Chapter 14 The Bet of a Slap

"Ouch!" Daphne let out a soft scream as the nurse was disinfecting her wound. William immediately approached and asked, "How was it?" "It's just a scratch, I'm fine," Daphne replied. She then showed concern for him. "Mr. Middleton, how about your shoulder? Does it hurt? You should really get it checked by a doctor." William had injured his shoulder while shielding Daphne from being hit by the boat's edge. "It's fine," William said indifferently. He carefully instructed upon seeing Daphne's palm, "Avoid getting the wound wet before it heals to prevent infection. I'll arrange for a caretaker to look after you." "I'm capable of taking care of myself. You shouldn't always treat me like a child who knows nothing," Daphne said. As Emelie watched their intimate interaction, her growing exhaustion and disillusionment finally crashed over her like a wave, leaving her submerged in resignation. Everything she had done was pointless. Emelie silently shifted her injured leg off the bed and attempted to stand, the sharp pain shooting from her foot to her heart. She had nearly been crippled, yet William hadn't shown her any concern. Meanwhile, Daphne received his constant attention over a mere scrape, even getting assigned someone to take care of her. She gave an expressionless smile and decided she couldn't bear it any longer. It was time for a confrontation. "Do you really want to stick to your story, Daphne?" she questioned. "Ms. Hoven, I've always respected you and want to support you. However, given the gravity of today's events... Lying isn't in my nature." Her claim of "lying isn't in my nature" implied she stood by her words, suggesting she wouldn't outright lie to frame Emelie. Emelie understood the meaning beneath her words. However, she sought a direct answer, so she pressed further, "Did you really see me touch the rope with your own eyes?" William was the first to grow impatient. "How many times do you need to ask?" Daphne calmed him softly. "Please, Mr. Middleton, calm down. Ms. Hoven is merely seeking confirmation from me, and that's alright. "We both played a part in this incident. I failed to alert her, and she interacted with the rope, so I should also bear responsibility. Once Mr. Smith is conscious, we should both apologize to him." "You're not at fault here," William said, furrowing his brow. Emelie ignored William's interjection and focused on Daphne's confirmation. "If I uncover evidence proving you lied, Daphne, how will you apologize?" Emelie challenged. Daphne hesitated, not fully grasping Emelie's intent until she proposed, "How about a slap bet?" After all, it was her words that were causing trouble! William's anger was palpable. "Have you had enough? Do you want to escalate the situation further?" Emelie fixed her gaze at Daphne. "Afraid to bet? Weren't you confident in what you saw? Or are you admitting to lying?" Daphne blinked. The tension was rising in the room while it was filled with the factory manager, colleagues, and medical staff. All eyes on her. Emelie cornered her expertly. If Daphne refused the bet, it would cast doubt on the reliability of her claims. Backing down wasn't an option, especially in William's presence. What kind of evidence could Emelie possibly uncover without surveillance in the factory? Perhaps she was merely attempting to intimidate her. Daphne understood Emelie was bluffing, aiming to unsettle her with fear. Both were aware of the truth regarding the incident. Emelie's strategy seemed to be applying pressure to provoke a retreat from Daphne, which would give Emelie a tactical advantage. Recognizing the tactic, Daphne saw it as her moment to decisively expel Emelie! She met Emelie's gaze firmly, affirming, "I am accountable for everything I've said and am ready to accept that bet with you, Ms. Hoven. I'm just wondering, how long will your investigation take? Doctor, is Mr. Smith awake?" The doctor got caught up in the unfolding drama and immediately replied, "Yes, he's already awake." Daphne feigned concern. "Mr. Middleton is about to explain the accident to our client, and we might not have the time to wait for your thorough investigation." She suspected that Emelie aimed to delay, betting on William's anger cooling down to escape any repercussions. Daphne was determined not to let Emelie's plan work!