Chapter 203 Vomiting Blood
At 10 a.m., Nathaniel changed into casual, low-key clothes and followed the map given by the director to the emergency passage, encountering no obstacles along the way.
He put his phone on silent, cutting off all external disturbances, determined to stay with Aurelia no matter the outcome.
Walking through the quiet corridor, he climbed up to the 19th floor on foot, where her ICU ward was located.
When he emerged from the stairs and pushed open the door, it felt like stepping into the gate between life and death, his heart in his throat.
To his surprise, the area outside the ICU was eerily quiet, devoid of any human presence.
He walked forward, each step echoing on the floor.
This floor had only one ICU room, a special facility not typically used for emergencies. The fact that she was placed here indicated the depth of the protection she had.
Nathaniel paused outside the room. There was a small window in the door through which he could see inside. The room was fully equipped with medical devices, but the bed was empty. A hairpin, one she had worn the day they finalized their divorce, lay on the floor.
The bed was neatly made, without a trace of clutter.
Nathaniel felt a chill running through him from head to toe. His throat felt as though it were closing up, and his heart ached numbly.
The sound of the elevator rang out, and a janitor came to mop the floor, carrying a bucket. She looked at him standing there, his eyes empty, like a walking corpse.
"Young man, move your feet."
Nathaniel, staring at the empty bed, felt rooted to the spot, unable to move. He struggled to control his sobs and asked, "Ma'am, where is the person who was in this ward?"
The janitor replied calmly, "Probably gone. She was still here last night, with a bunch of doctors watching over her. Not many people leave this place alive. It's a pity; I heard she was only twenty-four, died in a car accident."
Hearing the janitor say it out loud, Nathaniel lost all strength and collapsed to the ground, muttering, "No, she would wait for me. She wouldn't just leave like that."
The janitor sighed, "Young man, my condolences. Who was she to you?"
Nathaniel didn't respond, crying and pounding the floor.
Feeling sorry for him, the janitor went over to help him up, comforting, "Young man, try to move on. Life goes on for those left behind. Think about your family, your parents, your children. They all need you. Let her rest in peace. There's nothing more we can do. Even the best medical team couldn't save her. It's just fate."
When the janitor mentioned children, Nathaniel started coughing violently, unexpectedly spitting out a mouthful of blood.
The janitor was terrified and ran to get help, leaving her mop behind.
Nathaniel was placed in a ward, receiving an IV drip. He was given a sedative due to his emotional state.
After several sleepless days, he finally managed to rest under the influence of the medication.
Zack kept a vigil by his bedside, visibly shaken by the recent events.
Nathaniel's phone had Zack listed as the emergency contact, so the doctor called him first, saying he had coughed up blood upstairs.
Zack immediately knew something was wrong. As he suspected, Aurelia had tragically passed away, and Nathaniel hadn't seen her one last time, not even her body.
Watching Nathaniel sleep, Zack sat by the bed, bored, and opened Aurelia's Facebook, scrolling through her posts. In Zack's eyes, Aurelia had been beautiful and skillful, yet low-key.
She had never posted a photo of herself or boasted about her achievements in her field. Her posts were all about everyday life, filled with a sense of warmth and normalcy.
She loved flowers, food, and cooking, and she was the ideal wife in many men's eyes.
Yet she had ended up with Nathaniel, a man who couldn't bring himself to express his affection, even though he adored her. She had also had to contend with Chelsea, who relentlessly pursued him.
She had shown enough tolerance in this marriage.
Nathaniel woke up after four hours of sleep. He opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling, and asked, "Am I dead?"
Seeing him awake, Zack quickly poured a glass of water, saying, "Mr. Heilbronn, this is the hospital. Your knee is injured and needs time to heal. You're on painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication. Have some water first; the food I ordered will be here soon. You must be hungry."
Nathaniel weakly waved his left hand, only to find it connected to an IV drip, the fluid slowly entering his body.
He abruptly pulled out the needle and said, "What's the point of this medication? It's just a broken leg; it can't hurt more than a broken head."
His voice choked up towards the end.
Nathaniel shifted his leg, feeling the pain intensify, but his thoughts were elsewhere—he couldn't help but wonder how much pain she must have felt when she lost so much blood.
His lips were cracked and bleeding, yet he stubbornly refused the glass of water Zack offered.
"Check the security footage. Find out who took her and where they took her."
He hadn't seen her one last time while she was alive, but he knew he would eventually visit her grave to mourn.
Zack had already thought of this while Nathaniel was asleep and had contacted someone to check. The result was that the surveillance footage from that morning had been destroyed. It was during that time that she left the hospital, her whereabouts unknown.
What was the point of mourning? She wouldn't see it. Even if he died in front of her grave, she wouldn't see it.
Zack was a realist. He believed that once a person was gone, they completely disappeared from this world, as if they had never been here, leaving no trace.
"Mr. Heilbronn, my condolences. The surveillance footage was deleted by someone with an agenda, likely to protect her from further disturbance. Since they could protect her so well, they will probably handle her funeral properly."
Nathaniel's face was ashen, devoid of any color.
In the past few days, he had only just slept for a few hours. He closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face.
Chelsea heard about Nathaniel's hospitalization and came with heavy makeup, bringing fruit and flowers. She was stopped at the door by Zack.
He said, "Miss Thompson, please leave. Mr. Heilbronn isn't in the mood to see anyone right now. Even when he recovers, he probably won't want to see you."
Chelsea raised her chin, finding it ridiculous that Zack dared to stop her now. In her eyes, she was the rightful Mrs. Heilbronn, and Zack was only a pitiful assistant!
"Zack, you've been with Mr. Heilbronn for so long. How much do you make?"
Zack smiled, "That's my personal business. Whatever the amount, it's paid by Mr. Heilbronn. As an employee, I just do my job."
Chelsea sneered, "You do realize your salary is paid by Mr. Heilbronn, and I'm his wife. His assets are partly mine, so technically, half your salary is paid by me. Do you think it's appropriate to speak to me like this?"
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