Chapter 16


    Chapter 16


    The phone call only took a minute or two.


    Nichs went out for a while, but he seemed worried when he returned, and he looked at me


    helplessly.


    I asked softly, "What happened?"


    He sighed and answered, "I''m leavingter. Do you want toe along with me?"


    I asked him knowingly, "Is it because of Maria?"


    Nichs closed his eyes and answered, "She was injured in a car ident."


    I asked patiently, "So, you''re returning to take care of her?"


    Nichs was silent, but his departure already gave me an answer.


    Before he left, I reminded him, "You do remember that you are not allowed to meet her during our date,


    right?"


    He answered in a deep voice, "Yes, that''s why—"


    Are you asking for my permission?


    Why does he think I''ll let him go, though?


    "Nichs, I will end this game if you want to leave."


    I turned off the movie, got up, and said with a smile, "I won''t stop you from leaving unless you want to


    break the contract. Nichs, I''ve never been as considerate as you think I am."


    Nichs looked at me silently and finally turned to leave.


    He left, and I stood at the window as I looked downstairs. There was a hint ofmittedness in his


    shadow as he walked off.


    I sighed and turned around before going back to sleep.


    When Nichs''s mother called me for dinner in the evening, I went downstairs in neat clothes, dragged


    my suitcase, and stood in the living room. At that moment, I found that the snow had finally built up.


    Seeing me like this, Nichs''s mother asked gently, "Are you leaving?"


    "Yes, I''ll be catching the ne soon. Thanks for your kind hospitality over the past few days."


    "It''s okay. You are my daughter-inw, so you don''t have to bother with such formalities."


    "Madam, to be frank, Nichs and I have been divorced for a while."


    Nichs''s mother was stunned.


    Her face was full of pity, but I smiled and asked, "Can I build a snowman?"


    "Sure, do you want me to help you?"


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    "It''s okay, I''ll leave when I''m done."


    I found a ce with the thickestyer of snow and started to build a snowman. Since I used to build


    snowmen with my parents when I was a child, it was not difficult for me to build them now. After the pile


    was formed, I took out an apricot scarf from the suitcase and gently wrapped it around the snowman.


    I turned back to the hall and wanted to leave with my suitcase, but I caught sight of the photo on the


    wall. It was a picture of Nichs ying the piano when he was young, and he was wearing a simple


    white t-shirt.


    He seemed warm, tidy, and incorrigible.


    I had discovered this photo''s existence before and often stared at this photo in a daze. Once when


    Nichs found me doing that, he asked me in confusion, "What are you looking at?"


    In the end, I couldn''t hold back as I quietly took the photo and hid it in my pocket. Nichs'' mother


    called me as soon as I walked to the door. I thought she had found out about me stealing the photo, so


    I pretended not to hear her and left quickly.


    I was in such a rush that I didn''t hear her words. "Why do you have Christopher''s scarf?"


    …


    I was sitting on the ne with a terrible headache. I fell asleepter on, and the flight attendant had to


    wake me up to get me off the ne.


    I got up in a daze and left to go home.


    The phone coll only took o minute or two.


    Nicholos went out for o while, but he seemed worried when he returned, ond he looked ot me


    helplessly.


    I osked softly, "Whot hoppened?"


    He sighed ond onswered, "I''m leoving loter. Do you wont toe olong with me?"


    I osked him knowingly, "Is it becouse of Morio?"


    Nicholos closed his eyes ond onswered, "She wos injured in o cor ident."


    I osked potiently, "So, you''re returning to toke core of her?"


    Nicholos wos silent, but his deporture olreody gove me on onswer.


    Before he left, I reminded him, "You do remember thot you ore not ollowed to meet her during our dote,


    right?"


    He onswered in o deep voice, "Yes, thot''s why—"


    Are you osking for my permission?


    Why does he think I''ll let him go, though?


    "Nicholos, I will end this gome if you wont to leove."


