Elisa harbored a thought-once she jumped, she could be with her two children and the man who had always lingered in her heart, Autumn.
When Hamish returned to the ward with dumplings, he found Elisa swaying on a chair by the window, the large window wide open, allowing the cold wind to rush in, billowing her clothes as if they were suspended in mid-air.
Hamish’s heart leapt to his throat, a mix of nervousness and fear preventing him from startling her as he softly called out, “Elisa…”
Elisa’s left foot had already perched on the windowsill, half of her body dangling outside, seemingly on the brink of falling.
“Elisa, come down. It’s dangerous up there. Look, I’ve brought your favorite dumplings,” Hamish said gently, inching closer quietly.
Countless thoughts raced through Hamish’s mind, causing his breath to hitch. He hadn’t expected that in the short time he was away, Elisa had contemplated leaping to her death.
Thankfully, he had ordered takeout in advance and had only gone downstairs briefly. Had he been a bit later, would Elisa have silently fallen to her end?
Hamish didn’t dare to think about it. At the moment, his heart felt as if it were being squeezed by someone using sandpaper with all their might.
Elisa slowly turned her body to sit on the windowsill, glancing at Hamish and tugging at the corner of her lips. “Don’t come over,” her usually gentle voice now hoarse.
The cold wind tousled her long hair, and the glistening in her eyes indicated recent tears. Hamish gritted his teeth. “Don’t move. Sit still. I won’t come over…”
Though he said this, his body tensed, poised to dash over at any moment.
This was the eighth floor; Elisa would undoubtedly meet death if she fell. His task was to divert her attention and swiftly pull her back.
Elisa lifted her eyes slightly, the lifeless gaze gaining some emotion upon seeing Hamish. She forced a smile, her voice trembling as she spoke slowly, “Hamish, I don’t know what unforgivable sin I’ve committed for you to treat me this way.”
“You claim not to understand how to love someone. That’s not a reason to hurt someone, and no one will wait for you to learn to love.”
“Have you seen the child who died? He was so young, just starting to move inside my belly…” Mentioning the child, Elisa finally choked with sobs.
A sense of helpless despair engulfed the room, tears uncontrollable. Hamish parted his lips as if to say something, but not a word escaped.
Meeting Hamish’s crimson eyes, Elisa continued, “You said you killed my child to save me, but what you don’t realize is that I had already given my life to him, and you have wasted it.”
Hamish shook his head, his face turning pale.
“Hamish, do you enjoy pushing me from heaven to hell, watching me shatter to pieces upon impact? Then let me fulfill your wish. The world is vast, with countless paths. No matter how I flee, you will find me. But I know of one path you could never find…” Her hollow words echoed in the empty room as Elisa finally leaned back and fell, her body instantly filled with the cold wind, losing all light and warmth.
“Elisa!” The dumplings in Hamish’s hand fell to the ground as he lunged forward, grabbing her with all his strength.
Elisa’s body dangled in mid-air, her slender wrist seeming as if it would snap at any moment.
Hamish clutched Elisa’s delicate wrist tightly, trembling all over, his face drained of color.
“Elisa, hold onto me, don’t let go.”
Elisa coughed twice, her stomach aching terribly. Blood gushed from her mouth like a burst dam, her condition dire. Her pupils dilated, her gaze unfocused, staring blankly at Hamish as he clung to the windowsill, a pained expression on his face.
The death of the child had dealt her a fatal blow. Though she appeared calm in recent days, her heart was in turmoil, as if venomous emotions were ready to engulf her at any moment.
“Hamish, I tried…” She struggled to survive, to accept a life worse than death, but she couldn’t.
She wanted to kill Hamish, even herself, but she couldn’t bring herself to harm him. Hence, she resorted to this extreme method to end her life.
With her memory lost, she felt like a lost soul, not belonging to this world. Hamish had broken her “wings” and stubbornly confined her to this place, briefly granting her some sunshine before locking her in a coffin, yearning for death everyday.
She felt foolish, nurturing a sincere heart for a heartless creature.
“Just tried my best,” three simple words, yet they caused unbearable pain.
In a moment, Hamish understood Elisa’s words. She had found a path where he could never reach her-the path to the underworld.
Suddenly, Hamish felt a chilling sensation, even though winter had not yet arrived. It was as if he had preemptively experienced the icy cold of winter, the piercing pain that froze even his breath.
“Don’t you want to regain your memory, Elisa? If you want to know who and where Autumn is, then live for me!” He grasped Elisa’s wrist firmly, his nose tingling, tears falling on her pale face.
“Just tried my best” was utter torment in just three words.
He realized that Elisa had already crossed into hell, despite the people around her urging her not to give up on life. They didn’t realize that she was already half-dead.
Elisa’s hands were too delicate, and Hamish was worried about hurting her as he carefully pulled her up, yet her hand still got scratched.
All of this had transpired in just four brief minutes, but to Hamish, it felt like four years.
Hamish pursed his lips, pulling Elisa up. Once she was back up, her eyes reverted to their coldness. The once empty room was now crowded with people, buzzing with noise.
Even though his hearing still functioned, he couldn’t make out any of the words, as if a swarm of flies had invaded his mind, buzzing incessantly.
Elisa sat on the ground, limp, her face ashen. Her eyes, no longer lifeless, were filled with defiance and anger-qualities only a living person possessed.
Hamish looked at the people inside the room with a gloomy expression and his eyes turned cold. “Get out!”
The medical staff standing around had intended to persuade him, but the words died in their throats as they were shouted back, their hearts trembling with fear. This man’s intimidation was truly terrifying.
The room quickly emptied of people as they hurried out, leaving it eerily quiet.
Suddenly, Hamish bent over and lifted the almost “paralyzed” Elisa, carrying her to the bathroom, enclosing her body and facing the mirror.
Hamish’s gaze was poisonous. “Elisa, take a good look at yourself now!”
Elisa numbly looked at the woman in the mirror, her face as white as a ghost, her hair disheveled, and her oversized hospital gown dirty and unkempt, resembling a patient confined in a psychiatric hospital.
It felt as if her whole body had been stripped of its bones in an instant. She was in pain, but couldn’t pinpoint where. It was as if she had fallen into the dark sea, engulfed by heavy waves, swallowed by darkness with no light in sight.
Her life was so wretched, worse than that of a beggar on the street. Yet, as she looked at the imposing figure of Hamish subduing her, immaculate from head to toe, unchanging, always looking down on her cruelty and malice, she realized she was even lower than a beggar.
Hamish grasped her thin jaw. “Elisa, are you feeling resentful? Why should such a cruel person like me still be alive? Do you hate me enough to want to kill me? Hmm?”
Yes, she hated this man. She wished she could kill him, tear off his skin, break his bones, suck his blood, eat his flesh. Why should such scum exist in this world? And why should she have to commit suicide because of him? She wanted to kill him. Only then would her deceased baby rest in peace, Mimi would be safe, and the Rugger family wouldn’t suffer.
Seeing the hatred in Elisa’s eyes, Hamish suddenly embraced her, whispering in her ear like a demon, “Elisa, if you hate me, that’s just right. I’ll be waiting for you to kill me. I’m giving you the chance.” With that, he kissed Elisa’s lips.
Suddenly, Elisa wrapped her hands around Hamish’s neck, pulled out the catheter from her left hand with her right, and forcefully stabbed at Hamish’s neck!