Chapter 553 The Final Time

Three days zipped by, and during that time, Olivia and Daniel's relationship stayed pretty fragile.

She couldn't shake off what had happened before, and with Daniel's condition, she couldn't really dig into it either.

Looking at it from another angle, Daniel did save her, after all.

During these days, Maggie was around more than Olivia.

One minute she was bringing Daniel water, the next she was fussing over his injuries, treating Olivia like she was the enemy.

Olivia didn't want to make a big deal out of it. If Maggie hadn't been so pushy, she might've just told her that there was no chance between her and Daniel anymore.

But since Maggie decided to stir the pot, Olivia felt no need to play nice.

Olivia sat quietly in a chair by the hospital bed, her slender fingers picking up a bright red apple.

"Want an apple?"

Daniel's attitude towards Olivia could be summed up in two words: total compliance.

He went along with everything Olivia did, never saying no.

"Sure, whatever you say."

Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a glow on Olivia's gentle features, making her look like she was creating a masterpiece.

Daniel was almost mesmerized. He suddenly remembered that before meeting him, Olivia was someone many people admired.

"The test results are out. Daniel can't eat anything cold. Did you forget that?"

Maggie, watching their sweet interaction, was fuming.

She had liked Daniel for so many years, thinking she had a chance after his divorce from Olivia, only to find them back together.

Olivia paused slightly. "Do you have any dietary restrictions?"

She didn't care about Maggie's complaints and was confident that Daniel would back her up, regardless of whether he could eat it or not.

Sure enough, after hearing this, Daniel's expression turned colder as he looked at Maggie. "The doctor only said to avoid spicy food. When did they mention anything else?"

Maggie gritted her teeth. "Daniel, how can you defend her like this?"

Maggie knew that eating an apple wouldn't affect his health; she just wanted to see if Daniel would show her any favoritism.

Maggie had been causing trouble frequently these past few days, and Daniel had been patient, but he was on the verge of losing it.

Olivia lowered her head, hiding her smirk with her hair.

If Maggie were smart, she would choose to leave now instead of staying here.

"The military district is so busy. Don't you have other things to do?"

Maggie clearly didn't get Daniel's hint and stomped her foot in frustration. "I'm just concerned about your health. How can you treat me like this?"

Unmoved, Daniel gave up trying to communicate with her and looked at the apple in Olivia's hand. "Feed me."

Olivia knew he was putting on a show for Maggie and, for once, didn't refuse. She handed him a small piece of apple. "Eat slowly."

The atmosphere between them was harmonious and pleasant, making Maggie feel like the odd one out.

Unable to bear the sight, Maggie stormed out of the room.

If Olivia weren't so beautiful, she wouldn't be so jealous.

But seeing Olivia's face, she knew she didn't even have a chance at fair competition.

Any guy would be drawn to her. Why would Daniel be any different?

To win Daniel over, she'd need a new plan.

Maggie left the hospital, determined not to give up on him.

Olivia didn't even glance at Maggie's departure. She put down the half-eaten apple and said irritably, "She's gone. No need to keep pretending. Lie down, I'll change your bandages."

Olivia had been taking care of him these past few days, so the nurse assigned to change his bandages had handed the task over to her.

Daniel obediently lay down, his voice pitiful. "Olivia, help me take off my shirt. It hurts."

He hadn't been this fragile during previous bandage changes. What was going on today?

Olivia stood by, watching him coldly. "Are you sure?"

Her tone was stern, and Daniel propped himself up on his arms. "The wound seems to be getting infected. It really hurts."

After hearing this, Olivia fell silent.

She knew that with Daniel's physical condition, he could handle this pain. But since she was the cause of his injuries, she felt responsible.

If it weren't for her, Daniel wouldn't be so badly hurt.

Fine, she owed him this much.

Olivia resigned herself to helping him change his clothes. "Lift your arm, and don't move."

Daniel was wearing a shirt, and to make it easier to change his bandages, the buttons weren't fully done up.

Olivia reached for his abdomen, patiently unbuttoning his shirt, and sighed softly. "I don't want to owe you. Next time there's danger, protect yourself first."

She wasn't saying this out of pity.

Olivia's cancer wasn't fully cured yet, and she didn't know if she had a future.

Knowing what Daniel had done for the country, Olivia felt that trading his life for hers was a bad deal.

"I know what to do, but reason can't stop feelings."

Daniel's voice was soft, stirring something in Olivia's heart.

Olivia sniffled lightly and quickly finished changing his bandages. As she looked down, she noticed fresh bloodstains on the sheets.

Every time she changed his bandages, his unhealed wounds would reopen.

It was a gradual process.

"All done. Put your shirt back on."

Olivia helped Daniel with mechanical efficiency, her movements clinical and detached. She lifted Daniel's arm to put it through the sleeve.

As she looked down, Olivia's movements paused.

She saw a fresh bloodstain on the sheets, indicating it had just appeared.

She had carefully cleaned the wounds on Daniel's back, and the bleeding had stopped.

Olivia looked at him, puzzled. "Did your ear wound reopen?"

Daniel's gaze shifted evasively, and he instinctively wiped his nose. "It's nothing."

Olivia was even more puzzled and reached for his shirt. "Are you pushing yourself too hard? Let me see."

Today, Olivia was wearing a low-cut sweater, unaware that from Daniel's angle, every time she bent over, it was incredibly tempting.

The more worried she was, the more she bent over, revealing more skin.

Daniel didn't dare tell her and forced himself to look away. "No need. It's just from not drinking enough water these past few days."

Olivia followed his gaze to her chest and immediately understood where the bloodstain came from.

"You jerk, even in this condition, you still have the energy to think about that?"