Chapter 167

He grabbed her hand—then released it just as quickly.

"No need. This is enough," Liam said.

Suzy looked at him, eyebrows raised. "Are you really that afraid of owing someone a favor?"

His lips moved slightly, but no answer came.

She didn’t rush him. She simply watched him in silence.

The beam of the flashlight stretched between them, illuminating his face. For once, the usual cold detachment had softened, just a little.

Suzy continued, her tone steady. "At a time like this, there’s no point getting hung up on that. If your wound gets worse, who knows what could happen. Isn’t your brother still waiting for you at home?"

At the mention of his brother, Liam’s lashes trembled.

Right. His younger brother was still waiting. He couldn’t die out here—not now.

Suzy caught that flicker of hesitation and pressed on gently. "I’m not helping you for nothing. You recognized me, didn’t you? We live in the same building. If something happens in the future, I just hope you’ll look out for me."

At last, Liam lifted his gaze to meet hers. "...Alright."

He still felt there was more behind her words—but right now, she was the only one who could help him.

This time, when Suzy stood, he didn’t stop her.

She said she was going back to get something. Instead, she slipped into a quiet corner and retrieved a bottle of medicine she had prepared with spring water from her space.

As she made her way back, a door not far away slowly creaked open.

But Suzy didn’t notice.

Opportunities like this didn’t come often, and Suzy had no intention of wasting it.

The spring-infused medicine in her hand was guaranteed to work. Once Liam noticed his wound healing, how could he not feel grateful?

Ideally, his favor would shoot up, and she could finally bind him.

The thought made her inwardly pleased.

Completely absorbed in her own plans, she failed to notice the door behind her slowly opening.

She quickened her pace toward Liam.

At the doorway, Wendy caught a glimpse of Suzy’s retreating figure and frowned. What was she doing out here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?

For some reason, a sense of unease crept over her.

When it came to anything involving Suzy, Wendy was always particularly sensitive. After a brief hesitation, she decided to follow.

She quietly closed the door and carefully moved in Suzy’s direction.

Suzy, meanwhile, remained completely unaware. She had already returned to Liam’s side.

Hearing her footsteps, he looked up. "You’re back."

Suzy lifted the small bottle in her hand and gave it a slight shake. "Got the medicine. Pretty fast, right?"

His gaze fell on the bottle. "What is that?"

Without missing a beat, she replied, "A family remedy. It’s very effective for external injuries. Extremely rare—worth a fortune."

That wasn’t entirely untrue. Something made from spring water like this

was

priceless.

Doing a good deed without taking credit wasn’t her style. He needed to know how valuable it was—only then would the gratitude be genuine.

As expected, Liam fell silent for a moment after hearing that. Then he said in a somewhat serious tone, "Thank you."

"No problem." Suzy waved it off and sat down beside him.

She unscrewed the bottle, dipped a cotton swab into the liquid, and carefully began applying it to his wound.

Her movements were gentle. "How does it feel? Does it hurt?"

Liam closed his eyes.

He had expected the usual sting—but when the medicated swab touched his skin, there was no sharp pain.

Instead, a cool, soothing sensation spread across the wound, easing even the underlying ache.

"It doesn’t hurt," he said.

Only then did Suzy relax, continuing to treat the injury. "I’ll finish applying this, then wrap it up. It should heal quickly."

As she spoke, she leaned closer and gently blew on the wound.

Liam shifted his gaze away. "Mm. Thank you."

Still so distant

, she thought.

Neither of them spoke again. They worked in quiet harmony, the atmosphere calm and steady.

There was nothing romantic in it—just a quiet sense of ease.

And yet, the distance between them was close. The act of tending his wound made their posture appear almost intimate.

Anyone who saw it might misunderstand.

But at this hour, everyone should have been asleep.

Except... Wendy saw everything.

Standing in the shadows not far away, she stared at the two of them, her eyes practically blazing.

This time, she was truly angry. Jealousy surged like a tide, threatening to swallow her whole.

She couldn’t understand it. In less than a day, how had Suzy and Liam gotten this close?

Sitting side by side like that—his upper body bare—what kind of joke was this?

Even she had never been that close to him. So why did Suzy get to be?

A sharp sense of crisis rose in her chest.

There was no way she would accept being overshadowed.

Liam was supposed to be hers.

How could she let Suzy get anywhere near him?

Even if she was just treating his wound—no, especially then—it was unacceptable.

Absolutely unacceptable.

Wendy trembled with anger, like a wife catching her husband in the act. In her eyes, Suzy had already become the shameless intruder.

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, then stepped out of the shadows and approached them.

Deliberately, she made her footsteps heavier, wanting them to notice her presence.

But Suzy and Liam were both preoccupied. Neither of them realized she was there.

"What are you two doing here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?" Her voice, laced with mockery, cut through the quiet.

Only then did they both turn their heads at the same time.

Her tone sounded strange—strained and distorted, as if she was suppressing something barely contained.

And when she saw them turn in such perfect sync, the anger inside her flared even hotter.

At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to tear Suzy apart.

A useless side character—how dare she touch

her

man? Who gave her the right?