Chapter 225 I’ll Sing For
You
“William!”
Renee’s voice broke as she crawled toward him, heart pounding. Her breath caught when she saw the extent of his injuries.
The memory hit her hard–how he’d wrapped himself around her when they jumped, holding her tight, shielding her completely.
He’d taken the full force of the impact. His arm was scraped raw, his upper arm twisted unnaturally, and his ribs–God, his ribs–were visibly broken. Fear clawed at her as dread settled in. Her past experiences told her exactly what that kind of injury could mean. A punctured lung.
“Don’t move… William, please. Stay still, okay? Just stay with me.” she pleaded, her voice trembling.
William tried to lift his hand to touch her face but couldn’t. His body betrayed him, heavy and unresponsive. He opened his mouth, wanting to tell her not to cry, not to be afraid–but the words never came.
A harsh cough wracked his chest, blood gushing from his mouth, staining his lips crimson.
Renee’s heart shattered. She cradled his head desperately, panic surging through her veins.
“Please, William… don’t move. I’m begging you,” she choked out, her voice breaking.
Tears streamed down her face, hot and relentless, as helplessness clawed
at her.
William couldn’t feel the pain anymore, which told him everything he needed to know. But it wasn’t fear that gripped him–it was the sight of Renee’s tear–streaked face. He wanted nothing more than to wipe those tears away and tell her it would be okay.
A flicker of determination returned to her eyes, chasing away the panic. Her hands trembled only briefly before she pulled out her phone, slipping into a calm, methodical rhythm.
The first call was to the foremen at Swenia Mine–the closest help available.
The second was to Barr, someone she trusted for his speed and dependability.
Finally, she dialed for an ambulance, though it felt more like a formality.
She knew Barr would get there faster than any emergency crew. And right now, time was everything.
After making the calls, Renee knelt beside William, hands steady despite the fear gnawing at her insides. She knew basic first aid, but his injuries were far beyond what she could treat. Moving him without proper support was too dangerous.
The faint tremors running through his body didn’t escape her notice. His skin had grown clammy, and his breaths came in shallow, uneven gasps. His temperature was dropping fast.
Renee’s throat tightened. She knew he was in unbearable pain.
Yet every time their eyes met, he forced a weak, lopsided smile.
“I’m… fine…” he mouthed, his voice lost to the strain.
Renee gently wrapped her fingers around his trembling hand.
“I’ll sing for you,” she murmured, her voice soft. “Bet you’ve never heard me sing before, have you?”
A faint smile tugged at William’s lips, despite the pain.
Her voice, unsteady at first, carried an old melody—a song from when they were kids. The familiar tune floated through the air, wrapping around them like a fragile shield against the chaos.
William’s eyelids grew heavy as fragments of long–forgotten summers and simpler days flickered through his mind.
In truth, William had heard her sing before.
It was years ago. Some girls had cornered her. He’d been walking by, sparing only a glance, with no intention of getting involved.
Back then, he simply couldn’t stand Renee–the most notorious troublemaker in the neighborhood.
She was bossy, fearless, always at the center of chaos.
And William, who valued peace, found her insufferable.
But just as he was about to walk away, a clear voice called out, sharp and desperate. “Will, please help me!”
He froze, unable to take another step. Something about the way she said his name anchored him in place.
Only Sylvia had ever called him that, and he’d always seen her as a little sister.
But there was something unexpected about hearing Renee say it— desperate, raw. Oddly enough, it gave him a strange thrill.
Against his better judgment, William helped her that day.
The girls scattered after his sharp glare and few stern words. When the dust settled, it was just the two of them standing in the alley. Awkward silence filled the space, tugging William back to his senses.
Without a word, he turned to leave, not bothering to see if Renee followed.
Then, the sound of footsteps echoed behind him, soon joined by a
childhood nursery rhyme sung completely off–key.
