Chapter 5

Three days later, Sean was discharged from the hospital. His first priority was to go to the mansion to retrieve his luggage.

However, the door code had been changed. Lucy and Chad weren't home, so Sean couldn't get in.

He checked the time. Waiting indefinitely wasn't an option.

Reluctantly, he called Lucy.

When the call connected, Chad's cold, mocking voice came through: "Lucy and I are on vacation in the Gold Mountain district. If Mr. Quinn isn't in a hurry, perhaps he could wait for us outside the door for a while?"

Sean paused. There was an important patient list in his suitcase. Plus, his body was growing weaker by the day. If he couldn't get it today, who knew when the next chance would come.

So he asked meekly, "About how long will it be?"

Chad sneered, "That depends on my mood."

Sean glanced at the time. "I'm afraid I can't wait that long. Could you send me the door code? I'll just grab my luggage and go."

Chad suddenly laughed loudly. "How can I do that? With no one home, if you leave with your suitcase and something goes missing, how would we know?"

Sean's throat tightened, but before he could say anything, Chad hung up.

Sean huddled by the mansion door, silently waiting for Lucy's return.

Time ticked by slowly. The cold seeped into his bones, but there was still no sign of Lucy.

Just as the sun was setting, a black Rolls-Royce slowly pulled into the driveway.

Seeing Sean curled up by the door, Lucy's eyes instantly darkened.

She quickly opened the car door and walked over to Sean. "What are you doing here? It's freezing - couldn't you find somewhere to take shelter?"

Sean opened his eyes. Seeing Lucy's angry expression, he swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue and simply said, "I came to get my suitcase."

Lucy's face immediately darkened. "You're that eager to leave? In such a rush to move out?"

Sean said nothing, just stood silently by the door waiting for Lucy to open it.

"The old lock broke. I wasn't home during the day, so I changed it for safety," Lucy explained.

Sean was momentarily surprised. Was she actually explaining herself to him?

The door opened. Sean didn't go in, since only Lucy and Chad's slippers were by the entrance. "Could you bring it out for me please?"

Lucy glanced inside reflexively. "Chad doesn't like disposable slippers, so we threw them out."

Her eyes flickered slightly as she spoke. "Why don't you come in? After waiting so long, you could at least have some hot water."

Sean gave a small smile. "I have other things to do. I won't intrude."

As he spoke, Chad brought the suitcase out.

Lucy seemed to want to say something more, but Sean took the suitcase and left.

Snow was falling heavily. Sean's figure looked lonely and desolate as he walked away.

For some reason, in that moment, Lucy felt Sean had changed. He seemed thinner, more silent. In any case, he was completely different from before.

Sean rushed to his workplace with the suitcase. He handed over the patient list and his resignation letter to the director, Dr. Li Changshan.

In his five years as a psychotherapist, Sean had cured numerous patients with mental illnesses. But when it came to himself, he was helpless.

Dr. Li's face was filled with worry and regret. "Actually, with current medical technology, there have been cases of leukemia being cured. Your father-in-law..."

"That won't be necessary," Sean said with a smile. "I've already been examined. The time I have left is limited. I don't want to waste it on treatment, especially for an incurable disease."

Dr. Li sighed. "If you need anything in the future, just let me know. I'll do whatever I can to help."

Hearing this, Sean said: "Nothing else, just one thing - please don't tell the Lawson family about my illness and resignation."

"I'm afraid they couldn't handle it."

His confident tone and serious expression didn't arouse any suspicion from Dr. Li. On the contrary, the director reluctantly agreed.

Sean left the hospital with his suitcase. He had promised Mrs. Lee he would stay with her for his remaining time, so he headed straight for her house.

Halfway there, Sean suddenly stopped. Whether from the day's exhaustion or the cold weather, his nose had started bleeding again.

He tilted his head back, using his hand to wipe away the blood while trying to let it flow back down his nose.

The strong iron taste spread through his throat, making him cough violently.

Just then, his phone rang.

Sean kept his head tilted back, not looking at the caller ID. When he answered, Lucy's voice came through:

"Do you cook white fungus soup with cold water or hot water? Chad is sick and I'm not sure how to make it. Could you..."

"Cold water," Sean interrupted before she could finish.

"Add the ingredients once the water boils. Cook it as long as you think is needed."

Sean's voice was hoarse with exhaustion, sounding somewhat detached. But to Lucy, it seemed deliberately cold.

"You don't have to be like this. I only asked you to move out temporarily. I didn't say you could never come back. Why are you making such a big deal of it and giving me the cold shoulder?"

Sean suddenly laughed. Him giving her the cold shoulder? She only asked him to "move out temporarily"?

Their contract had expired. They had both signed the papers. She had been so quick to sign. Now everything was settled.

Sean said nothing and hung up. He was in pain and had no energy to argue with her.

But Lucy reacted as if severely provoked.

She began calling Sean's number over and over.

Sean carried his suitcase with one hand while covering his bleeding nose with the other.

By the time his phone died and he stepped into Mrs. Lee's house, the ringing in his pocket had finally stopped.

Fiona quickly brought a basin of hot water and carefully helped Sean clean up.

Blood trickled down from his nose, staining the front of his shirt red.

Fiona immediately burst into tears. Her voice shook as she choked out, "Does it hurt...?"

Sean smiled and shook his head. "It's just a nosebleed. Even healthy people get them sometimes. It doesn't hurt."

But Fiona knew Sean was just trying to reassure her. How could bleeding from leukemia be the same as a normal nosebleed?

Sean was propped up on pillows. He had just closed his eyes when urgent knocking came from the door.

Fiona hurried to answer. As soon as she opened it, her throat tightened instinctively.

"Is Sean Quinn here?" Lucy demanded aggressively.

Fiona was momentarily stunned by Lucy's forceful tone.

Lucy pushed past her and strode inside.

Seeing Sean lying on the couch covered in blood, her eyes instantly darkened. "What happened to you?"

Sean was taken aback. This was the first time in five years she had asked about his wellbeing. It almost gave him the illusion that she cared.

But illusions are just illusions. Just as Sean was about to speak, Lucy's phone rang.

He didn't need to guess to know who was on the other end.

"Lucy, where are you? I feel so awful. Please don't leave me, okay?" Chad's voice came through.

Hearing Chad, Lucy seemed to snap out of a trance. She stared directly at Sean.

"Chad is sick. He wants the white fungus soup you make. Come back with me. I'll pay you for your work."

Hearing this, Sean's chest began to heave violently. So this was how little she thought of him.

Before Sean could respond, Fiona angrily cut in: "Your boyfriend is feeling unwell, so why do you need Sean to serve him? Sean is unwell too! If you want to take care of someone, do it yourself!"

She planted herself firmly in front of Sean.

This scene instantly ignited Lucy's already foul mood. She roughly shoved Fiona aside, then grabbed Sean's arm to pull him out.

Sean's nosebleed had just stopped, but the weakness in his body lingered. He pulled his arm free and told Lucy in an extremely faint voice, "I can't go. I'm not feeling well."

But Lucy acted as if she hadn't heard. "You just have a nosebleed. Chad has a fever. It's just one bowl of soup. I'll pay you, isn't that enough?"

She kept trying to drag Sean out as she spoke. In their struggle, Sean accidentally tripped on a stone by the doorway. Fresh blood immediately covered his face.

Lucy flailed her hands helplessly. "Why is there so much blood?"

Fiona ran over screaming, "Lucy Lawson, haven't you hurt Sean enough?!"

"He's dying!"