After finishing the meeting, Johnny hurriedly grabbed his car keys and headed downstairs, planning to pick up Tilda.
As he was nearing the villa, his phone suddenly rang.
He glanced at it briefly and cursed in annoyance.
“Damn!”
Could this crazy woman leave him alone?!
He pulled over to the side of the road and answered the call.
“What now?”
“Johnny!” Caroline’s voice was filled with tears, sounding hoarse. “Our daughter is in the hospital now. Please come quickly!”
Johnny furrowed his brows. “I’m not going.”
“I didn’t tell you that our daughter has a congenital heart condition. She could die at any moment! I’m begging you. Please come see her! The doctor said it was very serious this time. They’re afraid… afraid she won’t survive the surgery!”
“I said I’m not going.”
With that, Johnny hung up abruptly.
Once back in the car, he didn’t start the car immediately. Instead, he took out a pack of cigarettes, tapped it, and lit one with his lighter.
Damn it.
Nothing good had ever happened since this woman showed up!
After finishing his cigarette, Johnny tossed the butt out the car window.
He started the engine and continued driving towards his place. Suddenly, he hit the brakes and grabbed his phone to call Tilda.
“Johnny?”
Tilda’s side was quiet, with only the sound of typing.
“I-I have an unexpected meeting today. I don’t know when it’ll end. You can order takeout, and don’t wait for me!”
“Huh?” Tilda grumbled discontentedly, “I’ve been waiting for you since morning. I’m starving!”
“I can’t help it. Ulric isn’t at the office, so I have to step in! Be good. When I’m done, I’ll buy you whatever you want, okay? You should eat something now. Or I can order takeout for you! How about seafood?”
“Just something simple will do. Don’t worry about me. Focus on your work. I’m just joking! Once I finish my tasks here, I’ll go to the nearby supermarket to get something to eat. I won’t starve.”
Johnny pressed his lips together, feeling a bit guilty. “Alright.”
Tilda added, “Hey, wait! Do you know roughly what time you’ll be back tonight? If it’s really late, I might go over to my cousin’s place! You know he’s been upset lately. My mom said he’s been locking himself in his room and refusing to come out. She wants me to check on him.”
“Because of us?”
“Of course not!”
“Because of Rosalind?”
“He knows better than anyone that he can’t compete with Ulric. It’s just he hasn’t come to terms with it.”
Johnny responded with a hum. “Then go ahead. You can take any car from the garage. Don’t take a taxi-it’s not safe.”
“Okay!”
With that, Tilda hung up the phone.
Johnny ran his fingers through his hair forcefully before sending Caroline a text message.
“Which hospital?”
…
Tilda went straight to Malcolm’s place.
Thinking there would surely be food there, she didn’t buy anything!
Upon reaching Malcolm’s apartment building, she parked her car and dashed upstairs.
But after she knocked several times on the door, no one answered.
“Malcolm! Open up! It’s me, Tilda!”
Still receiving no response, Tilda wondered if Malcolm might have gone out.
She was about to call him when she heard faint footsteps inside.
When the door opened, she saw Malcolm standing there with a pale face, whose lips were devoid of color…
“Malcolm! What’s wrong?!”
Malcolm tried to act tough by saying he was fine, but then he fainted.
Tilda quickly took out her phone and called an ambulance!