Chapter 11

As I opened my mouth to respond, no sound came out. Seeing my lips move, Jayden gripped my hand firmly. "I know you heard me. Hang in there. It'll be over soon." I gave a faint nod, biting back the pain, determined not to lose consciousness. The surgical lights above were glaringly bright, leaving me somewhat dazed. I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but I could feel more and more equipment being attached to my body. The doctors' expressions gradually shifted, the severity in their faces easing bit by bit. I survived. At some point, while I was drifting in and out of awareness, I was transferred to the intensive care unit for observation. I heard Jayden say, "Joshua, you once told me that people should be like grass, resilient and unyielding." ... Resilient and unyielding. I had said this to Jayden when he was being bullied in school, as a way to encourage him. I never thought he would remember it after all these years. For a fleeting moment, I wasn't sure whether I should feel fortunate that my kindness back then had brought me a friend like him or laugh at the irony that even goodness seemed to come full circle. When I opened my eyes again, I had no idea how much time had passed. The door to my ward was slightly ajar. I could make out Sophia and Jayden standing outside. "Why hasn't he woken up yet?" Sophia barely finished her sentence when Jayden's retort came sharp and unkind. "Thanks to your mercy, he's not dead yet." For a brief second, her expression stiffened, but she quickly regained her composure. "As long as he's alive, that's enough." "Sophia, you don't love him. Considering how much he's sacrificed for you, why not just let him go?" His words made my heart tighten painfully, as though pierced by countless needles. "This is between him and me. It's none of your business." "None of my business?" His usual calm demeanor had vanished, replaced by raw anger. "You don't care about Joshua. You've never treated him as your husband. Otherwise, you wouldn't repeatedly humiliate and cheat on him. Now he's in the late stages of stomach cancer, and you still won't let him go? "You know perfectly well he's too kind to ever harm anyone, let alone kill Edson. Why won't you admit it?" His voice trembled as he spoke, his emotions visibly overwhelming him. After a pause, he continued, "If had known that marrying you would lead Joshua to this, I would never have let him chase after a pipe dream!" Through the gap in the door, I saw Sophia clench her hands tightly, staring at Jayden without a word. The two of them stood locked in tense silence for a long while before Jayden spoke again, this time in a muffled voice. "Sophia, have you ever cared for Joshua?" Hearing this, I instinctively clenched my hand that was resting by my side. Though I already knew the answer, after facing death, I still wanted to believe that if I really were to die, she might feel a shred of sadness. Outside the ward, she tightened her fists and stared stubbornly at Jayden. "I didn't know he was sick. If I had known—" Before she could finish, Jayden cut her off with a mocking tone. "What? You'd divorce him then?" "No!" Sophia frowned, her reply swift and firm. As she spoke, she instinctively turned to look into the ward, her eyes meeting mine through the slightly open door. She froze for a second, then turned back to him. "Jayden, I won't divorce him. He'll be my husband for the rest of his life unless he dies!" He glared at her, his fury barely contained. "Sophia, you don't deserve Joshua's love!" She ignored him, pushed the door open, and walked into the ward. The smell of antiseptic in the room made her frown slightly, and her steps faltered before she finally approached my bedside. "Joshua, why didn't you call us when you woke?" I glanced at the IV drip hanging beside the bed and pressed my lips together, saying nothing. I didn't call them because I wanted to know if my death would affect her. The result wasn't surprising. I wasn't disappointed, but the ache in my heart lingered. "Joshua, how are you feeling?" Jayden quickly walked over, concern etched across his face. I forced a weak smile. "I'm... fine." "Fine? Do you know you were unconscious for three whole days? If it weren't for the heart monitor showing you were still alive, I would've thought..." Jayden's words trailed off, interrupted by Sophia. "Evil people live long lives. Joshua is still alive, isn't he? That just proves it." My hand tightened around the blanket as I stared at the dark circles under her eyes. "You haven't been sleeping well, have you?" "I'd be celebrating with fireworks if you had died!" Something flickered in her eyes for a moment—an emotion too quick to catch—but I saw it nonetheless. Perhaps she did care for me, just enough to be insignificant compared to her hatred over Edson's death. Jayden stepped forward before I could process this, shielding me from her gaze. "Get out! You're not welcome here!" Sophia stood her ground, raising an eyebrow. "If anyone should leave, it's you. What right do you have to stay here?" Their argument was interrupted by a nurse knocking on the door. "Excuse me, the charges for Room 211 are overdue. We need someone to settle the bill." "Understood," she responded coolly before turning to leave. As soon as she was gone, Jayden turned back to me, his concern palpable. "Joshua, don't listen to that idiot. There's still hope for you. Juliette said the lab in Capitalis has developed a drug that suppresses cancer cells. It's only a matter of time before a cure is found." I took the glass of water he handed me and sipped it slowly. "Jayden, life and death are determined by fate. Heaven will decide my end. Don't obsess over it." "No, you can't die." His eyes reddened, and his voice trembled. "You told me once that people should be like grass, resilient and unyielding. How can you give up on yourself now?" "Don't throw my own words back at me. I get to decide what I say." I teased him lightly before gazing at the sunlight streaming in through the window. "When I die, bury me somewhere with mountains and rivers. Perhaps in my next life, I can be carefree." "Stop saying such pointless things. You're going to survive. Juliette is coming soon to check on you."