Chapter 202:
Zola was slightly taken aback. âIs Eileenâs background really that complicated?â
âLetâs see how Vivian is doing first,â Kian replied, urgency in his voice. Without wasting another moment, he rushed toward the neurology inpatient building with Zola by his side.
Upon entering, they were greeted by a cacophony of sounds. This section housed patients with mental health conditions, and Kianâs expression darkened. He had hurried here after hearing about Vivianâs outburst, yet he felt he had arrived just a bit too late.
The atmosphere was heavy, and Kian felt a wave of sympathy for Vivian. He hurried into her hospital room, his heart racing.
Vivian lay restrained on the bed, her complexion pale. Upon noticing someone entering, she turned her eyes slightly. Recognizing Kian and Zola, she began to cry.
âVivian!â Kian rushed to untangle the ropes binding her, eager to set her free. However, the knots were complex, and he struggled to loosen them.
Just then, the doctor and nurses entered the room.
âAre you related to the patient? Please donât rush to release her. Let me explain her situation firstâ¦â the doctor started, but Kianâs icy glare made him falter.
âWhy have you restrained her? Is this how you treat your patients?â Kian demanded, anger evident in his voice.
âRelease her now,â Zola commanded firmly. Then, turning to Kian, she added, âStay with Vivian. Iâll speak with the doctor.â
She signaled for the doctor to accompany her outside. Once in the corridor, Zola crossed her arms and confronted the doctor.
âHave you examined her thoroughly?â she asked.
The doctor nodded. âYes, she was very distressed when she arrived yesterday, so I performed a full examination. We conducted blood tests and discovered she has been receiving regular injections of a certainââ
âThank you,â Zola interjected with a slight smile, patting the doctor on the shoulder. âItâs uncommon to find such attentive doctors here. Please hand me her medical files and arrange for her discharge.â
The doctor quickly relinquished Vivianâs medical files, but hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to retrieve them. A shiver ran down his spine as he met Zolaâs cold gaze, which, upon closer inspection, was accompanied by a subtle smile.
âThank you again,â Zola reiterated. âNow, please proceed with the discharge process.â
The doctor nodded briskly. âIâll handle it immediately.â With that, he turned and left.
Zola flipped through Vivianâs medical files, raising an eyebrow at the diagnosis on the last page. Without a second thought, she tore out the page and discarded the pieces into a nearby trash bin.
Soon after, Kian ushered the nurses out of Vivianâs ward. Zola entered, placing the medical files on the bedside table, and sighed softly upon seeing Vivian crying in Kianâs embrace.
âI spoke with the doctors. The medication used here isnât as effective as what is available overseas. It seems Vivian hasnât been taking her medication properly, which has exacerbated her symptoms,â Zola explained.
Kian nodded, his expression grave.
âIâve arranged for her discharge with the doctor,â Zola added.
Kian comforted Vivian, then gently lifted her into his arms. âIâm taking you home. Zola will be there too. Thereâs nothing to worry about now.â
Vivian, who had been awake all night, began to feel sleepy in the comfort of being with her family.
Zola grabbed Vivianâs coat and quickly followed Kian out of the hospital to his car. In the back seat, she attended to Vivian, who had fallen asleep.
Kian glanced at Vivian through the rearview mirror. She appeared to have lost some weight recently, and he felt a wave of regret wash over him for having left Vivian alone in Wist Land.
Noticing the mark of a slap on Vivianâs face, he wondered if she had been hit in the hospital or if something else had happened.
âVivianâs treatment was always overseen by specialists from abroad. They continued to send her medication even after she returned here. Her condition has been stable, hasnât it? Why are you thinking about changing her doctor now?â Zola asked casually as she gently patted Vivianâs shoulder.
Kian sighed lightly. âIâve been doing some research. In Vivianâs case, medication alone isnât enough. The fastest way for her to recover is through psychological counseling.â
âIâll get in touch with Dr. Welch to see if he can offer long-term counseling and treatment for Vivian,â Zola said, reaching for her phone and tapping on the screen quickly.
Within minutes, she smiled and announced, âDr. Welch has agreed. Heâs been overseeing Vivianâs treatment for years and understands her situation thoroughly. Introducing a new doctor might not go over smoothly with her.â
Hearing that, Kian felt a surge of gratitude. âZola, thank you.â
âThereâs no need to thank me. By the way, you should consider moving closer to my place so I can help look after Vivian,â Zola suggested.
