Chapter 4

Adrian ground his teeth.

It took him several seconds to force out the words.

"I'm sorry."

I didn't answer.

I bent down, gathered the things that had spilled from my plastic bag, and turned toward my room.

Evelyn stepped into the hallway at that exact moment with several freshly printed lab reports in her hand.

Her eyes swept coldly over Mom and Adrian.

"If you have family business to deal with, take it outside."

Her tone left no room for argument.

"My patient needs rest. Stop disturbing him."

Adrian's expression softened at once.

"Evelyn..."

She cut him off.

"It's Dr. Whitmore."

Mom's gaze lingered on me for a few seconds. She opened her mouth.

"What exactly is wrong with-"

Evelyn raised one hand.

"If there's nothing else, please leave."

Mom closed her mouth.

She looked at me one last time, then turned to Adrian.

"We're leaving."

The corridor finally fell silent.

Evelyn sighed when she saw the cut on my hand.

She took my wrist and pulled me into her office, cleaned the wound, and began wrapping it with gauze.

"Why didn't you fight back?"

My mouth twitched.

"Didn't have the strength. Didn't see the point."

I hesitated.

"And he was trying to protect Mom."

Evelyn's hands stopped.

A deep sadness passed through her eyes.

I watched her finish bandaging me.

"You're getting engaged soon, aren't you?"

My throat tightened.

"Congratulations."

Evelyn looked up at me in disbelief.

"I never agreed to that arrangement."

She smoothed the last strip of gauze into place, then flipped to the final page of my lab results.

Her voice softened.

"I've only ever chosen you."

Then she tapped the report.

"Your white blood cell count is low. You may spike a fever tonight. If anything feels wrong, press the call button. No more pretending you can handle everything alone."

I nodded and returned to my room.

But in my heart, I had already decided to let her go completely.

That evening, the nurses' station erupted with emergency calls and every nurse on duty was pulled away.

The hallway went quiet.

Then something clattered inside Mom's room.

Her door was half open.

I stopped.

I knew I shouldn't go in.

I went in anyway.

Mom was awkwardly trying to fix the IV line in her right arm using only her left hand.

The fluid in the drip chamber had fallen too low, and a long streak of blood was backing up into the tubing.

She didn't know what she was doing. The more she fiddled with it, the farther the blood traveled.

I walked straight to the bed and pinched the lower part of the tube.

With my thumb, I pushed the roller clamp shut.

The blood stopped moving.

I adjusted the line properly.

Then I took a cushion from the cabinet, tucked it into the space behind her back, and fluffed it once.

The whole thing took less than a minute.

Mom leaned against the cushion and stared at my hands.

"How do you know how to do all that?"

I lowered my eyes.

"I learned a long time ago."

Her expression softened.

She cleared her throat and picked awkwardly at the edge of her blanket.

"Evan... considering you helped me, if you were willing to swallow your pride and admit you were wrong..."

She paused.

"I might be willing to give you one chance."

Before I could respond, a vicious cramp tore through my stomach.

The room warped in front of me.

No.

I couldn't collapse in front of her.

"I should go."

I kept my head down, forced myself through the pain, and hurried toward the door.

Behind me, Mom raised her voice.

"If you walk out now, I'm not offering again!"

I couldn't answer.

I stayed close to the wall, trying not to sway as cold sweat ran down my forehead.

At the corner, I nearly collided with Adrian, who was returning with dinner.

His eyes immediately landed on the plastic bag in my hand. Inside were the broken pieces of the insulated cup I'd picked up from Mom's floor on my way out.

"Stop."

He grabbed my arm.

"Why were you sneaking out of my mom's room? What's in the bag?"

His expression turned vicious.

"Did you steal something? You're coming with me to security."

I was in so much pain I could barely breathe.

Black spots crowded my vision.

"Let go..."

My voice was almost soundless.

Instead, Adrian tightened his grip.

"I knew it. You look broke because you are broke.

"I'm making sure Mom sees exactly what kind of person you are before she starts feeling sorry for you."

My legs finally gave out.

I clutched his sleeve and begged in a whisper.

"Please... let me go."

He shoved me into the wall.

"Stop acting pathetic. You got caught and now you want to run? Not happening."

My back slammed against the tile.

A ringing explosion filled my head.

Then I vomited a mouthful of blood.

My body lost all strength and slid down the wall.

Adrian stumbled backward, suddenly pale.

"Don't fake this. I'm not falling for it!"

Mom stepped out of her room after hearing the commotion.

The instant she saw me collapsed on the floor, drenched in sweat with my eyes closed, every trace of color vanished from her face.

"Evan! What's wrong with you?"