Chapter 4

Jaime awoke to the sharp smell of disinfectant. When he opened his eyes, his vision was blurry, and it took him a little longer to make out that the person sitting by the bedside was Eden.

There were still prominent dark circles under her distinctly bloodshot eyes. The moment she realized Jaime was awake, a flicker of panic and guilt flashed in her eyes. She started frantically, “Jaime, I'm so sorry for pushing you yesterday. I just lost my cool.”

Jaime glanced at her indifferently before turning away to face the ceiling. He softly rubbed at the spot on his wrist where he could still feel Eden’s clutch.

He did not respond to Eden’s apology. His expression hardly changed at all.

His cold reaction only served to amplify Eden’s fright. She explained softly, “I didn't mean it. I’m sorry. Jericho caught a mild fever after he was attacked, then the doctor told me it might affect the surgery, so I panicked. That’s why I…

“Besides, you did cross a line this time. This concerns his life. You shouldn’t have done something so rash.”

It was clear that with every word she spoke, her reproach of Jaime was getting increasingly pronounced. She could not help but continue to blame Jaime.

At last, Jaime responded. He turned to her. His voice was cutting and hoarse when he interrupted her, “It wasn’t me who did it. We’ve been together for over ten years. How could you still suspect me? You should know I am never the type to pull sneaky tricks like this. If I have a problem with someone, I will confront them directly.”

It was true. Regardless of severity, whenever he was upset with someone, he would confront them head-on rather than scheming behind their backs.

Eden, of all people, should know this. But now, she refused to yield him even a shred of trust just because it involved Jericho.

When she tried to say something again, the door was suddenly flung open, and Jaime’s parents rushed into the ward.

Judging by the luggage that was with them, they must have headed straight to the hospital after landing.

The moment Marcus Barthes saw Jaime lying on the hospital bed and observed how sickly his son seemed, he was on the verge of tears.

He rushed to Jaime’s side, holding his hand; his voice was choked with tears as he uttered, “Oh, son, how did you end up in this state? You should have said something to us!”

Elisa Barthes turned to face Eden, her eyes blazing with fury, exuding an aura that was beyond menacing.

Jaime was the beloved son of the Barthes. After marrying Eden, he was reduced to such a pathetic state, and yet, the details of the severity of his sickness had been kept a secret from his parents.

“Eden.” Elisa’s voice was intense. “You never told us how long Jaime has been sick, but we can let it slide. However, would you explain to us why you let another man receive the heart transplant that was meant for him? Do you not care for your husband at all? Does our family not mean anything to you?”

Eden felt ashamed when she was barraged with questions. She stammered an apology, “Elisa, Marcus, it’s not what you think, it’s…”

“Dad, Mom, it’s fine.” Jaime gently clasped his father’s hand and interrupted Eden, “I was the one who let her do it. Jericho’s condition is more serious than mine, so he needs that heart transplant more than I do.”

The last thing he wanted in his final days was for his parents to argue on his behalf. He did not want to inspire any chaos.

Then, he turned to Eden and dismissed her calmly, “You should go. I’d like some space to talk to my parents.”

When Eden noticed his distance, she felt a terrible feeling lodged inside her. All she could do was give him a long, solemn look before leaving the ward.

At the same time, she vowed to herself that she would find a suitable donor for Jaime as soon as she could.

After her departure, Jaime and his parents were the only ones left in the room. Marcus could not hold back any longer and cried out aggrievedly, “Jaime, how could you be so foolish and let someone else have the heart meant for you? It would save your life!”

Jaime wanted to cry, but he managed to hold back his tears.

Meanwhile, Elisa also expressed in a lowered, concerned voice, “We only found out about what happened when we received the organ donation consent form from the hospital. That’s why we took a red-eye flight here. What are we to do if something happens to you, darling son?”

Jaime was overcome with guilt. He put his hand out to wipe away his parents' tears.

“Mom, Dad, don't worry. I only signed the document as a precaution. The doctor did mention that I can slowly recover over time, so I’m sure it’s not as bad as it seems.”

He did not want them to know that he only had a few days left to live. He did not want them to share their last moments together in a state of grief.

However, Elisa refused to believe him. She held his hand tightly and assured him, “Don’t worry, Jaime, I have already contacted the best cardiologists in the world to help you. In the meantime, I promise you we’re going to find a suitable heart donor for you no matter what. You’ll get better.”

Marcus and Elisa’s unconditional love washed over him like a warm current. At last, the strong facade that he had to hold up lately had collapsed.

He could not hold back any longer, even if he wanted to. He buried himself in his parents' arms and started to cry, releasing all the pent-up pain and despair accumulated inside him.

This was the first time he had allowed himself to break down since arriving in this world.

Two days into the hospitalization, he insisted on going home despite his parents’ dissuasion. At last, they obliged.

When he stepped into his house, he was taken aback by what he saw.

Jericho was sitting on the living room couch, wearing one of Jaime’s coats, while being attended to by the housemaid.