He softened his tone slightly. “I’m only saying this to avoid wasting time on unnecessary arguments. I’ll get Adeline a kidney as soon as possible; she’s my daughter too.” The apology held no sincerity.
I laughed bitterly, trying to stay composed. “Fine. I’ll go make the soup.”
But as I turned, a wave of dizziness overcame me. My vision blurred, and I stumbled. Paul caught me, a crack forming in his calm exterior.
“You haven’t rested since that day, have you? I’ll take you to get checked out.”
I struggled out of his grasp. “I don’t want to trouble you. Don’t worry—I’ll take care of Beatrix and Harith.”
His face darkened and he called for a nurse. “Alice, must you punish yourself to spite me?”
I fought against the vertigo. “Think whatever you want. Just save Adeline.”
Paul’s calm facade crumbled as he raised his voice in frustration. “You’d better pray you don’t collapse first, or who will take care of Adeline?”
I closed my eyes, feeling a hollow laugh rise. In the past, I’d lost myself in Paul’s shifting affections, but now, his false concern only left me empty.
Later, the nurse handed me my test report, her face tense. “It’s a tumor,” she said softly.