Massive Demolition Fees and a Family Emergency

I clung to a shred of hope. "Nathan, what happened to my dad? Could you let him come see me?"

Nathan pointed to the door, his voice cold. "Emma, please leave immediately."

Emma covered her face, tears streaming down her cheeks as she ran out.

The familiar Nathan seemed to return. He squatted by the bed, gently taking off my shoes and carefully placing my feet on the bed.

I looked at him with quiet obedience. "Nathan, tell me the truth. Where is my dad?"

Nathan lowered his gaze, pulling a blanket over my legs, then sat beside me.

He was silent for about a minute before saying, "Your father had a heart attack six years ago. He's gone."

My spirits plummeted with each word. "I knew it. Even though he loved to travel, he also loved his daughter. He would have come to check me when I woke up."

Deep down, I had a bad feeling, but Nathan hadn't mentioned it, so I hadn't dared to ask.

I could fool myself into believing my father was just away on a trip.

But now the tears fell uncontrollably. Nathan reached out to wipe them away.

I quickly turned my head, saying, "I can do it myself."

Nathan's hand froze, then fell back to his side, awkwardly still.

I leaned back on the bed, taking a while to say, "I want to see my dad."

"Julia, once you're a bit more recovered, I'll take you."

After a pause, I said, "I already know about you and Emma. Nathan, don't come back here."

Nathan was silent for a long time before finally saying, "Okay."

He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a few cards, handing them to me.

"These cards have quite a bit of money on them. The PINs are the same as before."

I took the cards, wanting to throw them back in his face out of pride, but I restrained myself. After all, I needed the money right now.

Turning my head away, I said coldly, "I need to rest."

Nathan murmured, "Julia, take care of yourself. I'm leaving."

I couldn't hold it in anymore and asked through my tears, "Nathan, why have you changed too?"

Nathan didn't turn around. He stood still for a few minutes before striding out the door.

Lately, I'd found myself reminiscing more about the past. Maybe it was the growing sense of melancholy that came with age.

I remembered when I was a freshman in high school, trying to be trendy by dating a guy. One night, he called me, saying he had a fever and needed me to come keep him company while he got an IV. It was already past ten at night, and I wasn't keen on going. I refused, so he threatened to break up with me.

Honestly, I wasn't very into him. I just thought dating was cool, and he was handsome and persistent, so I agreed. I regretted it almost immediately.

That night, I decided to break up face-to-face. But when I arrived, I found out he wasn't even sick—he had just made a bet to see if he could get me out.

I wasn't furious; it gave me a good excuse to end things. I immediately broke up with him, but he felt humiliated and started hurling insults at me.

We argued, and he tried to hit me. That was when Nathan, who had just finished his evening study session, showed up.

What followed was Nathan taking on three of them single-handedly, and both sides ended up battered.

Nathan was usually so easygoing, but that night, seeing him so fiercely angry and covered in blood scared me to death. I thought he might die.

Afterward, instead of blaming me, Nathan comforted me, showing such concern that I promised him through my tears to stay away from relationships and focus on studying with him.

Nathan never came back after that day.

Instead, I found myself frequently seeing Nathan and Emma together on TV and my phone, making appearances at various events.

They looked so perfect together—handsome and beautiful, almost too good to be true.

I learned that Nathan had become a billionaire business tycoon, with his every move closely followed and celebrated by the media.

His relationship status was especially newsworthy; his engagement with Emma even trended on social media for days.

The media painted Emma as the perfect supportive partner, highlighting their six years together as a testament to their love. They had weathered numerous storms and emerged victorious, eventually sealing their commitment.

I realized how naive I had been, thinking that Nathan would remain loyal to a comatose patient like me for six long years.

In my absence, Emma had stepped into my place, sharing those years with him.

The realization made me weep uncontrollably. I even thought to myself, "If only I had never woken up.

Why did you lie to me, Nathan?"

That night, I was haunted by nightmares, slipping back into a void of nothingness.

The dark figure was back again.

Fortunately, the ringtone of my phone jolted me awake.

I answered the call, but there was only silence on the other end.

After a couple of minutes, tears streaming down my face, I asked, "Nathan, is that you?"

No one answered.

The next day, I sneaked out of the hospital. I needed to see for myself if Nathan had truly changed his heart.

At the company's entrance, Nathan and Emma stepped out of the same car. Emma had twisted her ankle, and Nathan looked extremely worried. He quickly checked her injury and then scooped her up in his arms, hurrying inside.

From the taxi, I watched the whole scene unfold clearly. It was like a punch to the gut.

My spirits plummeted, and I knew it was time to give up. I returned to the hospital, defeated.