Chapter 304: Chapter 303: You Seem to Love Him
In the indigo shadows, her mother’s embrace made Daisy Ginger feel as if she had returned to her early childhood.
She turned back into that clueless child, curled up in Alice Lesser’s arms, unwilling to let go.
"Mom, can you not leave?" she whispered, "It’s really hard for me alone."
"I’m so tired..." she murmured with grievance, "really so tired..."
Alice gently held her, saying nothing, and Daisy buried her face in the warm embrace, once again crying intermittently.
She didn’t know why she was so upset.
In the haze, she fell asleep again, feeling someone leaving her side, knowing it was Alice who had gone, and despite trying with all her might to open her eyes, consciousness slipped into slumber.
*
When Daisy Ginger woke up, it was already dark.
She opened her eyes and saw the snowy white ceiling of the hospital room.
As her gaze shifted up, she saw the IV bottle.
The warmth from the dream seemed to still linger on her body, and in her daze, she could smell the fragrance from Alice’s body.
Yet inside, she felt empty, not knowing why.
"Director Ginger," Oliver Rubio came over beside her, "you’re awake? Is there anywhere you still feel uncomfortable?"
Slowly sitting up from the hospital bed, the white sheet covering Daisy slipped down, revealing her considerably skinnier collarbone.
"Cough, cough..." Daisy coughed lightly, her voice hoarse as she asked, "What happened to me?"
"You had a fever." Oliver looked at her, with a hint of reproach in his tone, "The doctor said you’re somewhat malnourished. Director Ginger, how long has it been since you had a proper meal?"
Unwilling to be lectured by him, Daisy pressed her temples with her fingers, hoarsely changing the topic, "What time is it? Is it after work hours?"
"Eight o’clock. You’ve been asleep for four hours."
Seeing her pale complexion, Oliver knew he couldn’t persuade her otherwise, and could only sigh.
"Is Mr. Stephens at home? Do you want me to call him?"
"..." Daisy said lightly, "No need." She reached out, pulled out the needle, and got off the bed after lifting the quilt, "I’m not seriously ill, you don’t need to be too worried. I know my body well."
"Director Ginger!" The eternally good-natured Oliver’s brow furrowed with concern. He didn’t dare to handle Daisy, so he stood not far away, watching her put on her coat, his tone somewhat stern, "You’ve lost a lot of blood from your nose! The doctor said you need to stay for observation tonight!"
Daisy replied, "It’s not necessary."
Oliver: "I really need to call Mr. Stephens!"
Daisy paused, glanced up at him with a bit of curiosity, "Where did you learn this tactic of complaining to Edward Stephens?"
Oliver’s face turned a mixture of pale and green, normally gentle features looking somewhat intimidating due to the change in emotion.
Daisy glanced at him, scratched her hair, and powerlessly sat back on the bed.
She sighed, "Don’t call him." Though most likely it wouldn’t get through. "Also, I’m going to divorce him."
"You..." Oliver was taken aback, looking at her in surprise.
Seeing his stunned expression, Daisy found it a bit amusing. She sat on the bed, swinging her feet, and laughed playfully, saying to Oliver, "What? You look quite shocked."
Oliver thought she was joking, so he relaxed, "Don’t joke like that, Director Ginger, it’s not funny at all."
"Who said I was joking?" Daisy took a cigarette from her pocket, placed it on her lips, "I’m really about to get a divorce." She squinted, exhaling smoke, "I and him, we’ve never really been suited for each other, you could tell, couldn’t you?"
In temperament, character, values, Edward and she were worlds apart.
They were a pair who, even in others’ eyes, didn’t match.
If not for Lady Stephens deceiving her, she and Edward would have been two parallel lines, never intersecting in a lifetime.
Oliver’s face went a mixture of shades, taking quite a while to say, "...Is it because of the company?"
He thought it was because Daisy’s company was near bankruptcy, causing a rift in their relationship.
That’s the most realistic dilemma; though condemned morally, in terms of interest, no one can intervene.
Daisy shook her head, giving a succinct answer, "Just not suitable."
Oliver was silent for a long time, seemingly at a loss for words to comfort her.
Until Daisy finished her cigarette, did he finally say, "You seem to love him."
Daisy lowered her head, her eyelashes drooped.
"It’s all in the past."
*
Daisy’s fever subsided after two bottles of drip.
After all, she was still young, with good health.
Oliver couldn’t argue with Daisy, so he had to help her with the discharge procedures.
Daisy planned to return to the company, something that wasn’t a matter of whether she wanted to or not. Even though things had reached the worst, she didn’t want to concede, striving to keep the company afloat.
Maybe there’s still a chance?
No one can say for sure.
Oliver had no choice, driven by Daisy’s repeated urging, he had to send her back to the company.
At the company, Daisy stayed up day and night, muddled for several days, when the hospital suddenly called her.
"Miss Ginger, please come to the hospital immediately..."
The attending doctor of Alice Lesser spoke indistinctly.
At that time, Daisy was in the office dizzily sorting documents. The doctor’s words felt like a bucket of ice water thrown on her, waking her up entirely.
Daisy didn’t know how she reached the hospital, only that by the time she arrived, Alice’s room was already empty; she had been sent into the emergency room for resuscitation.
It wasn’t Daisy’s first time going to the hospital alone, but it was the first time she’d ever felt so cold.
"Her heart suddenly failed," someone informed her, "we’ll do our best to resuscitate her, Miss Ginger, are you listening?"
Daisy stood in place, stunned for a while, and then softly said, "If she doesn’t wish to stay, then don’t make her."
Her vision gradually cleared up, catching sight of the slightly surprised face of the doctor before her.
Daisy moved the corners of her lips, offering a smile, "I understand. Do your best, I’ll take a rest first."
She turned around, sat down in the hallway outside the emergency room, and slowly tightened the coat around her.
Not knowing what to say, nor what to feel.
As she desperately tried to hold on to what she could retain, the person closest to her was ready to give her up.
Though she wanted to blame her, why she could leave at the same time Daisy was doing her utmost, she also understood in her heart that it wasn’t Alice’s fault.
It was she who was forcing her to stay.
To cling to some support in this world, she spent countless money keeping Alice’s body going.
Surely Alice didn’t want that.
A miserable existence in this world.