Chapter 11 A Desperate Choice
Marcus let out a quiet sigh. He had expected that reaction from the moment he drafted the agreement.
"The conditions are strict," he admitted. "I know that"
Maya picked up her medical case again, "Strict?" she repeated with disbelief. "You expect me to keep everything I see and hear secret for the rest of my life. You expect me to work for you without telling anyone what we're doing"
She shook her head, "I can't"
Marcus didn't stop her this time, "If that's your decision, I won't force you"
Maya looked at him for a moment before turning toward the door, "I'm sorry". She walked out of the villa without looking back.
Marcus remained standing where he was. A long breath escaped his lips. He knew the contract would frighten her, but he couldn't remove those clauses. The Code of Vitalis was a secret that could never be exposed.
A few seconds later, Theo stepped out from the adjoining room where he had been waiting.
"Sir..the contract didn't work"
Marcus smiled faintly, "I never expected it to work on the first try"
Theo frowned, "She has already read part of it. Is it really safe to let her leave?"
"She now knows you want to establish a private laboratory and recruit her personally"
Theo lowered his voice, "Should I follow her?"
Marcus shook his head, "No, let her go"
Theo looked puzzled, but Marcus just walked toward the window and watched Maya's figure disappear through the gates of the estate.
"She'll come back"
Theo tilted his head, "What makes you so sure?"
Marcus answered without taking his eyes off the window, "Because her mother is the only family she has left"
"Every day that passes, the hospital bills keep increasing"
"The doctors have already given up"
"And today..." he paused briefly, "...I became the only person who offered her another chance"
Theo remained thoughtful, "You really believe she'll accept?"
Marcus nodded, "She will.Not because she trusts me, but because she loves her mother"
After a while, Marcus turned away from the window.
"Did you prepare everything I asked for?"
Theo straightened immediately, "Yes, sir"
"The rain boots are ready. The leather gloves, the baskets, the harvesting knives and the protective coat too"
He hesitated, "Are... are we really going back to that village?"
Marcus nodded, "There are the herbs I need"
Theo's confusion only deepened. Ever since the accident, Ethan Voss had become someone else.
The old Ethan hated hospitals, he avoided injections whenever possible.
Even when he got injured during boxing or hiking, someone had to force him to use medicine. But now, he wanted to build a laboratory.
He discussed medical conditions as though he had studied them for years. And now he was also talking about gathering medicinal herbs.
Theo couldn't understand it, "Sir...". Marcus looked at him.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead"
Theo scratched the back of his head awkwardly, "I know you travelled to a village with your friends before the accident..."
Marcus nodded, "But I don't remember you ever showing interest in medicine"
He hesitated before continuing, "Even if you've lost some memories..."
"...people's hobbies don't usually change overnight"
Theo looked genuinely confused, "What exactly happened after the accident?"
Marcus simply smiled, "One day...you'll understand"
Theo looked at him for several seconds before giving up, "Okay, boss". He quietly left the room to make the remaining preparations.
Marcus's smile slowly faded.He placed a hand over his chest where the Code of Vitalis was now safely hidden inside the villa.
"So much depends on you now…”, he murmured quietly.
Later that day, Maya went to see her mother, Martha, in her hospital room. The moment she stepped inside, her heart tightened.
Martha lay motionless on the bed, exactly as she had every day since the failed brain surgery. Tubes and monitoring equipment surrounded her, while the rhythmic beeping of the machines echoed softly through the room.
Maya walked over and gently held her mother's hand.
"Hi, Mom," she whispered with a small smile. "I came to see you"
She carefully adjusted the blanket covering Martha before brushing a few loose strands of hair away from her face.
"You'll wake up one day," Maya said softly. "I know you will"
She swallowed the lump in her throat, "I'll keep fighting until that day comes"
Just then, the door opened. A nurse entered with a health assistant following behind.
Both women stopped beside Martha's bed.
"Miss Maya," the health assistant said apologetically, "I'm afraid we have to inform you of something"
Maya looked up immediately, "What is it?"
The woman lowered her eyes, "The hospital management has ordered that your mother be discharged within the next twenty-four hours"
"What does that supposed to mean?”, Maya asked
"The outstanding medical bills have exceeded the approved limit," the health assistant explained quietly. "The new director has instructed that every patient with accumulated debts beyond the permitted amount must be discharged"
"I... I'm sorry. The order came from above"
Maya immediately shook her head, "You can't do this"
"I already requested that the hospital deduct the bills from my salary.."
Before she could finish speaking, the nurse let out a cold laugh, "Your salary?"
"You're only an intern, Maya. Your monthly salary isn't even enough to cover this room for a week"
Her eyes swept across Martha's unconscious body.
"This patient has occupied a bed for months without any improvement"
She tossed a set of discharge papers onto the bedside table, "Sign these papers"
"It's time to take her home"
The words struck Maya like a slap. Tears gathered in her eyes.
"Please..." she pleaded. "Give me more time"
"I don't have anywhere else to take my mother"
The nurse's expression remained unmoved, "That's not the hospital's problem"
"Sign the papers, now!"
Outside the ward, Reginald Thorpe was walking through the corridor with several doctors and senior staff members during his routine inspection. A raised voice drifted out from one of the rooms.
Reginald stopped, "What is that commotion?" he asked.
One of the doctors glanced toward the ward before replying.
"Director, it's an intern named Maya. Her mother is the patient with the unpaid hospital bills. The staff are carrying out your instruction"
"Maya?" Reginald repeated thoughtfully. "That name sounds familiar"
Another staff member answered immediately, "She's the intern assigned to Mr. Ethan Voss's routine medical examinations"
A slow smile appeared on Reginald's face, "I see..."
Then, an unpleasant thought crossed his mind. He turned to one of the staff members.
"Tell Maya to report to my office"
