âOkay.
â The chef beamed with delight, swiftly packaging the cake and seeing Holden off.
Once Holden had left, the kitchen was filled with coughs.
The chefs hurriedly opened windows to let in fresh air, some even gasping for breath near the windows.
The lingering smell of burnt food from earlier mishaps still hung in the air.
The head chef couldnât help but switch on the exhaust fan, hoping that Ariana could request simpler dishes next time, lest the kitchen would suffer further damage.
Carrying the food, Holden walked back to the ward with a sense of contentment, but he was unprepared for the chaos that greeted him around Arianaâs ward.
Holdenâs heart sank as he sensed something was wrong and hurried into the ward.
At that moment, doctors and nurses surrounded Arianaâs bed, and Arianaâs electrocardiograph was a flat line, the machine emitting a continuous, alarming beep.
Holdenâs world spun out of control, his vision blurring as the things he had been holding slipped from his grasp, scattering across the floor.
He watched Ariana, lying still on the bed.
An overwhelming wave of anguish swallowed Holden, suffocating him and throwing him into sheer panic.
Frantically, he shoved aside the medical personnel blocking his way, knelt down, and cradled Ariana in his arms, his voice breaking with sobs.
âs
But no matter what he said, there was no response from Ariana.
âYou said you wanted to eat your favorite dish made by me, didnât you?â Holden said, refusing to give up.
Lowering his head, he pressed a trembling ki*s to Arianaâs lips.
âI made it just for you.
When you wake up, Iâll feed it to you.
Alright?â
âMr.
Fredrickâ¦â A doctor approached, trying to intervene, but Holden pushed him away forcefully.
Fixated on Arianaâs pale face, Holden held her hand tightly, his eyes red-rimmed as he forced a smile.
His voice quivered, almost begging.
âDidnât you promise to stay strong? You said you would fight.
Wake up; donât break your promise.
Donât leave me.
â
Ariana lay on the bed, her complexion ashen, her chest still, showing no sign of life.
Seeing Ariana like this, Holden hovered on the brink of collapse.
âGet Mitchel here right now!â Holden grabbed a doctor nearby by the collar.
âWhereâs Mitchel? Isnât he a genius? Why couldnât he save Ariana? Where is he? Whereâs the special medicine for Ariana?â
The doctor, stricken with fear, stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.
Releasing him, Holden seized another doctor, demanding to know Mitchelâs whereabouts.
âDr.
Chadwick isâ¦â The doctor trembled, unable to meet Holdenâs intense stare.
âDr.
Chadwick is still in the lab, working tirelessly to find a cure for Miss Edwards.
He hasnât left the lab for nearly two days.
â
âAnd what about all of you?â Holden bellowed.
âHow much time has passed? With all the experts at Mercy Hospital, not a single one of you has been able to help! What are you even here for? Arenât you supposed to be the best? Heal Ariana! Save her!â
None of them dared to meet Holdenâs gaze or say a word in response.
Holden was venting his anger and questioning them, but at the same time, he was pleading for a cure for Ariana.
But there was no response, only silence.
Collapsing onto the edge of Arianaâs bed, Holden seemed to have lost all hope.
Gently clasping Arianaâs hand, he pressed his face against it, letting out stifled sobs.
âMr.
Fredrick.
â One doctor tried to explain the situation to Holden.