Chapter 58 Starting Over
Seeing the emergency room doors swing open, Theo, who had been pacing at a distance, sprinted over. Mia was being wheeled out, and the doctor, pulling off his sweat-soaked mask, said, "We've managed to stabilize her for now, but she's still in critical condition. We need to keep a close eye on her."
The doctor and nurses then pushed Mia's bed towards the observation room, with Theo trailing behind.
At that moment, my anxious heart finally eased a bit, and tears streamed down my face as I collapsed into David's arms. David held my shoulders, his eyes glistening with tears. "Diana, why didn't you tell me it was Ms. Taylor in there? What happened?"
I was completely drained and just wanted some peace. Lila returned after handling the fees and helped me towards the observation room.
"David, remember your promise. Don't tell anyone I'm here," I said weakly.
"Diana, no matter what, I'm here for you. Always," David called out as I walked away, but I was too exhausted to respond.
The morning sunlight streamed through the hospital windows, casting a cold light on the floor. Mia had just been saved, lying on the bed as fragile as a leaf in the wind. Her phone kept ringing, so I turned it off. Standing by the window, staring out at the city below, I thought that jumping from the 11th floor should be enough to end it all, right?
But I had too much to deal with: Mia in the hospital, the company in shambles, the unreachable Edward, and Joshua, who got dragged into this mess because of me. I didn't even have the luxury of giving up.
Before I could catch my breath, the company's shareholders barged into the ward. Theo, trailing behind them, said, "Ms. Cooper, I tried to stop them."
I nodded, "It's not your fault, Theo."
The shareholders stormed in, full of anger and accusations. "Look at the mess you two have made. The company's going down in flames, and you're holed up here in a hospital!"
"This is your fault!" another one chimed in. "If it weren't for your reckless decisions…"
I tried to speak, but my throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and my voice came out weak and desperate. I thought they'd show some compassion with Mia in such a state, but they came to confront us instead. Mia's condition worsened, and the monitor started beeping.
A nurse noticed and helped me get them out of the room, but they still crowded the corridor, refusing to leave. Just as I was about to be swallowed by despair, David showed up with two lunch boxes. His presence was like a beacon of hope.
"Everyone, your accusations are out of line," David said firmly. "The Cooper Group's situation isn't solely their fault. You all share some responsibility." Seeing it was David from the Wilson Family, the shareholders quieted down a bit. David continued, "Ms. Taylor and Ms. Cooper have been doing their best. Ms. Taylor is still in critical condition, and Ms. Cooper has been through a lot. What good will your accusations do?" He looked each of them in the eye, and they started murmuring, seemingly reconsidering their stance."Mr. Wilson, what you say makes sense, but who's going to cover our losses?" a shareholder piped up.
"Look, the company's in a mess, and we all need to pitch in to fix it. As for your losses, I'm sure Ms. Taylor and Ms. Cooper will find a fair way to handle them," David replied. His words seemed to calm the shareholders down.
I glanced at David, feeling a wave of gratitude. No matter how things had been between us before, he really came through this time.
In the days that followed, no one came to the hospital to bother Mia, and David didn't show up again either.
A week later, Mia's condition had somewhat stabilized. I stayed by her side every day, sometimes reading the news to her, sometimes reminiscing about our childhood. Slowly, my spirits began to lift.
But then the doctor dropped a bombshell. "The patient's condition is still critical. If she continues treatment here, the best outcome might be a vegetative state." I was crushed. I had hoped Mia would bounce back soon.
I decided to sell the house and car, gather all my savings, and take Mia abroad for treatment.
Before leaving, I sent David a message. It was the first long message I'd sent him in four years.
[The doctor says Mia's still in bad shape. I'm taking her abroad for treatment, hoping for a miracle. Thanks for everything you've done. David. I don't know how I'll ever repay you. Please, don't tell him about any of this.]
"Him," of course, was Edward.
After some thought, I sent Edward a message too: [I'm going back to the beginning, starting over.]
Neither message got a reply.
Two days later, I took Mia on a flight to Novaria. No one came to see us off. As the plane took off, I looked out the window, wondering when I'd be back and what things would be like then.
The treatment abroad was rough. After multiple surgeries, Mia remained in a deep coma. She was hooked up to all sorts of tubes, and the illness had ravaged her body. The last surgery lasted a full day and night. The doctor said it was successful, but Mia still didn't wake up. I stayed by her side, wiping away saliva and other fluids.
Mia once said money could solve any problem and buy anything. But now, with all the money in the world, I couldn't buy back her health. In the end, after spending all my savings, Mia still left me.
My tears had long dried up, and I didn't cry that day. Unable to bring Mia's body back home, I arranged for her cremation locally. Holding her urn, I boarded the plane back home.
I knew things had changed a lot while I was gone: the shares that belonged to Mia and me had all been transferred to Edward; Stellar Legal Advisors had reopened with Edward's investment, and all the lawyers had returned; Joshua was back as the head of the criminal investigation team; and Anne had been released from prison.
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