Titus Zane didn’t know whether to feel lucky or sad. Jumping from the fourth floor, he miraculously didn’t die.
Perhaps the Rose Garden below saved his life, Titus thought.
But the injuries were severe, his body felt like a hedgehog, pricked by roses.
Left leg, right arm fractured, and many more injuries, large and small, all over his body.
Titus’s father, furious with his son’s irresponsible behavior and perhaps fearing retaliation from Nathan Moore, immediately issued a statement in the newspapers, severing father-son ties with Titus.
His mother Ariana Evans also visited the hospital in secret, behind her husband’s back. She stayed a while but hastily left and never came back.
Lying on the hospital bed wrapped up like zongzi, arms and legs in casts, elevated high, Titus found himself with not even a nurse in attendance.
After regaining consciousness, Nathan Moore came to the ward once, with Olivia Zane accompanying him.
Standing at a distance in front of the bed, Nathan Moore’s chiseled, handsome face was expressionless.
Titus Zane managed a weak smile despite the pain on his face, and though every tiny movement caused throbbing pain throughout his body, he insisted on showing his brightest side to the man who hated him the most.
"Does our agreement still stand?" Titus’s voice was faint, but he still asked about their agreement.
Nathan Moore said, looking at him with a cold detachment.
Though his handsome face remained as impassive as ever, Titus saw a hint of different emotions in his eyes.
Before he could ponder further, his heart filled with joy for he was free, no longer the bird trapped in a cage, finally released, able to spread his wings and fly freely.
At that time, Titus said, "Nathan Moore, from now on, we owe nothing to each other."
"Fine," Nathan spoke the word lightly from his thin lips, turned, and left the ward without a second glance, never to appear again.
It was Olivia Zane who strangely stayed in the ward for a long while, wheeling her chair to the bedside and furrowing her brows.
"Sis, why be so impulsive? Our bodies, given by our parents, how heartbroken they would be if you really left us."
"They won’t be heartbroken," perhaps it was the brush with death, but Titus no longer felt the previous aversion towards Olivia Zane and could even talk to her calmly.
"Who says that!" Olivia Zane retorted in disagreement, "Do you know, Mom fell seriously ill and hasn’t been to work for several days."
"Is that right?" Titus responded indifferently, not dulled by his near-death experience but rather, even though his father had publicly disowned him, his mother, the one who loved him the most, could have taken the time to secretly visit him during her rest because the hospital she worked at was precisely where he was staying.
Although they were not in the same department, the two were only one floor apart...
Titus even doubted whether his mother had ever truly loved or pitied him.
Watching Titus’s indifferent demeanor, Olivia Zane stayed for a while longer before leaving.
Lying in bed alone, gazing at the white ceiling, Titus curved his lips faintly.
"Bed 17, Titus Zane, you have one day’s worth of hospital fees overdue. When will you pay them? Don’t delay the doctor’s prescriptions!"
In the midst of his reverie, a young nurse in a blue uniform pushed the door open, holding a clipboard with an unfriendly attitude.
Titus was startled, could it be... that he never managed to pay his medical bills in full?
"Don’t just stare at me like that. When are you going to pay the full medical fees? Otherwise, we’re stopping your medication today!" Seeing no response from Titus, the nurse tapped the bed rail impatiently and raised her voice as a reminder.
"Oh, I’ll pay today. Could you please make a phone call for me?"
Titus’s bank card was delivered by Aunt Liu, who placed it on the bedside after comforting him with a few words, then hurriedly left.
"Did she say anything?" In the hospital corridor, Nathan Moore looked at Aunt Liu, secretly wiping tears, and asked.
Aunt Liu wiped away her tears, spoke the truth, "Miss Zane just said thank you."
Nathan Moore’s expression was not good, and without waiting for Aunt Liu, he turned and walked away.
A week later, the nurse came into the ward with Titus’s bank card, "Bed 17, Titus Zane, your card is maxed out. It’s only enough for tonight’s bed fee. If there’s no money by tomorrow, you’ll have to be forcibly discharged from the ward..."
Clenched his hands tightly around the bedsheet, biting his lower lip.