Chapter 4 She and William, No Longer Connected
Isabella's car headed toward Evergreen Hospital.
Online, the news about Isabella's death countdown had exploded.
Comment sections everywhere were buzzing with discussion.
"Honestly, I think Isabella is pretty great. She's bold about her feelings and has nothing to be ashamed of."
"I feel the same way. Plenty of people like William. As long as she's not a homewrecker, who she likes is her own business."
"The videos she uploaded and that live stream from some villa really opened my eyes to a glimpse of how rich people live. It's such a shame she won't be around much longer."
"Who is William's wife anyway? Can't she just step aside? Isabella only has six months left."
"I know this one - she's a musician named Amelia. I heard after she married into wealth, she stopped working!"
......
Evergreen Hospital.
Amelia's phone kept buzzing with calls and messages from various acquaintances - some concerned, some probing, some mocking - all about Isabella and William.
She had just glanced at the online news and learned about Isabella's death countdown.
She didn't read any further.
It didn't matter anymore.
After the cooling-off period, she and William would have nothing to do with each other.
Time flew by. She checked the time, and just as she looked up, she saw Mia coming over with her bag.
"How are you feeling? Any discomfort?" Seeing Amelia's pale face, Mia worriedly helped her stand up.
Amelia smiled and shook her head.
Since she had already made her decision, some things were just what she had to bear.
How could Mia not know what Amelia was thinking? But all she could do was sigh softly, then help Amelia into the elevator to go downstairs.
As the elevator opened, they arrived on the first floor.
People were coming and going in the hospital, but today seemed especially crowded. Amelia even spotted media figures.
"So many people, and reporters too. Probably some celebrity came to see a doctor. They're always like this..." Mia was chattering away when suddenly, seeming to see something, her expression changed and she immediately tried to pull Amelia in another direction.
But it was too late. Amelia had already seen them.
Two familiar figures.
The man was tall and handsome with an extraordinary presence. Even in such a noisy environment, his carefully styled hair and custom-tailored suit remained impeccable.
The woman was petite and thin, looking very pale - she appeared to be ill, which only made her look more pitifully delicate.
She seemed to stumble on something, and in the next moment, the man caught her in his arms, shielding her from onlookers.
It was William and Isabella.
"Don't look, don't look!" Mia was furious, cursing while trying to block Amelia's view.
"Mia, let's go." Having already decided to leave William, Amelia didn't want him to know why she was at the hospital, nor did she want an encounter with them at this moment.
"Go? Why should we go?" Mia was even angrier. "You're only in the cooling-off period, you're not divorced yet. William is still your husband, and here he is in public getting all cozy with another woman. This is just too much!"
Husband...
Amelia looked away.
Once upon a time, she had secretly rejoiced at that title.
But now...
"Mia, I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable. Let's hurry back." Amelia changed the subject.
Mia immediately focused on her health, no longer paying attention to those two.
Amelia left, while in the crowd, Isabella's gaze swept in their direction.
A flash of smugness crossed her eyes.
"William, I'm sorry for getting you surrounded here with me." Isabella's face was full of guilt. "I know you don't like dealing with the media, but I..."
"Don't worry about it. Let's go see the doctor first." William's expression remained unchanged.
But in that brief moment, something seemed to flicker through his mind.
Yet he couldn't grasp it.
The two went to the relevant consultation room together.
Isabella handed her medical records to the doctor.
The more the doctor read, the deeper his frown became.
"Your condition is very serious," the doctor said.
Isabella forced a smile and said softly, "I know."
She took a deep breath and continued, "Doctor, I'd like you to prescribe some strong painkillers."
"Given your condition, my recommendation is hospitalization for treatment," the doctor said, looking at the records. "Active treatment might help extend your life."
"That won't be necessary." Isabella showed a miserable smile.
She wiped the tears slightly seeping from the corners of her eyes and said, "I don't want treatment anymore."
William, beside her, gripped her hand tightly.
But she just shook her head.
"Doctor, I just want to live with dignity in the final stage of my life," she said. "So please, just prescribe me some strong painkillers."
The doctor let out a long sigh, but finally nodded understandingly.
Reporters outside captured and live-streamed everything.
Instantly, there was an uproar.
"This is a living, breathing life that's about to end."
"I cry when I bump into things, let alone dealing with late-stage cancer pain. Yet she keeps smiling through it all. She's so strong."
"I cried so hard when she said she wouldn't get treatment anymore. Only those who've experienced serious illness themselves or in their family can understand this moment."
Countless people shed tears of sympathy, their pity for Isabella reaching its peak.
......
Isabella got her medication quickly. When they came out of the hospital, Amelia was sitting on a bench outside, waiting for Mia to bring the car from the parking garage.
Before Amelia could react to what was happening, a sharp-eyed reporter spotted her and immediately surrounded all three of them.
Camera flashes kept going off.
William also noticed her presence. He frowned slightly, his thin lips parting: "What are you doing here?"
Amelia stood up. She looked at William, then at Isabella's hand in William's arm.
Before Amelia could speak, troublemakers started stirring things up.
"Ms. Martinez, are you here to catch them in the act after seeing the posts online?"
"Ms. Martinez, what's your opinion on your husband appearing in public with another woman?"
"Ms. Martinez, what will you do to Isabella?"
Everyone assumed that Amelia's appearance here was deliberate, to confront Isabella.
Even William thought so.
At this thought, William's annoyance rose again.
He spoke: "Isabella is sick. Don't you know that?"
His voice carried a hint of warning.
Amelia only felt it was ridiculous.
He was implying that she was targeting Isabella.
But she wouldn't stoop so low!
"Amelia!" Seeing her prolonged silence, and with reporters already turning to ask Isabella about being the other woman, William called her name.
He wanted her to speak up for Isabella.
Just like every time in the past.
To show obedience to all his commands.
But she didn't want to anymore.
She was giving up even him, so why should she obey him?
Her right hand instinctively protected her abdomen, where the aching pain still hadn't completely disappeared.
"Looking for a friend." In the end, Amelia only said this.
They were already in the cooling-off period. She didn't want to reveal her pregnancy, nor could she let too many people wonder why she was at the hospital.
This response also answered William's question.
After speaking, she turned to leave.
But the reporters wouldn't let her go.
They kept pushing forward, jostling her.
"Does Ms. Martinez know that many netizens are calling for you to divorce so Mr. Brown can be with Isabella?"
"Knowing that Isabella is dying, does Ms. Martinez still want to make her suffer at this time?"
"Ms. Martinez..."
Amelia didn't want to answer any of these questions. She just wanted to leave quickly.
The crowd had finally cornered all three of them together and wouldn't let anyone go.
Seeing that William wasn't intervening, someone in the crowd gave Amelia a hard shove.
Amelia stumbled, immediately clutching her stomach protectively.