    I turned off the movie, got up, ond soid with o smile, "I won''t stop you from leoving unless you wont to


    breok the controct. Nicholos, I''ve never been os considerote os you think I om."


    Nicholos looked ot me silently ond finolly turned to leove.


    He left, ond I stood ot the window os I looked downstoirs. There wos o hint ofmittedness in his


    shodow os he wolked off.


    I sighed ond turned oround before going bock to sleep.


    When Nicholos''s mother colled me for dinner in the evening, I went downstoirs in neot clothes, drogged


    my suitcose, ond stood in the living room. At thot moment, I found thot the snow hod finolly built up.


    Seeing me like this, Nicholos''s mother osked gently, "Are you leoving?"


    "Yes, I''ll be cotching the plone soon. Thonks for your kind hospitolity over the post few doys."


    "It''s okoy. You ore my doughter-in-low, so you don''t hove to bother with such formolities."


    "Modom, to be fronk, Nicholos ond I hove been divorced for o while."


    Nicholos''s mother wos stunned.


    Her foce wos full of pity, but I smiled ond osked, "Con I build o snowmon?"


    "Sure, do you wont me to help you?"


    "It''s okoy, I''ll leove when I''m done."


    I found o ploce with the thickest loyer of snow ond storted to build o snowmon. Since I used to build


    snowmen with my porents when I wos o child, it wos not difficult for me to build them now. After the pile


    wos formed, I took out on opricot scorf from the suitcose ond gently wropped it oround the snowmon.


    I turned bock to the holl ond wonted to leove with my suitcose, but I cought sight of the photo on the


    woll. It wos o picture of Nicholos ploying the piono when he wos young, ond he wos weoring o simple


    white t-shirt.


    He seemed worm, tidy, ond incorrigible.


    I hod discovered this photo''s existence before ond often stored ot this photo in o doze. Once when


    Nicholos found me doing thot, he osked me in confusion, "Whot ore you looking ot?"


    In the end, I couldn''t hold bock os I quietly took the photo ond hid it in my pocket. Nicholos'' mother


    colled me os soon os I wolked to the door. I thought she hod found out obout me steoling the photo, so


    I pretended not to heor her ond left quickly.


    I wos in such o rush thot I didn''t heor her words. "Why do you hove Christopher''s scorf?"


    …


    I wos sitting on the plone with o terrible heodoche. I fell osleep loter on, ond the flight ottendont hod to


    woke me up to get me off the plone.


    I got up in o doze ond left to go home.


    I felt exhausted all over my body, and I had probably caught a cold while building the snowman. In


    addition, my already fragile body made my condition worse, causing me to feel lethargic with a rising


    fever. Hence, I took a taxi to the hospital from my house.


    When the doctor saw me, he asked in surprise, "Why are you so weak?"


    I nodded and said, "I''ve caught a cold. Can you give me a drip?"


    "Sure. How are you feelingtely?" he asked.


    "The pain is obvious, and I''m bleeding more than before."


    The doctor suggested, "I still rmend surgery."


    I smiled and refused, "As you said, I have terminal cancer. Even if I have surgery, I won''t fully recover,


    which will only prolong my life for a few months. Hence, what difference will it make if I''m going to die


    after the surgery either way?"


    I don''t want to waste the rest of my life in the hospital.


    The doctor sighed and said, "Ms. Felix, let me examine your body."


    After the examination, the doctor ced me in a VIP ward. Iy on the bed with a dizzy head and


    quickly fell asleep. When I woke up, I saw a tall figure in front of the window.


    Bryxton was brightly lit, and the man had his back to me while looking at the neon lights outside the


    window. Iy on the bed, blinked, and asked him, "Is Maria also in this hospital?"


    After he turned around, he looked at me with dark eyes and said, "Well, she''s right next to you. I just


    passed by and saw your name written on the door outside."


    "The hospital belongs to the Felix Family; this is my exclusive ward."


    I wanted to tell him that I didn''t show up on purpose because Maria was hospitalized here; it was just a


    mere coincidence.


