Chapter 4 The Smiths' Heir

• "What's wrong? I know you're blind, but are you deaf too? Your grandfather's gone, Mason. Sorry for your loss. No one's got your back now, blind man," Tyler smirked.
• Following Tyler's voice, Mason seized his collar. "No way!"
• Tyler chuckled, swatting away Mason's hand. "Why not? He's in the morgue. Funeral's the day after tomorrow. Too bad you can't come."
• "What happened to Grandpa?" Mason asked, a mix of anger and sadness evident in his voice. He aimed a punch at Tyler, but his emotions overwhelmed him, causing him to miss as Tyler sidestepped effortlessly.
• Mason's fist hit nothing but air, and he tumbled to the ground.
• Tyler's heavy leather-booted foot landed on Mason's fingers. "Grandpa got a heart attack, which killed him, all because of you. Are you planning to trade your life for his?"
• In that moment, Clara, who had awoken earlier, hurried to Mason and forcefully shoved Tyler away from him.
• Tyler glanced at Clara and increased the pressure on Mason's fingers. The sound of Mason's joints grinding against each other filled the room as Tyler pressed down. "Your wife is quite pretty."
• With another forceful stomp, Tyler added, "I'm out. Get some rest."
• He lifted his foot and exited the room, addressing Sandra, the middle-aged woman at the door. "Take good care of Mr. Mason and Mrs. Smith, Sandra. If anything happens to them, I'll hold you responsible."
• "Will do, Mr. Tyler," Sandra replied nervously.
• Tyler paused, looking back at Sandra with a smirk. "What did you say?"
• Trembling, Sandra quickly corrected herself, "Sorry, Mr. Smith."
• Tyler chuckled, giving Sandra a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You're doing well. Keep it up."
• With that, Tyler left, the sound of his boots fading away in the old villa.
• Mason's hand was now cut and bleeding from the pressure of Tyler's boot.
• Clara gently tended to Mason's hand, while Sandra, seeing this, turned away and left the room as if she hadn't noticed.
• Mason remained seated on the floor, motionless for quite some time, his eyes devoid of expression.
• Clara retrieved her medicine box. She hadn't brought much when she married into the household, but her medicine box was among her most cherished possessions.
• Clara went to get some disinfectant to clean Mason's wound. When she applied it, it stung, but Mason didn't flinch, almost like he couldn't feel anything.
• Just then, Clara had overheard Tyler's words. Mason's grandfather had passed away, leaving him with no family.
• Holding Mason's hand, Clara felt like she could even hear his heart break; she was familiar with the feeling of losing a loved one.
• Tears streamed down Clara's cheeks as she finished treating Mason. She held his wrist, unable to find the right words to comfort him.
• Feeling his pulse, Clara noticed it was strangely steady.
• Clara came from a family of alternative medicine practitioners, and her maternal grandparents were the best in the field.
• She carefully examined Mason's pulse, as long as he had been sitting there.
• Mason's turned blind all of a sudden, but Clara detected a glimmer of hope from his pulse.
• Excited, Clara shook Mason's arm, but he remained lost in sorrow, unaware.
• It took Clara shaking him vigorously to bring him back to reality.
• "Leslie," he said with a heavy heart, "my wedding night turned into a night of loss. My grandfather passed away."
• Clara couldn't find words to console him; all she could do was hold his hand tightly.
• "I'll never forget this day," he murmured.
• Clara gazed at him sadly. Beyond giving him all the strength and warmth she could muster, she felt helpless.
• They sat together on the chilly floor for a while before Clara helped him to his feet.
• She had something to say to Mason, but with her inability to speak and his inability to see, she struggled with how to communicate her thoughts.
• Sensing Clara's urgency, Mason took her hand and asked, "Do you have your phone?"
• Clara nodded vigorously, squeezing his hand in affirmation.
• Mason clumsily wrote a phone number on a piece of paper and handed it to Clara. "Call this number, and I'll talk."
• Without hesitation, Clara dialed the number, and a male voice rang out. "Hello?"
• She placed the phone by Mason's ear, and he spoke softly, "Matt, it's me."
• "Mr. Smith? Where did you get a phone? Where are you now?"
• "Come to the old house," Mason replied succinctly.
• "I'll be right there."
• Returning the phone to Clara, Mason explained, "He's my former assistant, and the only other person I trust besides you."
• Matt arrived promptly, a young man in his twenties wearing black-framed glasses. Tears welled in his eyes at the sight of Mason.
• "Mr. Smith, Old Mr. Smith passed away," he sobbed, kneeling before Mason for a long time.
• Mason reached out to touch his head gently. "I know. Stand up."
• Matt rose from the ground, and Clara kindly handed him a tissue. He accepted it gratefully, casting a glance at Clara.
• He froze.
• He was aware that Mason was getting married that day, and having met Leslie, he was taken aback by the unfamiliar girl before him.
• He stared at her in disbelief, but Clara motioned for him to remain silent by placing a finger to her lips and shaking her head.
• Understanding her signal, Matt kept his doubts to himself.
• Seated on the rattan chair, Mason's sorrowful emotions were now masked by a blank expression.
• He instructed Matt, "Mrs. Smith has something to say. Let her write it down to express her thoughts."
• Quickly jotting down a sentence on paper, Clara handed it to Matt. 'I'm trained in alternative medicine, and there's a chance I can treat Mason's eye condition.'
• Matt's eyes lit up as he read it. He promptly informed Mason, "Great news, Mr. Smith. Mrs. Smith believes she can help with your eye condition."
• Mason was surprised. She knew Leslie came from a family of medical practitioners, but he never expected her to be proficient.
• He nodded and clasped her hand. "Leslie, I'm willing to give it a try."