Chapter 341 Sick
After Amelia was wheeled into her ward, Tiffany carried Tony and tagged along, whereas Kurt headed downstairs to pay the medical bills.
When Tiffany saw Amelia’s limp figure on the bed, she felt her heart throb in pain. Yet, Tiffany felt slightly happy too. Looking on the bright side, the blood clots in her brain wouldn’t have dispersed so easily if Amelia hadn’t sustained this injury. Fortunately, this incident had a silver lining.
As Tiffany took a seat at the edge of the bed with Tony in her arms, Rory stepped forward and said, “Tiffany, let me carry Tony. It’s late, so why don’t you head home? You can leave the rest under my care. I’ve received my salary, so I won’t feel at ease if you still end up taking care of Amelia.”
Tiffany glanced at Amelia before she asked, “What time is it?”
Rory fished her phone out to check the time. “It’s already two in the morning.”
Tiffany placed Tony in Rory’s embrace, then instructed, “You should return home with Tony and take a good rest. Tomorrow, please wake up earlier and bring some soup for Amelia.”
“Tiffany, you should go in my stead. I can take care of Amelia alone,” Rory insisted.
Before Tiffany could reply, Kurt entered the ward. Tiffany turned to look at him and said, “Kurt, why don’t you and Rory go home? You can come back here tomorrow. I’ll look after Amelia tonight.”
Kurt pondered over her words for a brief moment before he replied, “Will you be able to handle it alone? I think it’d be better if the two of you return home. Let me stay here instead. Besides, I’m strong enough to endure a night without sleeping.”
Tiffany thought for a moment before nodding in agreement.
She took Tony into her arms again and said to Kurt, “Okay, we’ll be taking our leave. If anything happens to Amelia, make sure to give me a call. I’ll bring breakfast in the morning.”
Kurt nodded.
After Tiffany and Rory left, Kurt took a seat by Amelia’s bed. Earlier, he had visited the doctor in charge for an explanation about her condition. The doctor had informed him that Amelia’s brain surgery had only lasted around four to five hours, meaning that it had ended rather quickly. Furthermore, she showed visible signs of improvement after the surgery. As long as there were no adverse side effects, Amelia could be discharged after two or three weeks. However, they could only check up on her eyesight after she regained consciousness.
Carefully, Kurt clutched Amelia’s cold hand as he gazed at her affectionately. This was the first time that he was in such close proximity to Amelia.
Kurt cradled her hand against his cheek. “Amelia, don’t worry. I will do anything to restore your vision, even if that means I have to visit countless doctors. In fact, I’ve already asked for someone to look for a compatible cornea donor. I won’t let you live the rest of your life blind.”
Despite the sincerity of his vow, Kurt’s words fell on deaf ears.
After Kurt continued to speak for a few moments, he suddenly rose to his feet and kissed Amelia’s forehead. After that, he gazed at her with adoration. Although her face was bare of any makeup, Amelia remained as perfect as a picture in his eyes.
Truthfully, he wasn’t sure when he started to fall in love with Amelia. When Kurt finally realized this, Amelia had won over his heart. No matter how hard he tried to resist, Kurt could not deny his overwhelming feelings for her. For the first time in his life, Kurt indulged in his desire to pursue a woman. In order to stay with Amelia, he didn’t even hesitate to go against Oscar, a man he used to revere.
If Oscar found them, he would have to face his devastating punishment. Yet, the thought of Amelia alone was enough to make everything worth it.
While Amelia was still unconscious, Kurt seized this chance to confess his true feelings. “Amelia, I’m willing to wait until you are ready to open up. All I ask is for you to give me a chance to get close to you. Please don’t shut me out. I’ve truly fallen hopelessly in love with you. You must be wondering how I’ve fallen for you in less than a year. Indeed, love is a mysterious force that acts in strange and unpredictable ways. I used to scoff at my colleagues when they talked about their partners. It looks like I’m now eating my own words. I can’t wait to shower you with love and care. However, at the same time, I’m afraid that you’ll get mad at me. I’ve become wary and cautious whenever it comes to you. To me, you are irreplaceable.”
That night, Kurt spent hours talking to Amelia as he finally divulged all his secrets. From his heartfelt words, it was clear that he was head over heels in love with her. Although he had only met her for less than a year, Kurt’s feelings could not be kept at bay anymore as he found himself falling deeper for her every day.
“Amelia!” Oscar jolted awake from his nightmare with his entire body drenched in cold sweat. Gingerly, he wiped away the sweat that matted his forehead. Whenever Oscar thought about Amelia’s lifeless body lying on the bed in his dreams, he could feel his chest wrench painfully. It felt like someone was stabbing his heart with a knife.
As Oscar made his way out of the bed, he could feel a pounding headache in his temple. Ever since Amelia and Tony left, he had been having great difficulty falling asleep. Most of the time, Oscar was forced to rely on sleeping pills. Yet, he would still be disturbed by the slightest noise and could not go back to sleep once he was awake.
Oscar grabbed a bottle of aged wine from the shelf and took a large gulp before he strode toward the window.
