“Come on, let’s go.”
Nina waited till the two of them left the ward before calling out to Evan, “The coast is clear, Daddy!”
Evan opened his eyes slowly and glanced around the room.
Ten minutes later, Nina went running after them with Nicole’s coat in hand. “Nina? What are you doing here? Where’s your Daddy?” Nicole asked when she saw her.
“Daddy is still in his ward, Mommy. I noticed you forgot your coat, so I thought I’d bring it out for you in case you got cold!” She replied while draping the coat over Nicole’s shoulders.
Nicole gave her an uneasy look and said, “Let’s go back inside. I’m worried about leaving him alone in the ward.”
“Okay!”
“Sure!”
Nina watched from behind as Nicole walked back to the ward in front of them. Her thin and weak figure cast a long shadow under the fluorescent light, but hidden in that weakness of hers was an intense perseverance fueled by her concern for Evan.
Nina could tell that her mommy really loved her daddy, so she wasn’t sure if she was doing the right thing by helping him like this. I wonder how Mommy will react when she gets back to the ward…
Nicole’s face was as pale as sheet when she opened the door and saw the empty hospital bed inside.
“Nina, where’s your daddy?” She asked anxiously.
Nina played along and pretended to look surprised as well. “I don’t know, Mommy! D…Do you think he woke up and went to the bathroom or something?”
“Go look for him, now!”
With the help of the doctors and nurses, the three of them searched every nook and cranny of the hospital, but there was no sign of Evan whatsoever.
Suddenly, John came over and handed them a letter from Evan.
“Mr. Seet called. He asked me to hand you this letter.”
“Where is Evan?” Nicole asked anxiously as she took the letter over.
“I don’t know. Mr. Seet had someone deliver this to the office, and I brought it over as soon as I got it. I haven’t seen him at all,” John replied.
Nicole tore the envelope open and recognized Evan’s handwriting as soon as she began reading the contents of the letter.
Dear Nicole, I am writing to inform you that I’ll be leaving. The company, the kids, and Imperial Garden are all yours. Take care, and goodbye.
Nicole shuddered uncontrollably. Evan’s gone? He’s really gone?
“Mommy, I think this is Daddy’s final letter to us! He doesn’t want to be a burden to you, so he’s gone somewhere far away to wait for his death!” Nina said after reading the letter.
Nicole felt her mind going blank. It was as if her heart and soul had been ripped right out of her body.
Wait for his death? This… This isn’t like Evan at all! He wouldn’t just up and leave like this! He wouldn’t…
Nina clenched her fists when she saw Nicole’s eyes tear up. “You did the same thing when you had those hallucinations back then, Mommy! Daddy learned this from you! How noble of him!”
Noble? Perhaps it would seem noble to someone who is afraid of being burdened, but… To me, it’s just plain cruel… I was hoping to have the doctors stabilize his vitals while waiting for Wesley to get back and save him, but he just left us all with this note… If he succumbs to the poison, I’ll never be able to see him again… No, I can’t let that happen!
“No, he isn’t like Mommy. He… He’ll come back…” Nicole said with a sniffle.
Maya burst out into tears. “Why does it have to be like this? Why can’t we all just face it together as a family? Why do you always leave us behind?”
