Chapter 24: Even if we meet, we will never see each other again.

Fiona was startled by Annie's consecutive shouts and quickly pushed her. "Annie, what's wrong?"
Annie gradually regained consciousness and slowly opened her eyes. Brandon and Luke had disappeared from her sight, leaving only Fiona worried.
Then, she realized she had just had a nightmare about the past and someone she didn't want to see. She shook off the images in her mind, cleared her dry throat, and raised her hand to grab some water but found an IV drip attached.
"You have a high fever, so I brought you to the hospital," Fiona explained gently as she held up some water for Annie to drink.
The sweet water rolled down Annie's throat, giving her some vitality...
"Fiona..."
"Hmm?"
Fiona responded softly as she lifted the hair dampened by sweat from Annie's forehead and tucked it behind her ear before asking softly, "Are you hungry?"
Annie struggled slightly before shaking her head. "Did the doctor say anything to you?" Her heart failure hadn't given herself enough time to figure out how to tell Fiona about it when suddenly falling ill like this; surely Fiona knew everything already?
"The doctor didn't say much except that he gave you an IV drip because of your high fever. They also took some blood samples, which should be ready now." After finishing speaking, Fiona stood up, wanting to get them immediately. "I'll go get them now."
However, Annie quickly grabbed Fiona's arm, saying: "Fiona... I'm feeling hungry right now... Can you buy me something first?"
Fiona nodded in agreement before saying: "Wait here for me then while I go buy some porridge for you."
As soon as she saw Fiona leave with a bag in hand, Annie forced herself upright while pushing along with the IV drip to the report machine. She took out her test results which showed that she had heart failure.
She didn't want Fiona to see it, afraid she would be sad and unable to face her death. They had relied on each other since they were young; they were each other's support system for survival.
If Fiona knew that Annie would die soon, she wouldn't be able to bear such a blow.
Annie tore up the report and threw it into the trash can so Fiona wouldn't see it. As she turned around with the IV drip in hand, ready to head back towards her hospital room, however, she saw more than ten luxury cars suddenly pull up outside of the emergency entrance, followed by a group of bodyguards wearing black suits who escorted Brandon out of one of them while holding Annika in his arms as he hurriedly walked inside.
Seeing him looking so anxious made Annie's heart sink slowly down. She remembered when they were together before how he reacted when her heart disease flared up and brought her here too...
He stood beside her bed at that time, looking down at her curled-up form with contemptuous eyes like someone giving alms to beggars before tossing a bank card onto the bed for what he thought was just another attempt by Annie trying to get sympathy from him or asking for money again.
Thinking about this now caused Annie's lips to curl upwards into a smile, but tears filled both eyes. Yet, even if feeling wronged or unwilling deep down inside, she still stubbornly moved forward with stiff steps without letting any tears fall because Brandon had said never to appear in front of him again - something which Annie would do!
For whatever time remained between them, even if they met again, they would never see each other again.
The sound of footsteps behind grew closer and closer until every step felt like it was stepping on top of Annie's already hurting heart.
Brandon brushed past her, just as she had expected, without even looking at her. Men's heartlessness never cared about past relationships, especially when there was no relationship, to begin with.
Annie lifted her chin stubbornly and refused to let any tears fall. He was just a man who had dumped her; it wasn't a big deal.