Chapter 39

"I don't want to tell her now… she'll be scared. I don't want to do that to her," he said quietly, as if trying to convince himself. "And he has such a ridiculous wish, too. He wants to take her with him upon discharge! How can I allow that?"

Venelope stayed quiet. But deep in her heart, after watching the chaos unfold, she secretly thought if the man was good, maybe it would be better for Jay to go with him. Still, seeing her friend's father's reaction and knowing she was technically an outsider, she swallowed her opinion whole.

As they stood near the waiting area, the man approached them silently from behind.

"How is she?"

Venelope turned, startled by his voice.

"They're taking her for an ultrasound," she replied calmly.

"Who are you?"

"Me?"

He gave her a sharp look that screamed: Who else would I be talking to?

"I'm Venelope. Jay's friend," she said, holding out her hand in a polite instinct.

He glanced down at it and replied coldly,

"I'll pretend I didn't see that."

Venelope pulled her hand back, eyebrows raised.

"You don't have to pretend anything. I haven't done anything shameful."

"You're shy. Just say it. No need to be rude to me," she muttered, not really expecting a response.

"I don't touch strangers," he snapped.

"Yeah, whatever…" she said, rolling her eyes.

He brushed past her with the grace of a bulldozer and stood beside Jay's father.

"Have you thought about what I said earlier?"

Jay's father narrowed his eyes.

"What did you say? Did you say something?"

"Mr. Miller, don't act like this. You and your wife you're both hurting Jay. Don't you see that?" the man said, voice laced with frustration. "Let me take her. I'll never hurt her."

At this, her father exploded.

"You keep saying we, her parents, are hurting her! Then how am I supposed to believe that you, a stranger, won't?! You don't even know her!"

"I do know her."

"Lies!"

The man's voice grew sharper.

"Cowards lie. I don't lie. Because I'm not afraid of anyone."

That caught her father off-guard. He blinked, stunned. Liars are cowards. It was a phrase he'd never heard before and it hit somewhere deep.

But he shook it off and snapped back.

"How do you even know my daughter?"

The man's expression darkened.

"I don't wish to share."

Another slap to the face. Jay's father clenched his fists, but before he could respond, the man cut in again.

"Well, Mr. Miller, I've arranged the best VIP room for Jay. She'll be moved there after the procedure. I advise you to make your decision quickly. Preferably a yes. Truth is, I don't really need your permission at this point. But I'm asking for it, not out of respect for you but out of fear she might be hurt if she finds out I went against her guardians."

Jay's father raised his voice.

"We are her parents!"

"No parents are like this," the man said sharply. "And don't debate me. Even though I'm not a parent myself, I know what it means to love and protect what's mine. Unlike some people I could mention."

He looked toward Venelope.

"At least she has the guts to show she cares."

Jay's father looked down, jaw tense, while Venelope stiffened, not expecting to be dragged into the middle.

"And one more thing," the man added, turning back, "I'd suggest you check on your wife, too. I spoke with her earlier. It seemed like she didn't even know Jay was in serious condition. That says something, doesn't it?"

With that, he walked up to the window, looked through the glass at Jay, his eyes locked on her for a long, still moment. Then, without turning around, he said in a calm, cold voice

"I'll be back in a little while. Till then, make your decision. And don't try to run from the hospital. Let her have her rest… for once in her life."

Jay's father scoffed.

"you… you…You don't have to tell me what to do."

The man turned his head just slightly and smiled.

"For God's sake…" he muttered this time in a surprisingly polite tone and disappeared from view.

venelope saw him disapprearing around a corner. and with an instinct she walk after him. jay's father cried after him, "where are you going?"

BATHROOM!" she said with the same negative energy and ran away. following him closely. as he got out of the building she cried after him, "Mister! can we talk!" she said in between breaths.

"i dont talk to starngers", he replied while sitting in the car.

"its about her.." she said

as he heard this, his stiffened on the steering wheel.

"speak..."

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