Jonathan patiently spoke to the child. "I'm going to call my cousin to keep you company for a bit. He'll take you home afterward, okay? Don't worry, he's a doctor here."

However, Michael didn't want Jonathan to leave. He clung to him tightly, as if Jonathan were the only source of comfort in this unfamiliar place. Jonathan sighed. He still had pressing matters to attend to. If Michael were his own child, he would have stayed with him patiently. He called Donald, asking him to come to the third floor for a moment.

After hanging up, Jonathan glanced down at Michael, noting his disheveled appearance. The boy was bundled in a loose jacket, and his shoes were on the wrong feet. "Why are your shoes on the wrong feet? Don't you feel uncomfortable?" He gently lifted Michael onto a chair and adjusted the shoes.

His mind drifted to his childhood, when, without a father, he often had to care for himself while Irene worked. Sometimes, he’d end up wearing his shoes the wrong way, just like Michael. He thought to himself, 'If I had my own child, I would never let them grow up feeling the absence of a father's love.'

"Michael, make sure to wear your shoes properly next time, okay?" Jonathan said gently.

"Okay," Michael replied, spreading his arms. "Can you carry me?"

Jonathan had always had a soft spot for Michael. Without hesitation, he picked him up, feeling the boy's arms tighten around his neck, and gently patted his back and head. Michael grew drowsy in Jonathan's warm arms. Noticing the child's sleepiness, Jonathan began singing a lullaby.

"Mr. Lime… Daddy…" Michael mumbled as he fell asleep, drooling.

Jonathan smiled. He couldn't help but wonder when Christian would return. There had been no news; perhaps something had happened in Christian's family that delayed him.

"Jonathan." Donald, summoned by Jonathan, approached. When he saw Jonathan holding a familiar child, he said, "Isn't this Mike?"

Jonathan looked puzzled. "You know him too?"

Donald nodded. "Jennifer had a car accident, and Teresa visited her at the hospital, bringing this kid along. She said he was her friend's child and she was looking after him for a few days."

Jonathan nodded. "Yeah, it's her friend's child. But it's unbelievable; his mother hasn't even come to pick him up after an entire month."

Donald sighed. "Poor kid. He mostly stays close to Teresa and barely says a word to me." He then patted Michael's head.

Michael remained soundly asleep in Jonathan's arms. Jonathan spoke quietly. "Take the kid to your break room first. I need to talk to Teresa. Her mother's been sent to the emergency room, and I need to go take a look."

"Really? I didn't know that! All right, go ahead. I'll look after Mike." Donald reached out to take Michael from Jonathan, but Jonathan shook his head. "I'll carry him to the break room myself; I don't want to wake him just yet."

Donald walked alongside Jonathan, puzzled. "How does a kid this young end up alone at the hospital?"

Jonathan shrugged. "Probably took a cab."

Donald was taken aback. "He knows how to take a cab?"

Jonathan smirked. "Don't underestimate him. The kid's sharp. He can even send texts. No idea where he gets it from, but he's got a cleverness to him."

Donald didn't ask any more questions. As he looked at Jonathan from the side, he couldn't help but notice a fleeting look of longing for a child in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Evelyn was still fast asleep. Teresa woke up in Jonathan's arms around noon, at it was already past five. Since then, she hadn't eaten anything from the hospital. She hadn't gone to buy birth control pills either. Fortunately, there were several large pharmacies across from the hospital. Teresa decided to head over there to get some emergency contraception, though she wasn't sure if it would still be effective at this point.