The Tyrant Heir's Return: Reclaiming the Thorne Empire

Chapter 5:Treatment

Inside the helicopter cabin, the roar of the engine was muffled by high-end soundproofing into a low background hum.

Isabella, wrapped in a soft cashmere blanket, sat in a spacious, comfortable aviation seat.

Her body still trembled slightly with excitement and anxiety.

She glanced secretly at Jack beside her.

He was focused on the golden-red clouds outside the porthole, dyed by the sunset.

The sharp lines of his profile softened slightly under the warm cabin lights.

"Where... are we going?" She summoned her courage, asking in a small voice.

Jack turned his gaze to her, the coldness in his eyes fading. "To a place where you can finally say goodbye to the pain of the past." His voice was calm, but carried a reassuring power.

Finally say goodbye to the pain?

Isabella lowered her head, twisting her hands nervously.

These scars were not just physical torture—they were a twenty-year nightmare and a mental shackle. How could it be so easy?

"Jack..." She hesitated, "Thank you. But you might not know everything. I’m a burden." She took a deep breath, as if pouring out years of bitterness.

"Many years ago, I was also close to a helicopter. When I was eight, on Virginia Beach, I got severely burned trying to save a little boy trapped in a burning helicopter..."

"I know," Jack interrupted, tightly holding her cold hand.

"How could you know?" Isabella was shocked.

The details of that incident had never been made public by the Hart family, who cared more about their reputation.

"I... read news reports about it at the time," Jack paused. His voice remained steady, but a faint ripple flashed in the depths of his eyes.

"God rewards bravery. That little boy... if he were still alive, he would be grateful to you for the rest of his life."

"I heard that little boy... didn’t survive," Isabella said sadly, lowering her head.

"I had an engagement with Daniel Davis—the heir to the Davis family—since we were kids. But after I got burned and disfigured, the Davis family broke off the engagement unilaterally. My family also saw me as a disgrace... Today’s marriage recruitment was just to get rid of me like a burden."

Her voice grew softer, filled with self-mockery. "It’s not too late for you to regret it. My appearance..."

"I don’t regret it," Jack’s voice was firm, with no hesitation. He leaned forward, his deep gaze locking onto her evasive eyes.

"Isabella, remember my words. I’m marrying you, not because of your looks. I promise—I will never abandon you because of your appearance. That Daniel Davis is not worthy of you. And one day, your family will realize what they’ve lost."

His words were like warm flames, gradually melting the ice that had frozen her heart for twenty years.

Saving a little boy trapped in a burning helicopter... This detail was like a key, unlocking a sealed door in the depths of Jack’s memory.

But he couldn’t reveal his true identity to Isabella yet—not until he uncovered the truth about his parents’ deaths in the helicopter crash and took his revenge.

If Isabella knew too much, she would only be in more danger. He had to protect her.

Emotions surged in the depths of Jack’s eyes, but in the end, they settled into a deep calm.

The helicopter flew for about half an hour before landing on the rooftop of a pure white building complex nestled among dense woods in the suburbs.

It looked more like a heavily guarded private estate—quiet and serene, with armed security guards posted at the entrance.

"Where is this place?" Isabella looked at the unfamiliar building.

She’d grown up in Washington, but had never heard of a hospital here.

"A private medical center with the world’s top burn rehabilitation resources and equipment," Jack led her off the helicopter, gently rubbing her palm to calm her. "I’ve already arranged everything."

As soon as they walked through the door, a middle-aged man in his fifties—elegant and wearing a white doctor’s coat—hurried over to greet them.

A small golden badge pinned to his chest was recognizable to insiders as the highest honor awarded by the International Society for Burn Injuries.

"Miss Hart, Mr. Brown, welcome. I’m Dr. Louis, your attending physician," the doctor said with a warm, professional smile. "Mr. Brown has already told us about your situation. Rest assured—just last month, we successfully treated a patient with more severe and extensive scars than yours. She has now fully recovered."

Jack patted Isabella’s shoulder gently.

"Don’t worry. Leave it to them. I’ll be with you throughout the treatment."

Hope rekindled in Isabella’s heart.

She nodded and followed Dr. Louis for an examination.

