For the next few days, Aunt Mel would invite me to have meals with Felix after I had my IV drip treatment. In her words, we both grew up under her watch, so I was like a daughter to her. Putting us in one ward made it easier to take care of us.I didn't want to visit them regularly or spend time with them for too long. It felt awkward to spend my entire day with them. I tried to turn Melinda down many times, but it never worked because she told me that Felix couldn't move and was very lonely. She wanted me to keep him company.Now that was an excuse I couldn't reject.Felix saved me. By right, I should keep him company.Nevertheless, Colin was there too. My days in the hospital were quite dull. And my wounds hurt from time to time. Seeing Colin made me feel better.Felix was over the moon these days. He could finish two bowls of chicken noodle soup every meal. While he still couldn't move, he was always smiling. Even the doctor said he was making good progress.He didn't speak a
What Helen said warmed my heart. It made me realize that in life, love and family weren't the only things that could warm one's soul. Friendships could too.…Ten days after the accident, which was also the second day after I was discharged, Professor King called me in the morning. He told me that I needed to see him in the office for something important.My left arm was injured, not my leg, so I happily complied.Besides, I could hear the faint excitement in his voice. There had to be good news, so I should be there.Carrying my out-of-cast yet bandaged left arm with my right arm, I rushed to Professor King's office under everyone's curious eyes.Professor King said he had two pieces of good news.One, the result of my previous competition was announced. I did well and obtained second place, which meant I'd receive a reward of 150,000 dollars after tax. My current submission had to be better or I risked ruining my own reputation.Two, my art had attracted the attention of a co
I wasn't a gold digger, of course. I wouldn't be a sellout for money. If not, I wouldn't have rejected Matthew, who came from a rich family.I just believed that spending the money I earned was the most rewarding feeling ever.When I arrived at my apartment building, I ran into the delivery rider who was delivering my food. I took my meal from him and climbed upstairs.With only one arm available for my use, it took me a long while to open my apartment door without toppling my food.As soon as I put down everything, Colin wanted to video call me before I even had a chance to wash my hands.My heart leaped when I saw Colin's handsome face appearing on my screen. I used to think that he was decent-looking. But now that he was my probational boyfriend, he looked sexier than before. So much so that I wanted to keep looking at him. Other hot guys, including Felix, looked less appealing now.I blamed Colin for setting the bar too high."Hi there, handsome. What brought you here?" I wa
"What's the matter, Colin?" I asked worriedly.Colin rubbed his face with his hands, yet the fatigue, the pain, and the frustration in his eyes persisted."Lulu, Felix is blind now. He also can't feel anything below his knees.What?Upon hearing the bad news, I almost slumped to the ground. It was as if something heavy was pressed on my shoulders, threatening to flatten me."How can this be? He could still see two days ago. How could he turn blind so suddenly? Also, I massaged his calves and he could feel it then. Is this a misdiagnosis? Colin, get a second opinion." I fumbled and came up with a response."The doctor said that there are blood clots in his brain. They moved and pressed against his nerves, causing him all these symptoms.""Then take them out. Can't we remove the blood clots with surgery?""The doctor said that the blood clots are located in a sensitive area. He'll be blind if we let them be. But if the surgery goes awry, he might be handicapped forever. Also, the
Colin rubbed his temples, exhausted. I felt bad, so I pulled his head into my arms and gave him a head massage, trying to make him feel better."The position of the blood clots is just unfortunate. I searched online. Jinovy Hospital has the best neurosurgeons. If they said they can't do anything about it, no one else can. We can only pray for Felix. There's no other way.""How long will it take for his body to absorb the blood clots?""No one knows. It can take a week, a year, or a lifetime.""It's all my fault. What should I do?" I was fraught with worry.I was afraid of entering the ward just now. When Felix was hospitalized the previous time, it wasn't my fault yet Aunt Mel had yelled and cursed at me with nasty words. Now that Felix had lost the function of his eyes and his legs just to save me, I feared that she might do something more radical. I wouldn't be able to handle that.While Colin often took my side, he wouldn't be able to do anything because it concerned his own
Dad and Mom went to the hospital right away. Colin wasn't there. Aunt Mel was stunned to see my parents. Then, she slowly nodded and uttered, "Harper, we're even now."Mom choked on her tears and grabbed Aunt Mel's hands. "No, Melinda. We owe Luna's life to Felix."Upon hearing what Mom said, the brave front Aunt Mel was putting up finally collapsed. Tears came gushing out of her eyes. "Don't say that, Harper. It's all karma. I know it.""What do you mean? If karma does exist, good things will happen to Felix because he saved Lulu. He will get better."They held each other's hands and consoled each other with reddened eyes.The accident brought solace to the pain from the past. They reconciled.This should be the best thing that had happened out of this mishap.Felix was awake. His eyes darted toward the entrance when he heard the sound of an opened door. Then, he sat there motionlessly.The eyes that I knew so well were still beautiful. But there was no soul in them. They were
I felt pressure crushing my chest, so much so that I struggled to breathe. It was as if a hook had gripped my heart and yanked it out of my body.The thing I feared most about, the one thing that had been hanging heavy on my mind, had finally arrived.I finally understood the words he had mouthed at me that morning in his house. He was saying, "If I save you, your life will be mine."He had sharpened and polished those words until they became silver blades that could slice through me.Everything had been part of his plan. He had just been waiting for an opportunity.The rain, the downpour that blurred my vision, the vehicle that sped through, Colin falling sick and resting in his apartment… Everything played out according to the plan he had devised.The puzzle pieces came together.Colin, his family, me, and even himself were pawns in his scheme. Felix plotted everything to bind me to his side, even at the cost of his own life.He put his life on the line to separate Colin and
"I can't see, and I can't walk. I feel so lonely, Mom. I don't want to live."Felix stared emptily at the ceiling. His hand reached out to grab something, but there was nothing. He put it down dejectedly and left the comment.He wore a calm expression when he said that. There was no emotion in his lightless eyes. It sounded mundane like he was saying he wanted a burger for lunch. Yet he was using his life to force everyone to play by his rules.Perhaps he did know that we were all there.Aunt Mel wailed. She grabbed Felix's right arm and cried loudly, "No, Felix. You shouldn't have those thoughts. Dad and Mom are here. We'll stay by your side forever. You won't be lonely, Felix. Trust me. Trust your mom.""But what do I do after you're dead?" continued Felix emotionlessly. Like a fragile, porcelain doll, he elicited empathy. But the words he uttered cut deep.My heart was icy all over. Coldness crept through my body, starting from my toes. In an instant, I felt like an icicle han