Chapter 53 A Reckless Endeavor
Below the hospital, across the street, a black Maybach was parked.
The driver's window was lowered two-thirds of the way.
A large, well-defined hand casually rested on the ledge, a cigarette dangling between the fingers.
In between the pale, slender fingers, a bright cherry stood out starkly, half consumed by the wind, half by his inhalation.
The ember flared and dimmed with the breeze, a relentless cycle mirroring his emotions—provoked, then suppressed by his rationality, in a relentless cycle...
The man's brooding visage was cloaked in white smoke, which softened the intensity of his gaze, leaving only a trace of desolation.
He took out the last stick of sandalwood, inserting it into his cigarette holder, and lit it.
The subtle scent of sandalwood reminded him of Juniper.
Intangible yet immediately addictive.
Indescribable, yet unforgettable.
This was the last one, a gift from Juniper; there would be no more sandalwood sticks for him after this.
Addictions can be broken; they're nothing difficult.
Cigarettes, sandalwood sticks, Juniper, all the same.
The cigarette between his fingers was nearing its end.
Magnus pressed his fingertips against the dying ember, extinguishing the crimson glow.
The burning sensation seared his skin, a deep pain that felt like it reached the bone.
He flicked the cigarette butt out the window.
He lingered opposite the hospital for another half hour.
Before starting the car, he glanced one last time at the hospital entrance.
But then he gave a mocking laugh at himself.
He was the one who chose to set Juniper free, so why did he still hope she would come after him?
He had always known that in matters of the heart, luck wasn't on his side; he shouldn't cling to wishful thoughts.
...
A slender figure, garbed in a blue-and-white hospital gown, dashed out of the hospital lobby.
Meanwhile, across the street, the engine of a sleek black Maybach roared to life, disappearing into the darkness of the night.
She wanted to chase after it, to demand an explanation.
Deep down, she even harbored the shameless desire to ask him if, suppose she had been foolish before, might there be a chance for her to make amends?
But this disgraceful thought was fleeting, nothing more than that—a thought.
She couldn't bring herself to say it.
As a result of her exertion, the wound in her chest had reopened, sending sharp pulses of pain that brought beads of cold sweat to her forehead.
Blood spread through her hospital gown, forming patchy stains.
Juniper turned to head back to her room but blacked out just outside the hospital entrance.
...
When she awoke again, it was morning.
"You're really pushing your luck, aren't you?" scolded the doctor. "With injuries like these, you dared to remove your IV and run off alone. Your wound tore open, it was nearly infected! If you hadn't passed out right at our doorstep, who knows if you'd still be alive!"
Juniper offered a wry smile. "Guess I passed out at the hospital entrance on purpose, huh?"
"And you're making jokes? Juniper, do you even know what's wrong with you?"
"Wrong? Isn't it just an injury?"
With a grave expression, the doctor shuffled through some scan results. "Your full body check-up came back this morning. The CT scan of your lungs suggests the possibility of lung cancer."
Juniper's mind went blank for a moment. "Lung cancer?"
"Do you often have fevers or colds? Or experience irregular chest pains?"
Reflecting closely, Juniper turned deathly pale.
She recognized the symptoms the doctor described, but she had dismissed them as mere fatigue before.
Was last night's chest pain due to lung cancer?
After examining her briefly, the doctor reassured her, "You're young, and with aggressive treatment... This afternoon, I'll arrange a joint consultation with the pulmonary and thoracic surgery departments to get a clear diagnosis."
Juniper sat slumped in her hospital bed, her gaze void and distant.
She seemed to be struggling to come to terms with the bad news.
Clearly, it was too much to take in.
"Just rest up and try not to overthink it."
As the doctor was about to leave, she suddenly asked, "Doctor, how long... how long do I have?"
The doctor paused, "It's too soon to tell. No need to stress yourself out just yet. Let's talk more after the consultation this afternoon. Maybe it's not as serious as it seems."
After the doctor left, her phone started ringing. It displayed the name Ophelia.
She took a long moment to steady herself before answering. "Hello?"
"Juniper, how are you holding up? Why are you so foolish? Magnus treats you that way, and you took a knife for him! Is his life worth something, and yours isn't?"
Ophelia was on edge on the other end of the phone call.
Juniper's voice was calm as she reassured, "Aren't I still here, answering your call? I'm fine, just a little sore, but that's it."
"You even know what pain is? How could you just charge in like that? I can't believe you sometimes!"
"I don't know what got into me. Looking back, I regret it, haha. Given another chance, I definitely wouldn't rush in."
Her tone sounded cheerful, as if she was in a good mood.
But Ophelia knew her too well and retorted affectionately, "You say that, but your body tells the truth. Given the chance, you'd dash in front of Magnus all over again! Do I even know you? And what about Magnus? Is he there with you, taking care of you?"
"He went back to Imperial Capital."
Ophelia was incredulous, "What! You took a knife for him! You're his savior now! How could he leave you behind?"
"He arranged a nurse for me. That's pretty much the same, right? A nurse is better at taking care of people than he is, right?"
"I'm... so frustrated! You owed him, sure, but you've more than paid your dues now! Juniper, don't keep belittling yourself around him. If you don't love him, who does he think he is?"
Juniper wanted to change the subject.
"What about Jennifer? I haven't been in Imperial Capital these past few days. Has she been good?"
"Jennifer's great, don't worry. I've been staying at my studio apartment, picking her up right after school. We've been living it up."
"I hate to have inconvenienced you, making you stay away from Mission Hills Villa."
"Inconvenienced? What are you talking about? What kind of relationship do we have? Besides, even without Jennifer's situation, I love spending time away at my place. You know how it is with Robert... we live our separate lives. I'd rather not go back to Mission Hills Villa. Can you even call that a home?"
Juniper sighed, "Ophelia, in the future, don't be so impulsive. Try to get along with Mr. Robert, will you?"
"What's gotten into you? Out of the blue, you sound like you're giving your last words... Wait, your injuries aren't serious, are they? I can bring Jennifer to S City to see you right now!"
"No, don't. If I can talk, I'm fine. Don't worry. I'll be up and out of here in a few days."
"You've got a serious stab wound to the chest! Don't rush back because you can't bear to be away from Jennifer. You need to stay in the hospital a bit longer, rest up, you hear?"
"Mhm, I got it. Is Jennifer with you? I'd like to talk to her," Juniper responded.
Soon, Jennifer was called over to take the phone call.
"Mom, when are you coming home? I miss you so much."
Juniper smiled gently, "I'll be home in a few days, sweetie... I miss you too."
Hearing Jennifer's voice finally made the emotions she'd been holding back overflow.
She tried to restrain herself and sniffed.
A mother's connection to her child is unbreakable.
Jennifer picked up on it: "Mom, are you crying?"
Juniper didn't deny it, "Yes, I'm on a business trip, haven't seen you for several days, and it's making me a bit sad."
"Don't cry, Mom. I'll ask godmother to bring me to see you."
"No need, Jennifer. Focus on school, you'll be starting first grade soon. No skipping classes, okay?"
Jennifer pouted, feeling a bit down, "Then hurry back, Mom. I want your Caesar Salad. Godmother's cooking is terrible!"
On the other end, Ophelia couldn't help but laugh and exclaim in mock indignation.
"Hey! Jennifer! Who are you saying is a bad cook? Didn't you like the spaghetti I made last night?"
Jennifer rolled her eyes, "Godmother, apart from spaghetti, what else can you cook?"
"I can order takeout too! Didn't you like the kids' meal I got you?"
On the phone, Juniper listened to their playful banter. The laughter turned into tears again.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