Jack watched her leave, then walked to a quiet lounge area and dialed a number.

The call was answered almost immediately, and a calm, capable male voice—with the concise tone unique to soldiers—came through: "Boss."

"Raymond, use the best treatment plan for Isabella—cost is no object," Jack’s voice returned to its usual coldness.

"Also, get me all the information on Daniel Davis—especially all his dirty secrets. And find out about his recent connections to the mafia."

"Understood, Boss," Raymond replied without hesitation.

"We’ve already collected some evidence of the Davis family’s smuggling with Mexican drug lords. I’ll send it to you right away. Security around the hospital is fully deployed—Miss Hart’s safety is guaranteed."

"Good," Jack hung up, his eyes sharp as a knife.

He would make everyone who had hurt Isabella pay a hundred times over.

In the days that followed, Isabella felt as if she were living in a dream she’d never dared to imagine.

She stayed in a ward that was like a five-star hotel presidential suite, with a private living room and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a lush forest.

A medical team—comprising top burn rehabilitation specialists, dermatologists, bioengineers, and nutritionists from around the world—created a detailed recovery plan tailored just for her.

The treatment wasn’t painless, but Jack came to visit her almost every day.

He didn’t talk much—sometimes he just sat quietly working on his own things beside her, sometimes he walked with her in the garden, listening as she stumbled through stories about her insights into the financial market and funny anecdotes about her self-taught hacking skills.

He never interrupted, occasionally asking a few incisive questions that made her feel respected and understood.

"Your judgment on market trends is very sharp," Jack commented once, after listening to her analysis of a recent cryptocurrency fluctuation.

Isabella looked embarrassed. "It’s just a hobby."

"It’s not a hobby," Jack looked at her, his eyes serious with admiration. "It’s a talent. Don’t waste it."

With his encouragement and the help of top-tier medical care, Isabella’s bandages were changed again and again.

She could feel the burning pain and itching under her skin gradually subsiding.

More importantly, her long-dormant heart began to revive—she started looking forward to each new day, looking forward to seeing him.

A month later, the day finally came to remove her bandages.

In the ward, Isabella closed her eyes tightly, her heart pounding as she prayed silently.

One hand clutched the sheets tightly, while the other was held firmly in Jack’s warm palm.

"Don’t be afraid. I’m here," his voice was as reassuring as ever.

Dr. Louis carefully unwound the last layer of bandages from her face.

The room was so quiet you could hear the nurses’ soft breathing.

"All right, Miss Isabella. You can open your eyes now," Dr. Louis said, his voice filled with relieved satisfaction.

Isabella trembled as she slowly opened her eyes, looking at the mirror that had been prepared nearby.

The girl in the mirror had long, shiny golden hair, skin as fair and smooth as fine porcelain, and bright blue eyes like the purest gemstones.

Her features were as exquisite as God’s most perfect creation—all the scars were gone without a trace!

She was even more breathtakingly beautiful than she’d been before the disfigurement!

"Oh my God... Is this really me?" She reached out in disbelief, gently touching her smooth cheek.

Tears poured down instantly.

"Yes, it’s you, Bella," Jack looked at the stunning face in the mirror, a hint of amazement and relief flashing in his eyes.

He bent down, taking a velvet box from his pocket and opening it in front of her.

Inside lay an exquisitely designed diamond ring.

The center stone was a rare, deep blue diamond—clear and azure, perfectly matching the color of her eyes—surrounded by tiny colorless diamonds like stars orbiting the moon.

There was no grand ceremony—only the doctors and nurses who had witnessed her rebirth.

But in that moment, Isabella thought it was the most romantic proposal in the world.

"Isabella Hart," Jack’s voice was softer and more solemn than ever. "Not because of the Hart family’s marriage recruitment, not out of pity—only because I, Jack Brown, have deeply fallen in love with the brave, kind, and beautiful you. Isabella, will you marry me?"

Isabella looked at her reborn self in the mirror, then at the man who had given her a second life and a new face.

Tears of joy and happiness rolled down her cheeks.

She nodded vigorously, her voice clear and firm: "I do! Jack, let’s go register tomorrow! I want to become your wife as soon as possible!"