Chloe was still in Leonel's hospital room at that time. She felt touched by what her ex-husband said. It was clear that Leonel deeply regretted his past treatment of Chloe. Not only that, it was also evident that Leonel wanted to avoid repeating all the events and mistakes he had made if he returned to Chloe. The woman didn't say much about it. She could only stay silent while holding Leonel's hand.
Leonel still refused to let go of Chloe's hand. He thought that he needed his mother to accompany him now. Leonel didn't care how much pain his whole body was in. All he wanted was Chloe's presence. Unbeknownst to him, Chloe had been by his side all along.
The effect of medication or the result of the accident made him unfocused. Who knows.
"I'll call the doctor," Chloe said as she tried to release the grip of their hands, which had not loosened even a bit.
"Not now, Mom," Leonel mumbled softly. The man closed his eyes again with a grimacing face, trying to endure the pain. "I still want to talk. I'm afraid. I don't have much time."
Chloe was taken aback by what she had just heard. "Don't play around with your words, Leonel."
He seemed indifferent. There were still many obstacles in his heart, especially concerning Chloe.
Meanwhile, Darren observed from outside and could see what they were doing. Although he couldn't hear all the words they exchanged, Darren knew it was more than just an ordinary conversation. Darren also realized that Chloe still loved her ex-husband. He watched it all with a mix of disappointment and sadness, but he tried to remain neutral to avoid being too obvious when Chloe came out of Leonel's room later.
"If only you hadn't made that mistake before, maybe I would still be standing by your side right now," Chloe softly replied. Leonel, who had closed his eyes, now had a steady breath, making Chloe reluctant to disturb him. But she still had to call the doctor, right? Chloe performed all her movements slowly here. She didn't want Leonel to know she was there. She didn't wish for Leonel to see that he wasn't talking to Agatha but directly to Chloe.
Slowly, Leonel's eyelids opened again. "Mom," he softly called out. There was a problematic breath for Leonel to take this time. He tightened his grip on her hand as if these were his last words to his mother. "I know my mistake isn't easily forgivable, especially for a woman. I'm sure you would hate me if you were in my position right now. Hate me in exchange for Dad. Dad was faithful, loved, and genuinely cared for you. Unlike me, who couldn't follow in Dad's footsteps." A feeling of tightness overwhelmed Leonel again. "I'm truly sorry for being so foolish as a husband who couldn't take care of his wife and couldn't make Chloe happy," Leonel said to her once more.
Leonel didn't care if tears were falling from his eyes again. The regret in his heart was immense. If only he knew how much he wanted to change for Chloe, to atone for all his mistakes and fix his broken past.
Those words also brought tears to Chloe's eyes. Her heart was filled with questions: Does that regret indeed exist? Or is it just because of this accident that Leonel is now rational? Indeed, Chloe feared nothing more than falling into the same abyss. No matter how much she loved Leonel, if she had to repeat the same hell, Chloe chose not to be with anyone.
Meanwhile, Darren continued to watch their interaction from behind the window. Despite the increasing pain gnawing at him, he couldn't leave. Apart from waiting for Chloe to finish her business with Leonel, he also needed certainty from his girlfriend.
"I'm sorry, Mom," Leonel whispered with his eyes closed once again.
Chloe sighed slowly, not responding to Leonel's previous statement. She let Leonel pour his heart out to his mother, thinking he believed she was Agatha Theodore.
Chloe found it difficult to let go of Leonel's hand. However, she believed that her current strength would help Leonel recover. There was nothing Chloe could do except offer encouragement and support for Leonel to recover from the post-accident pain quickly. However, she felt conflicted and uncertain about her future, especially now that she had Darren.
She was honestly torn.
On the one hand, she saw the sincerity and regret expressed by Leonel. On the other hand, she couldn't deny that someone else accompanied her at a point where others might not feel 'recovery' so soon.
"I want Chloe to know, Mom, that I truly regret hurting her. I also feel lost after seeing her with another man and much happier with me. I want to start everything over with her. Share love, love each other, and return to the home we once lived in with joy. I also want to treat her the way that man treated Chloe. I truly hate myself right now," Leonel spoke with his eyes still closed. Tears continued to flow from his eyes.
Chloe remained silent, observing how Leonel openly expressed his regrets and deepest desires. How could she find her voice when she saw how fragile her ex-husband was now? She didn't want to worsen the atmosphere and situation by speaking up and revealing that Leonel wasn't talking to his mother but directly to her.
"I apologize, Mom. If Chloe were here, I would kneel and apologize to her. If necessary, I would prostrate myself to assure her that I truly regret doing this," Leonel said again.
There was a considerable pause before Leonel closed his eyes again. His breathing became regular. The monitor by his side appeared normal, and there was nothing to worry about. Somehow, Leonel regained consciousness to express all his feelings directly aimed at Chloe. As a result, Chloe looked at her ex-husband with an uncertain gaze.
She let Leonel rest again. She would inform the attending doctor about Leonel's condition soon. She made sure that everything in the room was in good condition. After that, Chloe could leave Leonel's hospital room. She hurriedly approached Darren, who was waiting outside. Chloe felt uneasy about keeping Darren waiting for so long and wanted to ensure he was okay. There was a slight worry that Darren had been observing her while she was inside Leonel's room.
"I apologize for keeping you waiting for so long," Chloe said as soon as she stood before Darren.
"It's okay, Chloe." Darren smiled genuinely. His eyes focused on Chloe, whose eyes appeared reddened. "Are... you crying?"
Chloe was taken aback. "Ah... that."
