Cassius sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze soft as he looked at Evadne''s pale face. "Is this your bleeding heart acting up again, Evadne? He''s just an inmate who has nothing to do with you. Do you really need to get so involved?"


    A faint, humorless smile touched her lips, her beautiful eyes curving slightly. "I do. What if he''s actually innocent?"


    Cassius fell silent, his eyes darkening. He was her brother, and he knew her well. He sensed there was a deeper meaning behind her actions.


    After talking with Evadne for a while, Cassius and Jason noticed her energy was fading. They knew she was still incredibly weak and needed to rest, so they quietly left the hospital room.


    Once they were in the hallway, Jason finally let his anguish show. "Our precious Ms. Evadne... why has she suffered one disaster after another since she met Thaddeus?" His voice cracked with emotion. "The frostbite on her hands... it''s severe. I''m terrified it''ll affect her mobility long-term. She''s one of the country''s top surgeons, a master sculptor... if her hands are ruined..."


    Cassius cut him off, his voice heavy and his eyes rimmed with red. He clenched his fists, the pain in his heart sharp and visceral. "They won''t be. We''ll find the best medicine for her. She''ll healpletely, without a single scar."


    "Sir, I''m going to say something that might be hard to hear," Jason said, rubbing his exhausted face. His voice was thick with unshed tears, and he looked like he was about to fall apart. "I know Thaddeus is a good man... and I know they love each other deeply. But if this is how their story is going to be, so cruel and relentless, then I''d rather Thaddeus disappear from Ms. Evadne''s lifepletely. I''d rather they had never met at all!"


    Just as the words left his lips, the sound of leather shoes echoed from behind them.


    Cassius looked up sharply, and Jason spun around.


    Thaddeus, dressed in a crisp suit, tall and imposing, was walking toward them carrying a thermos. He had heard every word Jason said.


    His dark eyes were as unreadable as ever.


    Jason felt a pang of panic, but then he remembered that he''d spoken from the heart. What was there to be afraid of? He straightened his back, standing like a guard at the door.


    "Thaddeus? What are you doing here?" Cassius frowned. "My father told me you were seriously injured and needed to be in the hospital. It''s not right for you to be walking around like this." Despite everything, he was still concerned for Thaddeus. They had been through hell and back together. Even if they couldn''t be family, they could still be friends.


    "I''m fine," Thaddeus said, his voice low as he pressed his lips into a thin line. "Is Ms. Evadne resting? I''d like to see her."


    "Thaddeus do you really think Ms. Evadne wants to see you?" Jason''s chest heaved with anger. "Do you think she hasn''t suffered enough because of you? Are you here to rub salt in the wound?!"


    "I''m not here to rub salt in anything. I brought her soup. It''s her favorite,"<fnbae2> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n F?ndNovel</fnbae2>


    Thaddeus replied,pletely missing the point.


    Jason''s head throbbed with frustration. "You...!"


    "Evadne is probably still awake, but she''s exhausted," Cassius said, pulling Jason aside. He met Thaddeus''s gaze, his voice hoarse with a tangle of emotions. "She''s been on so much medicationthese past few days, hooked up to God knows how many tubes. She''s been through too much. Thaddeus, I know you don''t love her anymore. But I hope you can just talk to her calmly. Please, don''t upset her again. Don''t let her hurt herself anymore."


    At his words, Thaddeus''s longshes trembled. A subtle, sharp pain spread through his chest, almost imperceptible if one wasn''t paying attention.