Chapter 18

The man looked up at the sound of Eliana’s voice. Eliana winced slightly at the throbbing in her head - she closed her eyes, shook her head slightly before opening them again to focus on the person who was seated in front of her. Soon enough, her vision cleared - she realized that it was Travis Wilton, one of Aidan’s good friends and also the Dean of the medical school that she’d attended. Upon seeing that Eliana was awake, Travis got up from where he was seated - as he reached out to adjust her IV tube, he asked, “Miss Harvey, you’re awake - how are you feeling now? Any discomfort or unease?” “Dr Wilton? What are you doing here?” Eliana asked in a rather hoarse voice - her throat was parched as it had been hours since she’d last drank any water. “Aidan was worried about your condition - he was afraid that you might fall into a coma or worse still, pass on. And, he called me over to have a look at and treat you.” Travis explained. Eliana scoffed slightly, “Ha, I’m afraid that you’re mistaken - he’s not the slightest bit worried about me. The only thing that he’s afraid of is that he’ll be unable to obtain and use my liver for a transplant.” “Well, anyway, I did a thorough medical checkup on you and found that you are currently in an extremely weak and bad shape. It’s so severe that…” To say that Eliana was simply malnourished and weak would be an understatement - there were no words that could precisely describe just how bad of a state she was in. Who would’ve thought that Eliana Harvey, once the most beautiful young lady in all of Mallstrick City who hails from a prominent and distinguished family, would be reduced to such a pathetic and sorry state one day? Eliana couldn’t help but scoff slightly at how things had turned out for her - I used to be someone dignified, respected, loved...what happened? How did things turn out like this? How did I get to where I am today? Travis doesn’t even need to tell me anything for me to know just how bad my condition is...hell, I’m a medical student myself, or at least, I was a medical student. Eliana sighed as she asked Travis, “Alright, but is it so bad that I can’t donate a liver?” Travis couldn’t help but gape at her slightly, “Miss Harvey, do you want to continue living? If you do, then I suggest that you don’t go ahead with the liver donation - with the state that you’re in, you should just forget about it.” Alas, Eliana stubbornly replied, “No, I’ve made up my mind - I’m donating my liver. This is the only way that I can get rid of him for good.” “Miss Harvey, what are you saying? Have you gone out of your mind? Is this whole thing really worth risking your life for?” Eliana smirked at Travis, “Of course it is.” She replied, her voice full of confidence and resolution. Just then, the door suddenly swung open to reveal Aidan standing there - the former couldn’t help but growl slightly when he noticed how Eliana was grinning at Travis. This woman is seriously shameless, huh? Getting close to every man within her proximity…! Travis stood up when Aidan walked into the room - “Ah, Aidan, you’ve come just at the right time. I’ve just adjusted Eliana’s IV tube and began the blood transfusion.” Aidan did not say anything in reply - he simply glared coldly at Travis before turning to walk out of the room. The former did not even bother sparing Eliana a glance. Travis couldn’t help but cock a brow slightly in confusion at his friend’s behavior - What was that? Why did Aidan look at me like that ? “Hey, Aidan, wait up - let’s leave together.” Travis called out as he started to pack his medical equipment. Just then, Eliana remembered something - just as Travis was about to depart, the former stopped in, “Hey, Dr Wilton - is it alright if I have a word with you for a moment? Alone?” Upon hearing this, Aidan, who was just about to head out of the door, halted in his tracks before turning back around - his gaze was so cold that if looks could kill, Eliana would’ve been dead by now. Eliana furrowed her brows slightly at Aidan as she reiterated herself, “Master Aidan - I said that I’d like to have a word with Dr Wilton alone. Would you mind giving us a moment?” Unlike Travis, she spoke to Aidan in an adverse and hostile tone. Aidan’s face hardened even more than before as he retorted, “This is my home - I do what I want to do.” Travis glanced at Eliana, before looking at Aidan - he shifted uncomfortably at the obvious tension that was in the air. He twiddled his thumbs slightly, feeling caught in between the two and not really knowing what he should do. “Dr Wilton and I could go out instead.” Eliana suggested as she sat up from where she was laying down. Travis immediately rushed forward to stop Eliana - “No, Miss Harvey, don’t move. Given your current condition, it would be best if you could stay still and not move as much as possible - alright, how about this? Aidan, you go ahead first, I’ll catch up with you later.” Aidan glared coldly at Eliana - he couldn’t believe the nerve of her to make things difficult for him even when she was in such a pathetic and weak state, lying in bed with an IV needle injected into her arm. This woman isn’t worth getting all frustrated and mad over - I’m better off not wasting my time and energy on someone as awful and horrible as her. And so, Aidan sent Eliana one more look of disgust before turning around to leave the room. … Aidan went into his study after he’d left the room that Eliana and Travis were in. Usually, he was so efficient that he could finish looking through many documents within a span of just three minutes - however, Aidan was so distracted now he had barely gotten anything done for the past five minutes. Eventually, he got so frustrated with himself that he threw his pen down onto the table before lighting a cigarette. Aidan sighed as he took a deep drag of the cigarette before slowly exhaling - as the smoke clouded before him, the former couldn’t help but recall how Eliana used to chide him for engaging in the bad habit. She used to tell me that I looked ugly whenever I smoked. Unable to shake the memory from his head, Aidan waved the smoke away, put out the cigarette before throwing it into the ashtray in frustration. Just then, there was a knock on his door. Before Aidan could even say anything, Travis pushed the door open and let himself in - the latter raised a brow at him, “Alright, what was that all about? Also - care for a drink?” Aidan gave him a sidelong glance before he sulked sourly, “I see that you’ve gotten pretty close to that woman.” “What? No, Aidan, don’t say that - I’m a doctor, and my duty is to care for my patients to my utmost best. That’s the only thing that I care about - relax, I won’t steal the woman you love away from you, she’s all yours.” “Who said I love her?” Aidan snorted, “Tell me - what the hell did she tell you?” Travis sat across his friend and smirked, “Didn’t you say that you don’t love her? Why do you care about what she told me then?” “Travis Wilton.” Aidan warned his friend with an icy tone. Travis looked at him for a moment before he sighed - eventually, he relented, “Alright, fine, I’ll tell you - but don’t tell her that I told you. I’m afraid that you might not like what you hear…” “Just get on with it.” Aidan insisted impatiently. Travis thought about it for a moment longer before he finally nodded, “Alright, I’ll tell you...I really hope that I don’t regret doing this…”