Chapter 59.2: The twisted fate

"I have missed you, sweetheart… What are you so angry about?" Nick tried to coax Nancy as he wrapped himself around her from her back and presented the plushie but Nancy vented even more anger. 

"So annoying!" She squealed as Nick let her go from his embrace. She break away and went berserk. 

"Go away!" Nancy screamed as Nick's patience ran out. He knew she was not under her medication again. 

"Nancy! Why are you not taking your medication again?" Nick tried to hold on to her arms tightly but she scratched him instead.

"Why do you care? Who are you to care?!" She yelled and laughed crazily leaving Nick disappointed. 

"Are you aware of who you are with now in a relationship? Why are you caring so much about other people's relationships, especially your ex?" Nick lashed out as Nancy squinted her eyes on him before letting out a ridiculed laugh. 

"You… were never anyone to me, to begin with… You're just a toy! Let's break up!" Nancy stormed out angrily leaving Nick's heart torn apart at her hurtful words. 

He tried to convince himself that Nancy was just talking crazy cause she wasn't under her medication but he also knew he was going to get his karma someday. Little did he know he would get it this way. Perhaps it was to repay for all his mistakes made against Jason. It was a torturous relationship, to begin with as he stood lifelessly on the verge of giving up everything. 

Nancy has not been under medication lately as she ran havoc when she went back into the hall crazily trying to injure Ivy but Marcel and Ray were alerted by the guards. They manage to keep her under control and had no choice but to send her to the nearest mental institute. Not long before her admittance, they received news from the hotel's management that Nick was attempting to commit suicide in the garden as he cut himself with a swiss army knife at his wrist. When the hotel's staff found him, he was motionless and bleeding to death. 

Jason and Ivy were still sharing a beautiful moment together on the dance floor as they waltz and indulge in conveying how much they had missed each other without having to say a single word. At some point, Ivy was so happy that she blinked away her tears of joy and wanted to jump right in to confess to him. 

"If I have the chance, I wish I could dance on the clouds with you…" Jason teased Ivy when as he whispered to her. It instantly made her smile grow wider and nodded in agreement. For a moment, she was serious about giving up all her responsibilities and promises made just to be with Jason. She contemplated a few times but before she could manage to put her thoughts into action, Ray and Marcel rushed up to them and conveyed the injuries to them. 

It was strange how fate works. For a moment, they were so indulging in each other but moments later, Jason's mind was instantly refocused on Nancy's mental state as his footsteps brought him hastily to Marcel's car under Marcel's lead as he mumbled to drive him to Nancy. 

Ivy on the other hand was a little off guard. She was worried about Nancy but knew Jason would be able to handle her. The news which was more devastating and struck her awake from her fantasies was unexpecting Nick to resort to such an attempt. It suddenly made her realised all this while her sweet moments with Jason were poison fed to Nancy and Nick. Even then if it was karma to them, it shouldn't end up taking any of their lives. 

As Ivy's eyes welled up with tears, she reached out to Ray and mumbled to him to drive her to visit Nick. On the way in the car, Ivy repeatedly convinced herself that it was only right to leave Jason and Nancy to be together as they were the ones who were meant for each other from the beginning. Just because of a small mistake Nancy made to realise how much her love was for Jason, she shouldn't be penalised to lose another chance with Jason.

Ray quickly asked Mr. Jin to speed up his driving as he watch Ivy helplessly pouring all her agony out in his embrace. Guilt was overwhelming her as she was very worried about Nick than Nancy. For someone who had endured sleepless nights due to sleep paralysis and still enduring, she knew she had to help Nick out to counter his suicidal thoughts. She had to ensure with all she could to save Nick who was another victim. 

When they arrived at the hospital's lobby, she instantly alighted and ran to the emergency unit to search for Nick. She saw Marcel by a corridor way as she sprinted over half panting and half blinking to dry her tears. Marcel was walking towards her from the opposite direction. 

She was surprised to see Marcel here but there was no sight of Jason. Her heart ached a little but her mind was chasing her to look for Nick first. Marcel directed her as she followed him hastily. Nick was staring out the window blankly, looking so pale and lost all by himself when Ivy arrived. 

Ivy walked shakily over to Nick as Ray who caught up with them, supported her all the way while Marcel looked on from a distance.

"Nick…" She cried out as she couldn't contain her guilt while kneeling next to his bed holding on to his hand. She saw the bandage on his arm and it ached her heart somehow. She could feel her injuries from her bruises were aching too but she couldn't tell if it was really the pain from her bruises or it was her heart was the one piercing her the most.

"Why do you do this? Why do you choose this option? How could you? You were born to this life to build this life for yourself! Even if you dislike it now and the choices you have made, you should have just walked on!" Ivy latched out while kneeling next to him. 

"What choices do I have after betraying such a good friend?" Nick asked softly as he cried without looking at Ivy. Ivy was furious as she stood back up. 

"If you needed to redeem yourself, you could always continue working for us! After all, our business is expanding and we are of the same entity! 

If you need to make peace, dying isn't the option! 

If you needed forgiveness, committing suicide isn't the way! 

Do you know if you really died, then you would have cut off people you are destined to meet this life in any other lives?

Do you really hate Jason so much that you do not want to be his friend anymore? Even so… do you not want to encounter me as your friend anymore?

Even if I had to let Jason go for him to be with Nancy this lifetime, I wouldn't want to lose a friend like you, Nick!" Ivy wailed and sobbed in anger as Nick stayed quiet but Ivy's words somehow touched his heart making him know there were still people who were willing to be his friends as he sob silently. Ray stood by Ivy and patted her shoulders to comfort her.