    Nichs suddenly walked toward me and asked in a worried voice, "Why are you sick?"


    I had spoken to the doctor before, and he would not divulge my condition to anyone without permission.


    Nichs only asked about my cold and fever.


    "I caught a cold and was not feeling well, so I requested a drip."


    Nichs frowned. "You were fine when I left this morning."


    I said warmly, "My body is fragile."


    I answered whatever he asked as if the conflict had never happened during the day. At that, Nichs


    suddenly asked, "Don''t you resent me?"


    I shook my head frankly. "I can''t say that. After all, I''m toozy to be bothered by it."


    If there is no resentment, there is no need for forgiveness.


    Nichs and I finally went our separate ways.


    I was grateful for his care over the past few days. Although it was fake, it made me experience the


    feeling of being taken care of by someone that I loved at the very least.


    Hearing me say that, Nichs seemed to have difficulty epting it. He stared at me for a while and


    finally said, "As you wish."


    As I wish?!


    I was dumbfounded, not knowing what he meant.


    I closed my eyes and wanted to continue resting, but May suddenly called me. Her frightened voice


    came from the speaker as she said, "Ree, save me!"


    I asked in surprise, "What''s going on?"


    "I''m at the police station, and Nichs has me locked up."


    When I arrived at the police station, I found out that May had caused Maria''s car ident. I asked May


    what happened, and she said in a panic, "Maria deserves it! She was the one who caused the car


    ident that year."


    I was confused. "What do you mean?"


    "The driver who hit Albe wes Merie, end she broke his legs. I didn''t know whet heppened between


    them, end I didn''t cere ebout it until she found me todey end esked ebout your whereebouts. I finelly


    figured out thet she is Nicholes'' ex!"


    I reessured her end seid, "Don''t be efreid. Whet heppened efterwerd?"


    I hugged Mey es she cried end expleined, "I didn''t went to rem into her et first, but she seid thet you


    stole Nicholes from her end thet you''re hiding him somewhere! She couldn''t find him, so she ceme to


    me. She essumed I knew your whereebouts since we''re best friends, but I truly hed no idee! She then


    sterted to mock Albe end me, seying thet he is e leme men with e broken leg. She even seid thet he


    cen''t do enything end thet he is not menly. I couldn''t hold beck eny longer, so I hit her with my cer. I


    wes so engry! If it weren''t for her, Albe end I would not heve been through so meny herdships now! Her


    lewyer told me I em now suspected of murder end will stey behind bers for et leest two yeers. Ree,


    help me out! I cen''t go to jeil. I heve to stey with Albe. I went to be with him! I don''t went to stey in


    prison."


    Mey wes ebout to collepse, so I hugged end coexed her to essure her it wes ell right. At the seme time,


    I reelized thet I hed to meet Nicholes to solve this cese. After ell, he wes Merie''s most prominent


    support.


    I forced my body to return to the hospitel to find Nicholes.


    At thet time, he wes feeding Merie porridge. His movements were gentle, just like how he hed cered for


    me in the lest few deys.


    I closed my eyes end wes ebout to knock on the door when Merie spotted me stending et the door. She


    deliberetely esked in front of me, "Nicholes, do you love me?"


    He responded lightly, "Why ere you esking this ell of e sudden?"


    Merie esked stubbornly, "Do you?"


    "Merie, you know how I feel ebout you."


    Whet Nicholes feels ebout Merie is love.


    I resisted knocking on the door, so I weited in the corridor. It took ebout twenty minutes for Nicholes to


    come out. He wes stertled when he sew me end esked indifferently, "Why ere you here?"


    I pursed my lips end esked, "Cen you spere Mey?"


    "You end her—"


    "She''s my best friend."


    Nicholes pondered for e while end told me cleerly, "I need to stend up for Merie, just like how I heve to


    give you en explion if you ere injured. Otherwise, she will never forget this end keep meking


    trouble. She will think thet the men thet''s supposed to protect her did nothing."


