After visiting Ethan, Adrian accompanied Rebecca to the hospital's downstairs café for breakfast.
Rebecca hadn't slept all night or eaten anything since yesterday. She looked completely exhausted. Even at the café, she had no appetite. Instead, she kept rambling on, repeating her worries over and over - What is she going to do with Ethan like this? God, what if Ethan's fever just won't break? And even if he gets better... What if the fever damages his brain? What if he's not the sa anymore? What if... what if...
Adrian put down his fork and said coldly, "You have five minutes. Then I'll take you back upstairs."
Seeing her son's impatience, Rebecca rolled her eyes at him and fell silent, focusing on her food.
Adrian was too cold, too uncaring — he reminded Rebecca so much of her late husband. They had exactly the sa personality.
Compared to him, Ethan was so different - gentle, caring, and lovable. Yet now he was lying there, barely hanging on... life was so unfair. The thought made her heart ache again. She clutched her chest, unable to swallow the food in her mouth.
She desperately wished she could trade her life for Ethan's.
After barely touching his food, Adrian went to stand outside the café to smoke.
The tall man stood there, the hem of his coat swaying in the cold wind. The burning cigarette flickered between his long fingers. He took a drag, pale smoke seeping out between his thin lips. Grey ash fell restlessly to the ground.
His frown deepened, not even nicotine could smooth the troubled lines between his brows.
Adrian wasn't a heavy smoker - he usually only smoked when sothing was bothering him. Jas stood silently behind him, having a good idea why his boss was so agitated.
Yesterday had been Adrian's birthday.
Even now, Rebecca hadn't said a single word of birthday wishes or shown any concern. She'd only called Adrian to the hospital because she couldn't handle the pressure alone. Wasn't she just treating her elder son like a tool?
True, Ethan was seriously ill, and it made sense for a mother to give extra attention and care. But wasn't Adrian her biological son too? She did nothing for him, yet used him as both an emotional punching bag and a walking ATM. Adrian even had to play a husband-like role, providing emotional support and doing everything without complaint.
Comparing the two situations... was this really right?
Five minutes passed quickly. Jas went to the counter to pay the bill.
Receipt in hand, he approached Rebecca. Taking the risk of upsetting her and possibly losing his job, Jas bent down and said softly, "Ma'am, yesterday was the boss's birthday."
Rebecca looked up at him with a puzzled expression.
Her bloodshot eyes narrowed, her tone clearly irritated and angry. "What's that supposed to an? You want to celebrate his birthday? Don't waste my ti with such nonsense. Is his birthday more important than Ethan's fever? He knows the situation himself. Know your place as an assistant. It's not your job to teach what to say or not say."
With that, she wiped her mouth, stood up, grabbed her bag, and walked out without another word.
Jas felt a surge of frustration, not because Rebecca had belittled his position - that was minor. He felt frustrated for Adrian. He'd hoped Rebecca would at least show so remorse, maybe give a small gift, or just say 'happy birthday.'
But given his position, no matter how unfair he felt it was for his boss, this was all he could do.
Jas lowered his head, following Rebecca respectfully with an emotionless smile. "I apologize for speaking out of turn."
Actually, Rebecca did know it was Adrian's birthday yesterday.
Earlier, outside the hospital room, she'd glimpsed the photo Ethan had given Adrian and rembered it was her elder son's birthday.
But Adrian hadn't celebrated his birthday at ho for many years. Rebecca's logic was simple: if he didn't co ho for his birthday, he didn't want to celebrate it; if he didn't want to celebrate, she wouldn't ntion it.
She knew Adrian's temperant all too well - why poke the bear? The last thing she needed was to set him off and make things even worse for herself.
After breakfast, they returned to the hospital room, Adrian walking ahead and Rebecca behind, not a word exchanged between them. The atmosphere was as cold as ice.
How could this even be called a mother-son relationship?
Over these past few months, Rebecca had aged considerably. Her back was slightly hunched now, and grey hairs floated like reeds in the wind.
She hadn't always been like this. Rebecca used to take great care of her appearance - never missing any costic treatnts, regularly visiting beauty salons for facial lifts and skin boosters. She'd even asked Christine which yoga class she attended, saying she wanted to join too.
A year ago, anyone would have seen her as a well-maintained wealthy lady. Now, she'd lost dozens of pounds, stopped using any beauty products, and her face showed dark circles, lines, and wrinkles.
Jas watched from behind, letting out a soft sigh.
As they went upstairs and stepped out of the elevator, they saw through the glass several doctors in white coats in Ethan's room. They were holding notebooks, engaged in serious discussion, while one was at Ethan's bedside treating his fever.
All unfamiliar faces.
Rebecca walked over in surprise, grabbing a young nurse to ask what was happening. Jas stepped forward to explain: "These doctors were arranged by the boss. This is Dr. Smith, fever and infection specialist from NewYork-Presbyterian, Dr. Williams, head of intensive care at Mount Sinai, and Dr. Anderson, infectious disease expert from Columbia University Irving dical Center. They're all top experts in their fields."
The doctors nodded at Adrian behind her as a greeting.
"The boss started arranging this on his way here after your call," Jas added.
"That's wonderful, wonderful!"
Rebecca's face imdiately lit up. She turned around, patted Adrian's shoulder, looked at his face for two seconds, and exclaid "wonderful" again before rushing to Ethan's bedside to ask the new doctors about her younger son's condition.
...Wonderful.
Adrian stood still, watching his mother bustling around the room. If he rembered correctly, this was the first ti in his life his mother had praised him like this.
From childhood until now, he'd earned countless first-place awards and honors - from competitions to sports ets, then taking over the family business and succeeding in the cold, complex world of global comrce. The man had achieved innurable successes, bringing unimaginable prestige, status, and wealth to the family. Yet he'd never received a hug or touch from his mother.
All because since childhood, his parents had told him: "Don't be proud, you must keep working harder."
Now, he'd finally received the praise he'd longed for - because he'd done one small thing for Ethan.
One trivial thing that took minimal effort given his resources.
For her younger son.
Adrian was used to his mother's obvious favoritism. He showed no reaction, just turned away emotionlessly and walked toward the elevator.
Jas followed, pressing the close button hard, eager to reach the parking garage and leave this place imdiately.
He thought of Christine - even his boss's sister-in-law rembered Adrian's birthday and gave him a gift. Why couldn't Rebecca show any concern for her son's feelings, even when she rembered?
Jas felt frustrated and angry on Adrian's behalf.
He thought silently that… they shouldn't have co here at all.
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