"A woman like you is gentle-hearted." Darren approached. He didn't care if the hospital staff reprimanded or kicked him out for acting up in the patient ward. But honestly, Darren couldn't contain the turmoil in his heart. He was afraid that Chloe would leave him. Darren chose the man who was now helpless in that room. He pulled Chloe into his embrace. "I know you're crying not because you love him, right? But because of Leonel's condition, which is quite severe? It's just empathy?"
Chloe was speechless. The heartbeat she heard this time was incredibly disturbing. Whose was it? It was from her embrace, Darren. Who was restraining himself from saying anything that could hurt him and Chloe? They shared a long hug. Eventually, they let go of each other and sat on the chairs around Leonel's room.
They didn't speak to each other. Chloe used the pause to contemplate her feelings. Meanwhile, Darren tried to calm the growing turmoil within him. Both of them were startled by Chris' arrival. The middle-aged man hurried towards Leonel's room. As known, Chris was Leonel's lawyer. Their relationship went beyond that of a client and his legal representative. For Chris, Leonel was like a younger brother. He wanted to help Leonel reunite with Chloe. Unfortunately, he received the news of Leonel's accident instead.
Chris had only just managed to visit the hospital due to numerous commitments outside the city, considering Leonel was in Beverly Hills. Although Leonel's plan to return to Chloe didn't succeed, Chris remained by his side.
Upon seeing Chris, Chloe was surprised. She didn't expect to meet him at the hospital.
"Good afternoon, Chloe. It's nice to see you again," Chris greeted Chloe, extending his hand with a smile. Relief appeared on Chris' face, knowing that Chloe was there. She still cared for him in some way. It was understandable, considering that in the past, Chris had always emphasized how lucky Leonel was to have a wife like Chloe.
Even in the last moments before he handled their divorce, Chris had given Leonel a stern warning. Now, it had become a reality: Chloe couldn't be reached again by Leonel, no matter how hard he tried.
"I'm also glad to see you, Mr. Chris. How have you been?" Chloe replied politely, although she felt awkward meeting Chris before Darren. Nevertheless, she was happy to see Chris there. To see that Chris was in good health and vitality. They last met at the final trial that implicated Josh and Ester. After that, Chloe chose to distance herself from the Grisham family.
"By God's grace, I'm doing well." Chris smiled warmly. His eyes immediately focused on the man by Chloe's side. "Long time no see, Dr. Darren. How have you been?" Chris extended his hand warmly to the man, and Darren returned the gesture warmly.
"I'm good. It's nice to meet Mr. Chris again here."
"You've been here for a while? How is Leonel doing?" Chris asked Chloe, who shook her head gently. Seeing her expression, Chris understood. "Mrs. Agatha has informed me about Leonel's condition. I don't know what kind of miracle has enveloped him, but Leonel managed to survive."
"It seems like Mr. Leonel's condition is starting to stabilize, sir," Darren said this time. "He has also passed the critical stage very well. There is hope that Mr. Leonel will reunite with his family."
"You're right, Doctor. I also hope that will happen."
The three of them returned to sitting on the waiting bench. Occasionally, they engaged in light-hearted conversations to ease the awkwardness. The Doctor who was treating Leonel had already examined his condition and reported that they only had to wait for him to regain consciousness.
Chloe didn't disclose the actual situation. She feared that it would create an even more awkward position if Leonel woke up and realized who he had been talking to.
"Oh, Chloe, I still have a practice schedule at three in the afternoon. It's only a two-hour session, but I have a patient with a special appointment. It seems the consultation will take longer," Darren said, smiling at Chloe. He understood her busy schedule and was grateful she still made time to accompany him here. "I'll wait for you to pick me up."
"It just so happens that Mrs. Agatha and Mr. Robby will arrive here soon, Sa. So I think it won't be a problem if Chloe waits for you to finish your practice, Doctor," Chris said with a slight smile. He had been observing the interactions between the two people next to him. It was no longer just a friendship or a doctor-patient relationship. They indeed seemed like a couple intoxicated with love.
Darren's gaze couldn't deceive the experienced eyes of Chris.
However, the big question in Chris' mind was Chloe. Several times, he saw her staring at the brightly painted green door with a worried and melancholic expression. It was as if her eyes were saying how much she worried about the person inside.
Although their hands were intertwined, Chris knew that one heart still hesitated to move forward. That heart belonged to Chloe. Chris couldn't deny it. He knew Chloe as a simple, polite girl who entered the Grisham family and was showered with love by Leonel's parents but was ultimately neglected. Yet she chose to endure, accepting all the betrayals Leonel had inflicted on her.
She was hoping that Leonel would beg for her love like a beggar.
Now the question remained, which feeling was stronger: her resentment or love?
"It's not a problem. I'm grateful that there's someone to accompany Chloe. Moreover, I can't underestimate Chloe's relationship with the Grisham family, right?" Darren emphasized, not wanting to reveal his jealousy and worries.
"Don't worry, Doctor. We consider Chloe part of the family. Although, well, you know Chloe's status here," Chris replied understandingly.
Chloe, the center of their conversation, let out a slight cough. "You're talking about me while I'm right before you? Seriously."
The two men near her chuckled softly. At least their conversation managed to lighten the atmosphere.
"I'll walk Darren to the lobby, Mr. Chris," Chloe requested, slightly bowing her head.
"I'll take my leave then, sir," Darren said, extending his hand, which Chris soon met. Chris let out a soft sigh as their backs disappeared behind the hospital corridor. His gaze now focused on the door of Leonel's room.
"You lost, Leonel."
***