On that same day, a psychiatric specialist conducted a session of psychotherapy for the grandmother that lasted over an hour.
When it concluded, William Knight inquired about her condition, "What is the probability of a full recovery?"
The specialist adjusted his glasses and let out a soft sigh. "The patient's emotional knot is buried very deep. Even with medication and counseling, given the current situation, there is only a 40% chance."
Before William could even frown, the specialist added, "As the saying goes, heart sickness requires medicine for the heart. The one who tied the knot must be the one to untie it. All of her obsessions are tied to that missing child. If that child can be found, she could recover eighty percent of her health without any further treatment."
William turned to look at the silent Diana Bell beside him. "That child..."
"It's my biological sister, Ivy Bell," Diana said, her voice sounding a bit strained. "She and Noah are twins. She went missing while out with our grandmother at a temple fair when they were little. If she's still alive, she'd be seventeen this year, starting her senior year of high school next term."
"I've never given up over the years. I've hired wave after wave of private investigators, but there's never been a trace—no sign of life, no proof of death."
In a country of 1.4 billion people, searching for someone who vanished over a decade ago was truly like looking for a needle in a haystack. Furthermore, with such a vast span of time, there were too many variables. Perhaps she was sold into the deep mountains, perhaps she drifted abroad, or perhaps...
Diana didn't dare think any further. Those worst-case scenarios felt like invisible hands choking her, making her feel as if she had fallen into an ice cellar. Her heart throbbed with bursts of sharp, stinging pain.
Just as she was shivering with cold, her fingertips trembling, a pair of large, warm palms covered her hands. William's body temperature was steady and commanding, seeping into her skin bit by bit. It was like a warm current forcibly widening a frozen riverbed, heating her all the way to her chest.
He looked down at her, his tone brook no argument. "Miss Bell, I will help you find your sister."
Diana's nose suddenly felt sore, and a thin mist instantly covered her eyes. She quickly lowered her eyelids, using her thick lashes to hide that moment of vulnerability.
She was used to standing alone amidst the ruins; she wasn't used to showing her soft underbelly to anyone.
After her mother passed away, she had tried to seek comfort from her father, Mason Bell. But that man only gave her a look of disgust: "What are you crying for? If you're bullied, hit back. Having no ability and only knowing how to shed tears—that's incompetence! Get out of here, don't embarrass me."
From then on, Diana's tear ducts seemed to have dried up. In front of Catherine Archer and her daughter, she lived like a warrior clad in iron armor. This long-term defense mechanism made her first instinct to flee when faced with sudden kindness.
"Don't hide." William saw through her unease. His palm moved to the back of her head, and with a slight force, he pressed her into his embrace.
He patted her back rhythmically. The movement wasn't particularly practiced, but it carried immense patience. That faint scent of cold wood enveloped Diana's nose, slowly ironing out the frost that had accumulated in her heart for years.
"Miss Bell, you have me now."
This time, Diana didn't push him away. Like a drowning person grabbing a piece of driftwood, she wrapped her arms around his lean waist. Through the thin fabric of his shirt, she could feel the firm lines of his muscles.
She was pressed so close that William felt as if the person in his arms was as soft as a cloud, or a blooming rose. Her body was made of tender petals, and her breath carried a delicate fragrance. Every rise and fall of her chest teased his senses, causing a lingering itch in his heart.
To be truly soft and delicate—nothing compared to this.
Listening to his steady heartbeat, Diana finally couldn't help but ask softly, "Mr. Knight, why are you willing to go to such lengths for me?"
A tiny flicker of hope, one she didn't even dare acknowledge, was hidden in her heart. Even for a "contract marriage," this level of international search went far beyond the scope of ordinary cooperation.
However, William's answer remained coldly objective. "In a legal marriage, there is a 'duty of assistance.' Since you are my lawful wife, your problems are naturally my projects. If even I sit by and do nothing, this marriage loses its meaning."