Since their arrival in Wist Land, Kian and Vivian had been staying in a hotel. Kian readily agreed, as he had already secured a residence at Pianoforte Villas.
After packing up their belongings at the hotel, they made their way to Pianoforte Villas. Kian carried Vivian upstairs and gently laid her on the bed.
Zola followed behind, laying Vivianâs coat aside, removing her shoes, and tucking her in snugly. Afterward, Zola made to leave, but Kian caught her wrist.
He drew her close, holding her firmly in his arms. His eyes conveyed a deep yearning, and his breath quickened. His affection for Zola had grown over the years, embedding her deeply in his heart. Now that she was back from overseas, he was eager to make their relationship official.
âZolaâ¦â Kian began.
âKian, donât. Vivian is right here,â Zola replied, her cheeks flushing as she attempted to pull away.
Embracing Zola tightly, Kian felt his control wavering. He leaned in, about to kiss her when his phone rang, cutting through the moment.
âStep out to take the call. We donât want to disturb Vivian,â Zola suggested, using the interruption to slip from Kianâs grasp.
As Kian stepped out to answer the call, Zola quickly wiped her lips, her expression tinged with frustration.
Checking the caller ID, Kian took a deep breath and answered, âHowâs the investigation progressing?â
âMr. Warren, Miss Warren has been quietly managing Eileenâs plagiarism scandal. Her interactions have been minimal, but last night, she met with Eileen at a club. The staff there are tight-lipped, but it seems there was an argument,â Benjamin reported.
Kian clenched his jaw. He had left his team to monitor Vivian, who had stubbornly refused to allow them to follow her. After learning that Vivian had been taken to the hospital, he had immediately tasked Benjamin with the investigation.
Adjusting his tie, Kianâs voice turned cold. âEileen Curtis, huh? How could she dare?â
He suspected that the mark on Vivianâs face was indeed Eileenâs doing.
âWhat about the plagiarism issue?â he pressed.
Benjamin responded, âEarly this morning, there was significant development. Eileen has come forward with compelling evidence and filed lawsuits against the celebrity teacher and the senior professor. Her school and online courses have gained considerable attention and profitability because of this.â
Kian massaged his forehead, feeling the weight of the situation. âUnderstood. Keep an eye on Eileen. I want updates on everything she does.â
He paused, allowing the gravity of his words to settle in. âIf I catch you hiding anything from me, I wonât take it lightly.â
âI wonât. Donât worry, Mr. Warren,â Benjamin assured him. After ending the call, he reviewed the surveillance footage from the club before discarding the USB drive into the bin.
As a skilled assistant, he understood that providing the footage to Kian would only fuel his anger toward Eileen. By sharing the incident without the details, he aimed to mitigate Kianâs wrath.
With a heavy sigh, he climbed into his car and drove away.
Zola had picked up on a few details from Kianâs conversation. She settled down across from him and asked, âWas Vivianâs recent breakdown triggered by her encounter with Eileen?â
âLast night, Vivian met Eileen, got slapped by her, and then had a meltdown,â Kian replied, his fingers cracking with tension, his eyes fierce.
Zola responded, âI used to think it wouldnât matter who Bryan married as long as it wasnât me. But considering Vivian is your sister and we grew up together, I feel compelled to help her. However, Kian, you know I donât have much influence over the Dawson family, so my ability to assist is limitedâ¦â
âI understand,â Kian replied, offering a smile that was tinged with both sadness and appreciation. âAs long as youâre not the one marrying Bryan, it doesnât matter who he ends up with. But Vivian has feelings for him. As her brother, itâs my responsibility to look out for her happiness. You donât need to get involved. Just understanding how I feel is enough.â
Zola smiled tenderly, the bright overhead lights casting a warm glow on her, making it hard for Kian to look away.
âI need to go pick up Milford. Please take good care of Vivian. When Dr. Welch comes tomorrow, Iâll join you to meet him. Try to get some rest,â Zola said, gathering her bag.
After giving Kian a wave, she exited the hospital.
Meanwhile, Eileen brought Bailee and Ruby to their new home, helping them settle in with the luggage she had packed in advance. Then she headed to the supermarket to stock up on necessities.
Engrossed in her tasks, Eileen ignored the multiple buzzes from her phone.
Exiting the supermarket with her hands full of grocery bags, she noticed her phone ringing yet again. However, with her arms loaded down, she couldnât answer it.
Only after arriving at the rented house and passing the groceries to Bailee did she finally check her phone.
All the missed calls were from Bryan, accompanied by several messages. The first was brief: âIâm back.â
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