When he gazed at the luminous scenery outside, Oscar’s gaze darkened. The wine he’d just drunk seemed to leave a bitter taste in his mouth.
Earlier, he had dreamt of Amelia’s pale figure lying on the bed. The space around her was devoid of anyone. Although Oscar was utterly clueless about her condition, she seemed as if she was at death’s door. It felt like Amelia would drift away upon the slightest breeze.
Although Oscar was dying to approach Amelia and check up on her condition, he could not even move an inch. Despite his best efforts, there seemed to be an invisible barrier that separated the two of them. Amelia was so close yet so far. In a haze of desperation, Oscar had yelled and pleaded for her to open her eyes. However, Amelia showed no response. She did not even bat an eye.
In the midst of his panic, Oscar woke up from the nightmare with his back coated in sweat.
“Amelia, where are you? Are you taking good care of yourself?” Oscar asked in a hoarse voice. He then chugged the wine again. He could feel himself growing increasingly frustrated.
In contrast to the peaceful night atmosphere, Oscar’s feelings were a jumbled mess. Even though Oscar had initially planned to sample the wine, he ended up downing it like water.
In the span of a few minutes, Oscar had finished the entire bottle. He had hoped that it would make him tipsy, but Oscar ended up feeling much sober than before. The headache he’d felt earlier still persisted in his head. Under the combined stress of endless working and inconsistent sleep, Oscar’s body was withering away. In comparison to the past, he was now in a dispirited state.
Oscar tossed the empty bottle aside and collapsed on his bed again. As he closed his eyes, he continued to mumble Amelia’s name like a mantra.
Late at night, Oscar’s longing for Amelia seemed to grow even deeper. Even with his eyes shut, images of Amelia filled his hazy mind. I guess Amelia has indeed won my heart and mind. Even with so many other women in my life, she is the only one I hold close to my heart.
Oscar mumbled with his eyes shut, “Amelia, how could you be so cruel? I can’t believe you left just like that. Although you always claimed that I didn’t know how to cherish you, don’t you know that you’ve stolen my heart? Because of you, I’ve even experienced heartbreak and lovesickness. I’m sure you were born with the sole purpose of tormenting me. After I neglected you for five years, you decided to punish me. Amelia, you are much more heartless than me. It’s been months since you left. Yet, there still haven’t been any messages from you. Do you still remember me? Has your eyesight improved? Initially, I wanted to ask James and his mentor to check up on your condition. Yet, all of my plans crumbled to dust after you left. The thought of you turning blind while I’m not with you terrifies me to no end. Will you be afraid of the darkness? If you are, please come home. I will be your strongest shield to protect you from any harm.”
Oscar continued to toss and turn on the bed as thoughts of Amelia plagued his mind. “Amelia, I miss you so much. Please come back to me. I don’t want to harass Derrick any further. I’m terrified that you’ll hate me for what I’ve done. But I have no other choice, as he’s the only one who knows your whereabouts. Please don’t get mad at me if I ever lose my patience with him. I just miss you dearly.”
Amidst his ramblings, Oscar fell into an uneasy slumber.
When Oscar woke up the next day, his head felt as heavy as lead. In an attempt to clear the uncomfortable feeling, he shook his head. When he finally stumbled out of bed, Oscar nearly lost his balance. Fortunately, he managed to brace himself against the bed before his body hit the floor.
Once again, Oscar shook his head. Nonetheless, the headache did not subside.
I must be down with a cold. After all, I drank next to the open window last night. Sleeping without a blanket must have worsened my cold.
Oscar’s health was usually top-notch, and he rarely fell sick. But once he caught a cold, it had disastrous consequences on his body. Unlike most ordinary people, having the flu was akin to torture for him.
With great effort, Oscar entered the bathroom and looked at his reflection. In the mirror, his eyes were unnaturally bloodshot. Even his cheeks also flushed crimson red. Oscar felt as if all the energy in his body had been drained away.
He cupped a handful of water and splashed it on his face to refresh himself.
After washing up, Oscar grabbed a suit from his closet and began to dress himself.
When he made his way downstairs, Olivia was already waiting for him at the table. Upon seeing his sickly complexion, she asked him worriedly, “Oscar, you don’t look too well. Are you feeling under the weather?”
Ever since Amelia left with Tony, Oscar and Olivia had tried their best to keep up appearances. Yet, they both knew that their tattered relationship could never return to how it used to be.
It would be difficult to heal the deep cracks in their relationship.
Oscar took a seat at the table and shook his head. “I’m fine, Mom. My head just hurts a little. Later, I’ll get my secretary to buy some painkillers.”
“You should stay home if you feel uncomfortable. Even if you take a break for a few days, the company will still run smoothly in your absence.”
“Mom, it’s all right. I’ll feel better after taking a few painkillers,” Oscar repeated stubbornly.
“Okay, but make sure you don’t overexert yourself. No matter how hectic work gets, you should prioritize your health.”
Oscar merely nodded without another word.
As they continued to eat breakfast, the atmosphere around the table seemed to become tense and gloomy.
