Chapter 145: Trading Lives
Yeah, that's how it was.
I knew every word they said better than they did, and I thought the same way, but I always felt that things wouldn't be so simple.
If it were that simple, why would Daniel put himself through such misery?
On the seventh morning, a Saturday, Ronan and Helen were both chilling at home.
Emma called Helen, bawling her eyes out, saying that Daniel had respiratory failure and was rushed to the ER again.
I was so unwilling. I felt he did it on purpose, just to force me to comply.
But there was no choice; a life was at stake. Ronan still took Helen and me to the hospital.
It took a full three hours for Daniel to come out of the ER.
Those three hours were pure torture for all of us.
Brad leaned against the wall, fumbling for a cigarette in his pocket, but his hands were shaking so much he couldn't light it.
I held Brad's hand, aligning the lighter's flame with the cigarette.
Brad took a heavy drag, leaving only a small stub. He exhaled smoke into the air, along with the air from his lungs. Then came a thunderous cough, like he was about to hack up his insides.
Brad was under immense psychological pressure.
Daniel was resuscitated, and the doctor told Hugh and Emma to take good care of him. If another incident happened, they might not be able to save him.
Once the room settled down, Emma pulled Brad out of the room.
Daniel was sweating like crazy, and the nurse asked us to wipe him down with warm water. Hugh fetched warm water and tried to wipe Daniel down with a new towel.
Ronan and Helen left the room, sitting on the bench in the hallway to rest.
I also stepped out to get some fresh air.
So much had happened recently, all revolving around Daniel, all related to me, each suffocating me.
The hospital building was L-shaped, and at the end of the corridor, a right turn led to a sunlit passage to the outpatient area, where there was a terrace with windows that could be opened, rarely visited.
As I placed my hand on the terrace door handle, I heard voices and suppressed sobs from inside.
"Brad, you're a good son, you have to save your brother." Emma's voice came through.
"Mom, Daniel has psychological issues; he needs to follow the doctor's advice and get proper treatment. He had respiratory failure even in the hospital; don't you think there's a problem?"
"I don't care what the problem is; I just want him to live. Even if he has psychological issues, isn't Jane the root of it? If you break up with Jane and let Daniel get back with her, he'll get better. Brad, you're so outstanding, you can find any good girl. Just don't compete with Daniel, okay? I'm begging you."
"What are you saying, Mom? Jane is a living person, not a toy. That's unfair to Jane. You know how much Daniel hurt Jane over the years, right? Why should we ask Jane to save him? She doesn't owe him anything."
"Is that what Jane said? I loved her so much when she was little, gave her everything good. Now Daniel is dying, what's wrong with her saving him? If she's so heartless, how good can she be to you? Brad, you're a fool."
It felt like something fell out of the sky and hit me on the head so hard I almost fell over. I leaned against the wall, tears silently streaming down my face.
After over twenty years together, I never thought Emma would say such things.
I thought that even if she wasn't my biological mom, she watched me grow up and should know what kind of person I am, having a fair assessment of me.
Even before this, her stance on the matter between Daniel and me made me think so.
But when Daniel's life was on the line, she seemed to change, saying such hurtful things.
Emma became unrecognizable to me.
Or rather, except for Brad, the whole Pitt family became unrecognizable to me.
"Mom, don't say that about Jane. She hasn't said anything to me. This has nothing to do with her; you can't guilt-trip her."
"Fine, I won't guilt-trip her. But you give her to Daniel. You go and talk to her; she'll listen to you."
"Why, Mom, why? Why are you doing this?" Brad's voice cracked. "Jane is my girlfriend. I can understand if you don't bless us, but how can you say such things? She's a person, she has the right to make her own choices. She's the one I love deeply. I've longed for her for over twenty years. Why should I give her up?"
Brad cried, his low sobs filled with deep pain and anger in every word.
"From the day she was born, I've loved her. For over twenty years, I've seen her as important as my life. But back then, she was engaged to Daniel, so no matter how much I liked her, I couldn't act on it. Later, Daniel didn't want Jane anymore, and she was so sad, she couldn't even smile. It broke my heart to see her like that.
I cooked for her three times a day, took her out to have fun, encouraged her to participate in competitions, just to help her move on and become the happy Jane she once was. She finally moved on, and now she's willing to give me a chance. Do you know how happy I was when she agreed to be my girlfriend? I was ecstatic.
Mom, I understand you care about Daniel and want him to live. But Jane is my life. Taking her away to save Daniel is like taking my life to save his. I'm your son too; do you have to be so biased?"
Brad cried uncontrollably. I wanted to push open that door, go in, hug Brad, and tell him that no matter who forced me, I would never leave him.
But the timing was wrong. If I rushed in now, it might make Emma even more displeased and put Brad in a more difficult position.
I didn't know Brad loved me so painfully. Hearing him say that, my heart was breaking.
Finding a secluded corner, I wiped my tears and calmed down before returning to the room.
Hugh had finished tending to Daniel and was sitting on a small stool massaging his feet.
After a while, Brad returned, his eyes red from crying. I pretended not to notice, sitting beside him, and regardless of who else was in the room, nestled into his arms, leaning softly against him.
Brad's tense body gradually relaxed. He put his arms around my shoulder, pressing me against his chest.
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