It was not because Tilda was too clever, but if Johnny had come to the hospital to visit his male friend, he could have just said so directly without her having to ask.
Normally, he couldn’t resist telling her even trivial things like going to the bathroom, yet today, he went to the hospital without a word and even lost contact for a while.
It must have been a woman he brought to the hospital.
A woman?
She suddenly frowned. “Could it be your ex-girlfriend?”
“No! It’s not her!” Johnny immediately denied it, not even thinking before speaking. Afraid he might slip up further, he quickly added, “I’m heading back to the office now. I’ll tell you everything when I get home tonight. I need to go. We’ll talk later, okay?”
“Wait, you-”
Tilda didn’t finish her sentence when he hung up the phone abruptly. She looked at her phone with some dissatisfaction.
Just then, Mrs. Wales called out to her, “Tilda, what are you standing there for? Come on, help persuade Malcolm!”
“Alright, I’m coming!”
…
Johnny saw the little girl.
A little over a year old, thin and pale, she lay quietly asleep.
He didn’t dare look closely. After a quick glance, he left the hospital room.
Caroline’s eyes were red from crying, and she couldn’t stop sobbing.
“How much does her treatment cost?” Johnny asked coldly without looking at her.
“Not much… but I’m afraid she won’t survive…”
He paused for a moment and then took out a bank card, handing it over. “There should be over five million here. Use it for her treatment. I’ll cover the costs.”
Caroline was momentarily stunned and looked up at him with surprise in her eyes.
“You… you acknowledge her?”
“I don’t,” Johnny replied coldly, pushing the card into her hand. “I have to go. Tilda already found out I’m at the hospital. I need to get back.”
With that said, he was about to leave.
Caroline immediately grabbed him. “Johnny, are you a man? Your daughter is lying there, dying, and you’re leaving?”
“I said I’d pay for the doctor bills. What more do you want?”
“As a father, at least stay with her through this difficult time,” Caroline insisted firmly. “The fact that you came today shows you care about your child somewhat. You actually leave because that woman wants you to return? Is she more important than your daughter?”
“We haven’t done a DNA test yet. It’s uncertain if she’s my daughter.”
“Johnny! Are you a beast? How can you say such things?!” Caroline shouted hysterically. “If you never cared about me, why did you start something with me? Why deceive me into falling for you? You think you’re innocent now. Am I not innocent too?”
Johnny had no idea that one encounter with her would lead to so many subsequent events!
Had he known, he wouldn’t have had any involvement with her whatsoever.
“Just one day, please?” Caroline softened her stance. “The doctor said we’ll know today if she can undergo surgery. I can’t bear it anymore. Stay with me at the hospital for just one day.”
Johnny would rather she yelled or fought with him.
But such humble pleading made it hard for him to refuse outright.
“I told her I’d be home.”
“Just say you’re going out for drinks or fun. Isn’t that what you’ve always told me when you stood me up?”
“You want a DNA test, right? Perfect timing. We’re already at the hospital. Let’s do it.”