Chapter 54
In the hospital room.
"Dr. Nelson, it's been a while."
Adeline hadn't expected to run into Frank here.
After their last goodbye, she'd thought they'd never cross paths again.
Frank's heart leapt at the sight of her. "Adeline, long time no see. Though I have to ask—how did you manage to land yourself in the hospital again?"
It seemed like every time they met, she was sick or injured.
She had a special talent for getting herself into these messes.
Adeline gave an awkward smile. "Just my usual bad luck, I guess."
"You don't look well."
Adeline touched her cheek. "Really?"
Frank nodded. "Yes. Don't forget—I'm a doctor."
Observing patients was second nature to every physician.
He could tell at a glance that Adeline's complexion was off.
Not the typical pallor from blood loss, but something deeper—mental exhaustion, a weariness that showed in her lackluster responses and the way her words seemed to require effort.
Adeline pressed her lips together. "I'm fine. Just been through a lot lately. It's taking a toll."
"Still taking your medication?"
Adeline hesitated. "Yeah."
Frank relaxed slightly, but couldn't help adding, "I know you hate taking pills, but for your health's sake, you can't stop the medication."
"I know."
She felt like a walking pharmacy at this point.
All these years, she hadn't gone a day without those pills.
"Enough about me. Tell me about yourself. How's work since your transfer?"
Frank recognized her attempt to change the subject but played along.
"It took some getting used to at first, but I've adjusted. Still miss the old place sometimes."
Adeline smiled. "Probably because you were more familiar with your colleagues there."
"Yes, everyone was familiar."
It wasn't just colleagues who felt familiar there.
And what he couldn't let go of was her.
At the doorway, a shadow flashed by. Adeline sensed something, but when she looked, nothing was there.
"What is it?"
Adeline shook her head. Just her imagination, probably.
Downstairs.
Edward hadn't spoken a word since getting into the car. He didn't say where he wanted to go, but the atmosphere inside reeked of tension.
Anson had no idea what was happening and didn't dare ask.
As time passed, the suffocating pressure gradually dissipated.
Edward finally spoke in a flat tone, "Drive."
"Yes, sir."
The car quickly merged into traffic.
Edward took out his phone and found a client's number. Before dialing, he glanced at Anson.
"Find her a caretaker."
The instruction came so abruptly that Anson almost blurted out, "Find who a caretaker?"
But he caught himself quickly.
"Yes, sir."
In the days that followed, Adeline had to extend her hospital stay due to her condition. During this time, she hadn't seen Edward once.
It seemed that after she regained consciousness, he'd vanished completely.
This wasn't like him at all.
While part of Adeline felt relief, something else nagged at her—a feeling she couldn't quite name.
She didn't understand why, but found herself staring out the window for long stretches.
These spells of zoning out were becoming more frequent.
Frank worried about her but hesitated to ask directly, afraid of triggering something. When he came in, he carried a small daisy.
"I thought this looked pretty, so I brought it for you. Hope it brightens your day a little."
Adeline looked at the flower. "It is pretty."
She couldn't help rubbing her temple.
Frank asked, "Headache?"
Adeline nodded. "Since stopping the medication, my head throbs occasionally."
"If your head hurts, try going outside for some fresh air. That might help. I've arranged a wheelchair for you."
Frank had been concerned enough to check her medical charts.
Her external wound was healing at a steady pace.
But the psychological wounds were more serious.
Paroxetine, an SSRI antidepressant, was highly effective—the kind most depression patients continued taking even after recovery.
It significantly reduced the chance of relapse.
But it had obvious drawbacks.
It affected blood clotting. Under normal circumstances, this wasn't an issue, but Adeline had just undergone surgery. Her wound needed to heal.
Taking it now would be dangerous.
More importantly, this medication couldn't be combined with tramadol, the most common post-surgical painkiller.
"Don't worry about me. I've been sick before. I've gone a week or two without paroxetine in the past and been fine."
Adeline smiled.
Her face was so pale that Frank's chest tightened at the sight.
"Don't push yourself. If anything feels wrong, tell me immediately."
"I will."
But what good would telling him do?
Frank wasn't a psychiatrist, and Adeline had no desire to see one here. She didn't want anyone to know.
That she had suffered from depression.
She fell into a heavy sleep, only to be plagued by nightmares.
After jolting awake, she couldn't fall back asleep for the rest of the night.
This was day three without her medication.
Edward still hadn't appeared.
The days in the hospital became increasingly unbearable. Whether it was psychological or not, Adeline found herself constantly anxious.
Worried about Olivia, worried about Lily.
Lily had begged to visit her, but Olivia had firmly refused.
Still concerned, Lily insisted on video calling every night.
Their calls lasted at least an hour.
These conversations with Lily were Adeline's only moments of peace.
During those calls, she didn't have to think about anything else. The anxiety and nightmares that shadowed her seemed to retreat.
But after hanging up.
She was alone again, and when night fell, the endless darkness brought the nightmares back, clinging to her relentlessly.
Day six without medication.
Adeline hadn't had a decent night's sleep in almost a week. Even the doctor making rounds commented that her wound was healing unusually slowly.
"This is strange. By now, your wound should be showing signs of healing."
They'd given her injections and medication.
Yet the knife wound remained unchanged.
Adeline reassured the doctor, "It's okay. My body's never been quick to heal. Even minor injuries take longer for me."
After the doctor left, she took out her phone and scrolled to Anson's number.
She didn't have Edward's contact.
He hadn't offered it, and she hadn't dared ask.
She had questions about that person they'd gone to find in the countryside—likely a witness who could clear Edward's name.
If his name was cleared, she would be finished.
She had no right to object, nor would she allow herself to.
But if she was going to prison, she needed to make arrangements for Lily.
After much thought, it seemed only Edward could take care of Lily.
Should she tell him?
Once she revealed Lily's existence, there would be no turning back.
She would lose Lily forever.
Her finger hovered over the screen, unable to press down.
She knew this was the best decision.
For Lily, it would actually be a good thing.
Lily would receive the best medical care, live the best life possible.
And gain a father.
Only Adeline would lose—her only daughter.
Her fingers began to tremble. The ordinary phone seemed to transform into a bomb that could shatter her at the slightest touch.
She threw the phone away and pulled the blanket over her head.
Her entire body shook beneath the covers.
She didn't know what to do anymore.