Chapter 223 Injured
"Seb!" Emily exclaimed in shock.
Isabella's heart skipped a beat. In that instant, she watched Seb fall.
Instinctively, Isabella reached out her hands, trying to catch him.
But they were a few steps apart, and before Isabella could reach out, Seb had already hit the ground.
Seb staggered, supporting himself with his hands on the ground, unable to stand up for a long time.
That fall must have been pretty hard.
"Seb, Seb, are you okay?" Emily's voice choked with emotion, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Charles and Emma came out upon hearing the commotion. Several people helped Seb into the house and called for a doctor.
Isabella stood there, feeling numb all over.
It wasn't until Leo held her hand and gently asked, "Are you okay?" that Isabella regained some awareness. She shook her head and let him lead her inside.
Seb sat on the sofa with his trouser leg rolled up, revealing a knee that was horribly bruised and bleeding, with the blood trickling down his legs and soaking into his black socks. Despite this, he sat upright, one hand resting on his knee, while Emily, beside him, looked tearful. Seb, however, was expressionless, as if nothing had happened.
"The doctor's here!"
A servant led the doctor in, who turned out to be Seb's private physician, Marvin.
Jack followed behind and explained, "We happened to be nearby and heard from the Landon family's servant that Mr. Landon had fallen, so we came to check. Marvin is Mr. Landon's private doctor; he'll take good care of him."
Charles gave Jack a meaningful look, not believing the excuse.
Jack, being Seb's trusted confidant, likely felt uneasy about today's meal and had specifically brought Marvin along with him.
There were few coincidences in this world, and most were intentional.
However, Charles didn't expose Jack or stop Marvin.
Charles just watched coldly from the side. When his gaze swept over Seb's injured knee, his brow furrowed slightly.
Emma caught this subtle expression.
Her face darkened, and she silently looked away.
Marvin examined Seb and said, "The injury is quite severe. I need to check if there's any bone damage. So it is best to move Mr. Landon to a room."
Charles pointed to a servant and said, "Take them to the guest room."
"Yes, sir."
Marvin and Jack helped Seb up from the sofa.
Emily wanted to help but was stopped by Jack. "Miss Lopez, please go back and get a clean set of clothes for Mr. Landon."
The blood from Seb's injury had already stained his trousers. Even though the suit was dark, the faint but unmistakable scent of blood lingered. For someone like Seb, who was obsessed with cleanliness, wearing these blood-soaked pants was almost unbearable—like a form of torment far worse than physical pain.
"Okay, I'll go get them now. Jack, Dr. Finn, please take good care of Seb."
Jack and Marvin supported Seb as they went upstairs.
Isabella stood there, but her heart was with them.
"Bella?" Leo squeezed her fingers.
Isabella snapped back to reality but was clearly distracted.
Emma walked over, took Isabella's hand, and said, "Bella, why don't you come to the kitchen with me to check on the food?"
"Okay." Isabella pulled her hand out of Leo's grasp.
Leo felt an emptiness in his palm, accompanied by a void in his heart.
He was about to follow when Charles said, "Leo, come with me."
With that, Charles headed upstairs.
Leo paused for a moment, watching Isabella's figure disappear at the kitchen doorway before he turned to follow Charles.
"Bella, how are things with Leo?" Emma asked tentatively.
"Pretty good." Isabella knew Emma wasn't sincerely asking, so she answered perfunctorily.
After all that had happened, any remaining illusions Isabella had about Emma were completely shattered.
Isabella had never understood how someone as gentle as Matthew could be capable of such cruel acts toward Samantha. Now, she finally saw the truth.
The so-called warm family atmosphere of the Landon family was just a facade.
When children were born, their personalities were most heavily influenced by their parents. Isabella began to suspect that the Landon family's outward warmth masked deeper, hidden darkness and secrets. This might explain why Matthew, who appeared so gentle and sunny, harbored such a sinister and malevolent nature inside.
Considering the way Charles and Emma had imprisoned her, taken Sweetie away, and used it as leverage to force her into marrying Leo, all to torment Seb, it was clear that this couple was anything but benevolent.
"Bella, don't blame Charles and me." Emma sighed.
Isabella pressed her lips together and said nothing.
She thought, 'Not blame them?
'How can I not?
'The harm they caused me and Seb is irreparable.
'And Sweetie is so innocent.'
Sweetie was taken away at birth, separated by miles.
Thinking of Sweetie made Isabella's heart ache unbearably.
Emma reached out and held Isabella's hand. "Bella."
Emma's grip was tight, her fingers wrapping around Isabella's. It was unclear whether she was offering comfort to Isabella or seeking solace for herself.
The touch of Emma's hand sent a shiver down Isabella's spine.
She stiffened, pulled her hand away, and took two steps back. "Emma, I need to use the restroom."
Emma nodded. "Go ahead."
Isabella left the kitchen.
She had been to the Landon family house a few times and knew where the first-floor restroom was.
After hesitation, she went upstairs instead.
As if guided by an unseen force, she found herself at the guest room door.
There was no sound from inside, as if no one was there.
Isabella hesitated, then turned the doorknob and pushed the door open slightly.
The room was dark, with the curtains drawn tightly, but it was empty.
She thought, 'Not here?'
Isabella's heart tightened. Without thinking, she pushed the door open.
As soon as she stepped inside, a hand reached out from behind the door, grabbing her arm and pulling her in.
Isabella opened her mouth to scream, but another hand covered it, muffling her cries.
She panicked, but in the next moment, she smelled a familiar, cool scent.
It was Seb!
Isabella froze and stopped struggling.
The door closed, and the hand over her mouth was removed, as was the one holding her arm.
Seb reached out and hugged her.
Isabella said nothing.
Perhaps it was because the past days had been too harrowing, or maybe it had been too long since Seb had held her like this. The sense of security she felt now was something she had longed for a long time.
Isabella hesitated for a long time before slowly raising her hands to hug Seb's waist.
