Love's Bitter Edge (Eva and Leonard)
Chapter 5

Patrick stared at me for a while. In the end, he reluctantly handed the surgery consent form to me. "Are you sure about this? If anything happens during the surgery, it might be difficult to manage." "Dr. Price, I trust you. Really," I said.

I took the pen and paper before quickly signing my name. After all, it was my life on the line. I should be the one deciding my own fate. Patrick was about to say something else when the office door was suddenly pushed open.

A group of people stormed in while shouting. Someone pushed me hard, and I lost my balance. My head hit on the corner of the desk.

As my vision went dark, I felt something warm trickling down my forehead and covering the corner of my eye. The room was in chaos with everyone yelling loudly.

"What kind of chief physician are you? After we spent so much money, you're now saying we need a second surgery?"

"You're probably just scamming us for money! Didn't you say the tumor was removed already? Why has it come back?"

"You fraud of a doctor! You'd do anything for money. I'll beat you to death!"

Clutching my forehead, I could not stand up at all. Someone had stepped on my shirt, but I could not pull it free no matter how hard I tried.

The office was in complete disarray. Security finally arrived after a few minutes. Only then did everyone stop fighting.

Suddenly, someone screamed, "There's blood! Someone's dying!"

I could feel everyone's eyes turn to me. All the shoes in front of me took a step back. Finally, a young nurse helped me to get up.

"Ms. Green, are you alright? Come with me and I'll treat your wound first." However, she was too weak to properly support me.

Patrick came over too and helped me up with all his might. One of the lenses of his glasses was shattered, and his usually immaculate hair had become a mess. He had clearly been beaten up with all those scratch marks on his face. I wanted to smile, but I was feeling too weak to do so.

He sighed. "I'm sorry that you got caught up in this. I'm afraid we'll have to postpone the surgery."

Shaking my head, I wanted to tell him it was fine. It did not seem to matter much for someone like me to live one more day or one less day because no one would care whether I lived or died anymore.

When the police arrived to take statements, I had just recovered a little. The female officer looked at me with eyes full of sympathy.

"Your condition is quite serious. The troublemakers have all been arrested. You can ask for compensation later. We've contacted your family, so they should be here soon."

I looked at her in shock. "My family?"

"Yes, although I think it was your husband's secretary who answered. Don't worry, he'll come."

Lowering my gaze, I said nothing. Would he come? I did not know. Perhaps he would if the police contacted him, right?

I was not the only one affected by the fight. There were two other patients in the office at the time, but only Patrick and I were injured.

A patient nearby said I was just unlucky. Everyone else was fine, but I got the worst of it. I nodded silently. It really was unlucky.

Now that I finally had the money for surgery, it had to be postponed. I just didn't know if my body would allow for any further delay.

I felt a bit down as I looked around the emergency room and saw everyone else with family members by their side.

Patrick's wife and daughter were surrounding him with teary eyes. He kept comforting them as I watched with envy.

Once upon a time, I had a family just like that. But my parents were gone now. Sniffling hard, I tried not to expect anything as I waited. To my surprise, Leonard actually came, though with Lily in tow.

I had one stitch on my forehead. Patrick, who stitched me up, kept saying, "Good thing the wound is hidden in your hair. It would be a shame for such a pretty young lady to have a scar." Looking at my reflection in the glass behind him, I wondered what was pretty about being all skin and bones like me.

It was then that Leonard arrived. Lily stepped forward first to ask Patrick about my condition. When she heard that I got one stitch, her eyes filled with disdain.

"It's just a small injury. Eva, do you know that the company had an important partnership meeting today?

"Leonard had to postpone an online meeting for you. You really don't know what's more important here."

Patrick frowned but didn't say anything.

"Why are you in the hospital?" Leonard walked over to me, looking down at me.

"I need to be hospitalized," I said.

I wanted to explain that I had cancer and needed surgery, but the words died on my lips. I did not feel like explaining anymore.

"Eva, isn't it dramatic of you to be hospitalized just for one stitch?" Lily said.

"You're always causing trouble for Leonard. You made him postpone such an important partnership with one phone call. Who's going to cover the company's losses?"

Taking a step forward, Lily stood shoulder to shoulder with Leonard, acting as if she was Mrs. Harmon.

Remembering how the police mentioned calling Leonard, I gave her a meaningful look. "You know I didn't make that call."

A flash of panic crossed her eyes, but Leonard did not seem to notice anything strange. Instead, he looked at me coldly.

"Eva, I've underestimated you. You'd really do anything to get my sympathy, wouldn't you?" Leaning down, he narrowed his eyes on me. "You even used the dog. You're really something."

I looked at him in confusion, then smiled silently. After so many days, had he finally noticed that Buddy was at Agatha's house?

"Eva! How dare you have the nerve to smile? Why did I not know you were this kind of person before?"

He reached out to grab my collar but the young nurse slapped his hand away. "Who are you? Don't you know Ms. Green-"

Before the nurse could finish speaking, Lily tugged on Leonard's sleeve with a pitiful look. "Leonard, it's so itchy. I think I'm having an allergic reaction."

"How did it get so bad?" Leonard gently held her arm. It was indeed red and inflamed. His eyes were full of concern. "I told you there was a dog and not to go in. I'll bring you to see a doctor now."