Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Taking Responsibility
In a fit of anger, Tristan Grayson slammed his fist on the bed. As he raised his hand to strike again, he saw the crimson stain on the sheets.
He had known since last night that it was her first time, but seeing the proof of her virginity again now made his chest tighten.
Even though she had just told him not to take responsibility, he still wouldn’t treat her unfairly.
He reached out, grabbed his phone from the nightstand, and turned it on, intending to call his assistant, Henry Archer.
But when the phone powered on, he saw nearly fifty missed calls. All of them were from Cassian Jennings, except for one from Aiden Avery.
Realizing he hadn’t asked about Maggie’s condition in the last two days, he called Aiden Avery back first.
The phone only rang twice before it was answered. "Tristan, you finally turned your phone on."
"How’s Maggie?"
"She’s doing well. You don’t need to worry."
"Okay. Tell Maggie I’ll go be with her once I’m done with things here."
"Tristan, there’s something I want to say, but I’m not sure if I should."
At that, Tristan frowned and nodded. "Go on..."
"Tristan, all these years you’ve spent for Maggie’s sake... has it been worth it?" Aiden was silent for a long moment. Just as Tristan was growing impatient and about to speak, the question came softly from the other end of the line.
’Worth it?’ He had never even considered whether it was worth it or not.
He just wanted Maggie to live—to live a normal life. After all, she was the first woman he had ever wanted to be with. The question of whether it was ’worth it’ was meaningless.
When Tristan didn’t respond, Aiden got up and left the hallway, walking toward the hospital exit. "Tristan, you need to think about this clearly. Maggie’s illness is incurable. Even if this surgery is a success, she absolutely won’t live more than three years. She might not even have a year. And you? Your life has only just begun."
Tristan closed his eyes, thinking for a long, long time. "Maggie only has me now. I could never abandon her." He knew he and Maggie had no future, but so what? Once he committed to someone, he didn’t change his mind.
"Tristan, I’m not telling you to abandon Maggie. I’m saying you should have your own life, your own family. As for Maggie, you can care for her as a friend."
"I can’t do it..." With that, Tristan Grayson hung up the phone.
’He had never, not once, considered taking care of Maggie as just a friend.’
He tossed his phone onto the bed. As fate would have it, it landed right on the crimson stain. His already frayed nerves were now stretched to their absolute limit.
Aiden’s voice echoed in his mind. "Tristan, I’m not telling you to abandon Maggie. I’m saying you should have your own life, your own family. As for Maggie, you can care for her as a friend."
’...His life, his family?’ He had never imagined a future where the person standing by his side wasn’t Maggie.
But Aiden’s words had served as a stark reminder.
’The woman by his side could never be Maggie.’
’Maybe... just maybe... it was time to shoulder the responsibilities he was meant to.’
’Last night, that woman... no matter what, she was his first. And she had given him her virginity.’
’No matter how much he disliked this woman, he had to take responsibility.’
’Worst-case scenario, he would just act for the rest of his life. After all, his heart had no room for any other woman.’
’Since it could never be Maggie, what difference did it make who it was?’