Chapter 56 CHAPTER 59

Chapter 56 CHAPTER 59

My heart began to pound rapidly as I sat and listened to Amethyst and Allen singing happily together. Ever since the games earlier, I had felt a strange heaviness in my head and occasional bouts of dizziness, but I kept brushing it aside. I didn't want to ruin the day.

But now my body had betrayed me.

The world was spinning, and the voices around me were gradually changing, as if they were sinking beneath water.

“A-Allen...” I whispered weakly through my dry lips.

I didn't know if he heard me.

As my eyes fluttered shut, darkness swallowed my consciousness whole.

“Lilith!”

That was the last voice I heard before all my strength left me.

When I opened my eyes again, I was greeted by the familiar, nauseating scent of medicine. I was lying on a soft hospital bed. Struggling against the weight of my body, I pushed myself upright and noticed the pale walls of the room and the IV needle attached to the back of my hand.

“Why... why am I in the hospital?” I asked, my voice hoarse.

“Thank goodness you're awake,” said a familiar voice, filled with relief.

I lifted my gaze and found Elsie and Allen staring back at me, concern etched across their faces.

“Why am I here? What happened?”

“What happened?” Elsie repeated. “You fainted from overfatigue, Lilith. You were severely dehydrated too, which is why they put you on an IV.”

Her tone was sharp, but the worry in her eyes revealed how frightened they had been.

“I see...” I swallowed hard. “Where's Amethyst?”

“She’s already home, resting. The family day games never resumed because she kept crying and worrying about you. She wanted to come here, but I stopped her since it was already late.”

A sharp pain pierced my heart.

I lowered my head.

“So I ruined her family day...” I murmured, my voice trembling.

All I had wanted was to give my daughter a happy memory. Instead, I had become the reason it was ruined.

“Stop thinking about that,” Elsie said gently. “What matters is that you're safe.”

Then she changed the subject.

“Do you know who carried you after you fainted?”

I looked at Allen, expecting the obvious answer.

“Your husband, right? I was calling his name before I passed out, wasn't I?”

Allen shook his head.

“I wasn't the one who carried you to the school clinic, Lilith.”

His expression turned serious.

“It was Aeros.”

The world seemed to stop.

My brows knitted together as my heart suddenly raced.

“H-how? How was he the one who carried me? Didn't he leave after giving his speech?”

“Maybe he was watching over you, so he got there immediately when you collapsed. Or maybe...” Elsie teased, though there was an unmistakable seriousness beneath her words, “it's finally time for that stubborn heart of yours to soften after what he did.”

I shook my head immediately, refusing to acknowledge the emotions threatening to surface.

“I won't be swayed by something as simple as that. Never.”

Elsie sighed and nodded.

“Fine. Just focus on resting and getting your strength back. Oh, and by the way, I already submitted your resignation online.”

“What?!” I nearly sat upright. “You submitted my resignation without telling me? How could you do that?!”

“Where there's a will, there's a way. Where there isn't, there are countless excuses,” Elsie replied firmly, meeting my gaze head-on. “Did you honestly think you were Wonder Woman, juggling three jobs a day? You're killing yourself, Lilith.”

I lowered my head again.

I couldn't meet the sharpness of Elsie's stare because I knew she was right and because I was deeply ashamed of all the trouble I had caused them.

“Just send Manang Hilda here... so she can watch over me,” I whispered.

“They're already on their way.”

“That's good. Thank you... thank you both. You can go back to Manila now. I've already been too much of a burden.”

“Enough with the drama,” Elsie said, trying to lighten the atmosphere. “Do you want something to eat?”

I forced a smile and nodded.

“Yes, please.”

Two hours passed quickly, and Manang Hilda arrived carrying warm food.

“Eat all of this, Lilith, so you can regain your strength quickly,” she instructed lovingly.

“That's a lot, Manang. It's not like I'll be staying in the hospital for long,” I replied while forcing myself to take a bite.

“Even so, finish everything. Stop being stubborn, child. Your daughter needs you.

“Yes, Manang. I'll eat it all.”

As Manang Hilda carefully peeled an orange, the door suddenly opened.

The first thing that appeared was a massive bouquet of red roses.

For a brief moment, my heart dared to hope.

But the instant the owner of those flowers stepped into the room, every trace of warmth vanished from my face.

It was replaced by burning hatred.

“What are you doing here?” I asked coldly, unable to hide the irritation in my voice.

I could no longer deny knowing him, not with Manang Hilda present.

Besides, this man was the greatest ghost of my past.

“I just wanted to see how you're doing.”

He stepped closer and held out the flowers, but I only stared at them with disgust.

I refused to take them.

Forced to break the suffocating silence, Manang Hilda accepted the bouquet and placed it on the table.

“I'm fine. You can leave now,” I said, refusing even to look him in the eye.

“Lilith... I'm sorry.”

Those words.

Those utterly worthless words.

They made my blood boil.

I met his gaze with a sharp, scrutinizing stare.

“Leave. I don't need you. And I will never need you.”

He took a hesitant step forward, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

But his next question hardened every part of me.

“Your daughter... she looks like me. Lilith, am I her father?”

I wanted to laugh bitterly.

I wanted to scream.

“Don't flatter yourself!” I snapped, my voice trembling with a mixture of fury and fear the fear that he might try to take away the only treasure I had left. “We could never have had a child together because I was taking birth control pills back then! So can you please leave? Seeing your face only makes me feel worse!”

He froze.

After a long moment, he drew a deep breath. His shoulders sagged as he slowly nodded.

“Okay.”

Then he turned around and walked out of the room.

I remained there, fists clenched tightly, my entire body trembling with anger.

As I stared at the closed door, I realized something with absolute certainty.

There wasn't even the smallest trace of love left in my heart for him.

Nothing remained.

Nothing except pure hatred and bitterness.