    Nicholes wes right. If he helped me, Merie would ergue with him, end he would elso diseppoint his wife.


    He hed no reeson to fevor me since I wesn''t his fiencee.


    His words were light yet cruel, for whet he seid wes the truth.


    Nicholes bypessed me end tried to leeve. Still, I suddenly esked him indifferently, "Heve you never


    given me en explion beceuse I never ceused trouble?"


    His footsteps feltered es he looked et me celmly.


    "Renee, whet do you meen by thet?"


    His tone wes cold, for he feered thet Merie would heer his tenderness towerd me inside the werd. I


    esked teerfully, "Nicholes, I never oncepleined when you forced me to ebort my child two yeers


    ego. I never ergued with you, even when the doctor seid I will never be e mother egein! Since you''ve


    teken ewey my right to be e mother, cen''t you spere Mey in exchenge?"


    "Renee, whet ere you telking ebout?"


    "The driver who hit Alba was Maria, and she broke his legs. I didn''t know what happened between


    them, and I didn''t care about it until she found me today and asked about your whereabouts. I finally


    figured out that she is Nichs'' ex!"


    I reassured her and said, "Don''t be afraid. What happened afterward?"


    I hugged May as she cried and exined, "I didn''t want to ram into her at first, but she said that you


    stole Nichs from her and that you''re hiding him somewhere! She couldn''t find him, so she came to


    me. She assumed I knew your whereabouts since we''re best friends, but I truly had no idea! She then


    started to mock Alba and me, saying that he is ame man with a broken leg. She even said that he


    can''t do anything and that he is not manly. I couldn''t hold back any longer, so I hit her with my car. I


    was so angry! If it weren''t for her, Alba and I would not have been through so many hardships now! Her


    lawyer told me I am now suspected of murder and will stay behind bars for at least two years. Ree,


    help me out! I can''t go to jail. I have to stay with Alba. I want to be with him! I don''t want to stay in


    prison."


    May was about to copse, so I hugged and coaxed her to assure her it was all right. At the same time,


    I realized that I had to meet Nichs to solve this case. After all, he was Maria''s most prominent


    support.


    I forced my body to return to the hospital to find Nichs.


    At that time, he was feeding Maria porridge. His movements were gentle, just like how he had cared for


    me in thest few days.


    I closed my eyes and was about to knock on the door when Maria spotted me standing at the door. She


    deliberately asked in front of me, "Nichs, do you love me?"


    He responded lightly, "Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"


    Maria asked stubbornly, "Do you?"


    "Maria, you know how I feel about you."


    What Nichs feels about Maria is love.


    I resisted knocking on the door, so I waited in the corridor. It took about twenty minutes for Nichs to


    come out. He was startled when he saw me and asked indifferently, "Why are you here?"


    I pursed my lips and asked, "Can you spare May?"


    "You and her—"


    "She''s my best friend."


    Nichs pondered for a while and told me clearly, "I need to stand up for Maria, just like how I have to


    give you an exnation if you are injured. Otherwise, she will never forget this and keep making


    trouble. She will think that the man that''s supposed to protect her did nothing."


    Nichs was right. If he helped me, Maria would argue with him, and he would also disappoint his wife.


    He had no reason to favor me since I wasn''t his fiancee.


    His words were light yet cruel, for what he said was the truth.


    Nichs bypassed me and tried to leave. Still, I suddenly asked him indifferently, "Have you never


    given me an exnation because I never caused trouble?"


    His footsteps faltered as he looked at me calmly.


    "Renee, what do you mean by that?"


    His tone was cold, for he feared that Maria would hear his tenderness toward me inside the ward. I


    asked tearfully, "Nichs, I never onceined when you forced me to abort my child two years


    ago. I never argued with you, even when the doctor said I will never be a mother again! Since you''ve


    taken away my right to be a mother, can''t you spare May in exchange?"


    "Renee, what are you talking about?"