carefully in her bag. "I'd be happy to."

"Excellent!" Richard gave Anna a kindly look before taking his leave.

Now Irene studied Anna with growing interest. The longer she looked, the more she liked what she saw.

This girl truly is William's lucky star. The marriage between William and this girl truly had the power to dispel his misfortune and bring him renewed hope.

She took Anna by the arm and said, "Come, let's go upstairs and check on William."

Anna was surprised by Irene's sudden change in attitude but obediently followed her upstairs.

Behind them, Alexander stared in disbelief. "She actually knows medicine? This wasn't just blind luck?"

Victoria pinched him hard and hissed, "Hurry up and follow them!"

Alexander winced, sucking in a sharp breath. "Darling, you're being too rough."

"Didn't you say that Rice was just a pretty face without much substance?" Victoria glared at him. "I'm warning you, if she actually cures him, you'll have a lot to answer for!"

"That's not fair! My information was thorough. How was I supposed to know she had hidden medical skills?" Alexander protested. "Besides, you know William's condition. The best specialists in the world haven't been able to help him for years. What could this girl possibly accomplish?"

Victoria shot him a final withering look. "We'll settle this later!"

With that, she hurried upstairs. Alexander quickly followed.

In the bedroom, William lay peacefully, and Irene watched him with visible relief.

She turned to Anna with genuine warmth in her eyes. "Thank you. This is the first time William has been able to rest so peacefully after an episode. It's all thanks to you."

Irene led Anna out of the bedroom and took her hand affectionately. "Now that you're part of the Sterling household, please consider this your home. If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask."

Victoria, who had just arrived, saw how warmly Irene was treating Anna and quickly interjected, "Mom, we haven't yet given all the wedding gifts the Rice family requested."

Her words instantly chilled the atmosphere.