Pay With Your Heart

Chapter 286: Fading Out

‘Trust starts with the truth and ends with the truth.’

Eun-sun had those words reverberate inside her head as she stood fixated on the very spot Dan-Han had left her.

She had indeed broken his trust when she betrayed the confidence he had in her – Confidence to do what’s right by him just as he had done for her since inception of their relationship, and ‘right’ in this case was not by helping his mother keep a secret from him. Not just any secret but one that involved her life.

Tears streamed down her cheek as she stared at the door he had walked through. He didn’t even stop to look at her, but what was she expecting? The man was infuriated. She had messed up.

Eun-Sun felt her heart clench tightly against the wall of her chest, while her eyes blurred with tears. What was she to do? She had wronged the man who had shown her nothing but love, how was she going to fix this? Was this situation something she could fix?

Her mind twirled with these countless questions, but the most pressing of them all was how Mrs Lee was faring. She hasn’t heard anything about her, and she couldn’t leave without seeing her. She had to confirm that she was at least fine. There was no way she’d be able to stay in her apartment without any information about her.

She sniffled as she wiped her tears. She was about to walk towards the room Dan-Han had entered when someone suddenly tapped her shoulder. Turning around, she was surprised to find Chang-wok, who paid her a courtesy bow. ????????????r????a????. ????????ｍ

.....

What was he doing there? Dan-Han must have called him, she reasoned. But how was he here so soon?

“Miss Park, the president has asked me to take you home.” He said.

“Hmm?” She muttered. Her thoughts had drifted, so she had missed his words.

“The president wants me to take you home.” He repeated, causing Eun-sun to stare at him with indescribable eyes. Dan-Han was really serious about sending her home at a time like this? He really wanted her gone? She felt a surge of depressive emotions punch a hole in her chest she had to swallow hard. Her gaze returned to the door, feet away from her, not sure of what to do.

She glanced back at Chang-wok, “Can you give me a minute. I just want to-” She paused as she thought about her following words. She just wanted to see how Mrs Lee was doing and also catch a glimpse of Dan-Han? She wanted to stay. That was what she truly wanted. She wanted to hold Dan-Han and keep him company at this time. She wanted him to forgive as she couldn’t bear to have him stay angry at her.

Secretary Chang-wok couldn’t help but notice how sullen she looked. He had noticed her red and teary eyes when he had first laid eyes on her, but he could see that she was far from just crying. She seemed broken. Was she fighting with the boss? As much as he’d like to know what was going on, he didn’t have the guts to ask.

“I’m sorry, but President Lee has asked me to take you home now,” Chang-wok said in an apologetic voice, making Eun-sun stare at him. She slowly bobbed her head as she tightly pursed her lips to prevent the tears pricking her eyes from falling out.

Chang-wok took a step out of the way, with his hand gesturing for her to take the lead. Eun-Sun took a brief yet longing glance at the door before walking away. She couldn’t describe how she was feeling now, but she could hardly breathe. Maybe she should just go home. That might be good for both of them.

...

“How is she?” Dan-Han’s cold voice echoed in the room of doctors who had just checked on his mother.

“President Lee, we’re sorry but there’s nothing we can do for her at this point. Her organs are shutting down, and she’s in a lot of pain. We can only try to make her comfortable at this point, but we can’t guarantee for how long. She’s fading out, sir.” One of the eldest doctors said while the others nodded in agreement. He was the medical director of the hospital.

“So, what do you mean?” Dan-Han drawled, icicles popping out of his eyes as the aura around him darkened, putting pressure on everyone standing in the room. His eyes scanned the faces of the quivering men when no one answered.

“Answer me.” He snapped, causing the men to flinch.

The group of doctors looked among themselves in search of someone bold enough to answer him. Their gazes settled on the director who had spoken the first time, begging him to save them.

“P-president Lee.... there’s nothing we can do for her. How long she stays depends on how long she wants to hold on.” The man stuttered, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

Dan-Han’s fist involuntarily clenched at the sound of those words.

“We’re sorry, President Lee.” The man apologized with a bow and the others did the same with cold sweat trickling down their back.

Dan-Han’s heart clenched so much a hurtful pang hit his chest. His clenched fist quivered as his eyes burned with anger.

He returned his burning gaze to the men, his face was scrunched so tightly popping veins could be seen on his forehead, “I refuse to accept that.” He said, perplexing the men.

He took a step closer to them, his eyes scanning each face in the room before settling on the medical director, “Save my mother, or you’ll all see my wrath.” He seethed before striding out of the room, leaving the men in shock as they looked among themselves.

How were they going to save an already dying woman? That could only be a miracle, one which they didn’t perform. They were doctors, not miracle miracles, so President Lee was asking for the impossible.