Moments later, Ivy sniffed and wipe away her tears as she took one deep breath. " Do you know why I am desperately pulling you back? I know you're on the edge… I know you're giving up but please …" Ivy's held onto Nick's hand desperately as she pleaded with tears welling in her eyes again before kneeling back down. 

"Please don't…. Cause only you would know how I feel! Cause I know how you feel but I didn't choose this decision!

Even if it meant having to endure watching the one I love go… And giving another chance to his past, it's not worth it to lose all the people I have this lifetime! 

How could you? How could you be so selfish, Nick?!" Ivy yelled as she poured out all her frustration, agony, and disappointment while she cried her heart out on the floor which made Ray's and Marcel's hearts ache to watch her. Ray squatted to comfort Ivy by hugging her while Nick suddenly realise he made a mistake and Ivy was right that he was selfish. 

He realised Ivy too was suffering and she was enduring it stronger than he did that it took her long enough to lash out this way. She must have endured too long for her own good. He felt bad for her as he alone wasn't the only victim. He saw the tainted dog plushie sitting by his side table which he intended to give to Nancy as a gift but they ended up with her announcing to break up. Now that it was no longer for that use, he quickly took the plushie and gave it to Ivy who was sitting on the floor to comfort her. 

Ivy grabbed the plushie for comfort but walked off from the ward for some breather instead as she knew she was overwhelmed and she didn't want it to affect Nick. Ray chased her but noticed Nick too was getting down from the bed to chase after Ivy. Ray and Marcel helped Nick down from the bed with his drip to accompany Ivy who had ran off to the garden outside the hospital and sat by the bench.

Nick came sitting next to her and he noticed she was more calm. Ray stood close by to guard Ivy while Marcel stood by Nick's end. Ivy was still sniffing a little while Nick patted her head gently to comfort her. He was more surprised at what she had just revealed to him that she wanted to leave Jason and decided to pry further. The gesture Nick had done made Ivy blinked back her tears instantly recalling how Jason used to do the same.

"So, you're leaving Jason?" Nick asked as Ivy who was wiping away her tears nodded. 

"Why?" Nick asked as Ivy let her uncontrollable tears fall while Ray patted her shoulders. 

"Cause I made a promise to Nancy that I would… I know how much she realised she made a mistake and wanted so badly to fix it… So I decided to give them a chance." Ivy paused to sniff a moment. "I was worried about you too... I know how you feel... I was holding on cause I know I wasn't alone enduring the pain of leaving someone I love but you had to go and choose this path… " Ivy choked at her words as Nick patted her head while she hide her face in between her pulled-up legs with her plushie. 

"I'm sorry, Ivy… I'm sorry…" Nick apologised as he felt bad for Ivy and he hated himself for being so selfish. He had forgotten that Ivy would also be impacted and that he wasn't alone in this tiring and torturous journey. 

"Nick… please don't… Don't ever leave me alone to endure what I need to do all by myself…" Ivy pleaded in between her sobs. 

"I promise Ivy…I promise I wouldn't do it again…" Nick said as he couldn't help but sob with Ivy cause he finally understood how miserable Ivy must have felt enduring it all alone. 

"You promise? You're sure? You won't leave me alone to face this?" Ivy asked in between her sobs as Nick smiled and nodded at her innocent questions. 

Ivy hugged Nick as she let go of all her guilt and gratefulness that there was someone who could understand her and who can be the one she lean on for refuge to get through the tough days she will be facing. Not forgetting, she managed to save him from the edge. 

"Ivy… Don't endure these by yourself anymore alright?" Nick said as Ivy sobbed while Ray and Marcel closed their eyes enduring their anger and frustration towards Ivy and Jason's situation as they were hopelessly helpless. 

Ray was hopeless when it came to love and even Jin who is dating was helpless cause Ivy and Jason's situation was way more complicated. Marcel on the other hand knows Ivy was right about no one else other than Nick would understand her and no one else other than Nick would be the right person to stand by her to get through all that she was putting herself in. They both needed each other. 

"When are you going to tell Jason?" Nick asked when he let go of Ivy from his embrace. 

"On Christmas eve…" Ivy's tears involuntarily fell by themselves again as Ray knows it would be during the family's Christmas celebration. 

"Promise me you would be there…" Ivy pleaded as she sobbed again. 

"I will… I promise… When you have issues, I will be there for you too…" Nick comforted as Ivy gave him a sad smile. 

"Me too…" Ivy whimpered with a bright smile while her tears kept flowing as Ray gently combed Ivy's messy hair and Nick helped her wipe away her tears. 

"Silly girl…" Nick teased as Ivy giggled. 

"You're the silly one! Don't ever die ever again!" Ivy scolded playfully holding on to the plushie tightly. 

"When I am busy, I will let this little one accompany you…" Nick comforted as Ivy smiled and nodded. 

"With Jason resuming his position, you should be under Ray since you both are into martial arts…" Ivy instructed as Ray nodded. 

"How did you know I was into martial arts?" Nick asked surprisingly. Ivy scanned from top to bottom at his muscular body and raised an eyebrow. 

Nick chuckled understanding his well maintained physique was the hint as Ivy smiled while Nick contemplated a while before he nodded in agreement. He messed up Ivy's hair as she chuckled while Marcel breathe a sigh of relief watching Ivy save the day.