He paused, thinking of that father of the Bell family who treated his daughter like dirt, and added, "Besides, if I don't help you, am I supposed to count on your old father who is essentially useless?"
That little flame that had just sparked in her heart was instantly doused by this bucket of cold water called "logic." Diana mocked herself with a curl of her lip. That bit of romantic sentiment shattered like a bubble, turning into a damp patch of moisture.
It was the expected answer. Though it wasn't what she most wanted to hear, it was dignified enough.
"Mr. Knight, you are indeed a very perfect partner." She stepped out of his embrace.
William raised an eyebrow, taking it as a compliment. "As are you."
In the long corridor, fragmented sunlight carpeted the clean floor. The two of them, tall and long-legged, stood together in a silhouette that looked like a high-end fashion spread.
However, the silence was broken by the urgent ringing of a phone.
It was a call from a government secretary, urging William to attend a closed-door meeting regarding the development of a new district.
"I have business; I have to leave first." William's expression tightened as he reverted to the role of a decisive business elite.
Diana nodded and didn't linger. Instead, she politely took a step back and waved. "Goodbye, Lord Knight."
That "Lord Knight" sounded distant and formal, as if the hug just now was merely some form of corporate etiquette.
William's eyes darkened slightly, and he gave her a deep look. "Call me anytime if something comes up."
"Of course, Lord Knight."
William turned and walked toward the elevator. At the corner, Diana saw him decisively dial an international line: "Help me initiate a global search network. Target: Ivy Bell, seventeen years old..."
He never procrastinated on things he promised.
Even if there was no so-called love, being able to move forward with such a powerful man in a mutually beneficial way seemed like a top-tier survival strategy.
At noon, while Diana was still peeling an apple for her grandmother, her phone vibrated.
"Hello, is this Miss Bell? This is the Human Resources Department of Knight Group EdTech. We received your resume and would like to invite you for an interview at 3:00 PM today."
Diana's eyes lit up. "I'm available. Thank you."
After hanging up, she efficiently settled her grandmother and took Noah back home.
An interview required a professional image. She applied a thin layer of foundation and specifically chose a tailored white shirt paired with high-waisted trousers—capable yet elegant.
The burn on her foot was still red and raw; wearing high heels was nothing short of torture. She used elastic bandages to wrap it thickly, forcing her foot into the stilettos and suppressing the piercing pain.
Before heading out, she kicked open Noah's bedroom door.
"Five sets of mock exams, plus a hundred pages of calligraphy practice. Noah, if I come back from the interview and see that your 'chicken scratch' handwriting hasn't improved, don't even think about seeing a scrap of meat for dinner."
Noah, who was secretly eating spicy strips, jumped up. "Sis! Who 'tiger-moms' their brother like this? A hundred pages? Do you not want me to have hands anymore?"
Diana sneered. "If you don't finish, you can go fight the neighborhood stray cats for their kibble."
"You don't love me anymore, Diana. You used to buy me Legos..."
"You want to have fun? Go play with the ghosts in the underworld," Diana said crossly, tapping on the desk. "Modern warfare is long past the primitive stage of physical stabbing. Satellite interference, drone swarms, big-data theaters... if you want to be a hero, you first have to ensure your brain isn't a pile of mush. Get to studying!"
Noah was left speechless. He shrunk his neck. "Sis, with that mouth of yours, it's a waste you aren't a debate coach."
"Thanks. You've got a real talent for stand-up comedy yourself."
Satisfied to see Noah pick up his pen, Diana grabbed her bag and left.
When she arrived at the interview location, Diana was slightly surprised.
The Knight Group was built on finance and energy; educational technology had always been on the fringes of the company. She had assumed the office would be in some remote office building, but she didn't expect the interview to be held on the 28th floor of the Knight Group headquarters.
If she passed the interview, she and William Knight would not only be husband and wife by law, but they would also be superior and subordinate in the same building.
This meant they would be seeing each other every single day.