Chapter 105: She Must Like Me

"Mrs. Adam!" Maggie rushed over, supporting her without hesitation.

Mrs. Adam's vision blurred, her chest pounding painfully. Through the haze, she saw a young girl with a bright face and fair skin offering help. Before she could focus, she lost consciousness.

"Mrs. Adam! Mrs. Adam!"

Maggie was shocked. She knew Fiona was unwell, but not this serious.

"Doctor! Doctor!"

Tears in her eyes, Maggie held Fiona, preventing her collapse, and called for help.

Ericko and Phillip arrived from different directions. Seeing Maggie and Fiona, Ericko quickly moved to assist.

There was no time for pleasantries. Maggie searched for a doctor while Phillip fetched a stretcher.

"Quick, to the operating room!"

A white-haired professor, apparently acquainted with Phillip, swiftly organized the doctors.

The operating room lights flickered on; the doors sealed shut. The smaller, downstairs emergency room was bustling; they hadn't had time to use the larger upstairs operating room.

Amidst the chaos, Maggie felt a chill. Standing several meters from the operating room, she was lost in thought, oblivious to the noise.

When did Fiona die? she wondered. Fiona's death had occurred about three years later, amidst the turmoil of "the Adams' project." The project faced numerous setbacks, stressing Phillip (his hair turned white) and worsening Fiona's health. Ultimately, she couldn't endure Phillip's adversity. This won't happen again, right?

Observing Fiona's pale complexion, Ericko seemed about to speak, but stopped with Phillip nearby.

Maggie's eyes welled. "Ericko," she said softly.

11:36 Sat, 18 May

Chapter 105: She Must Like Me (82%)

"It'll be fine," Ericko reassured her gently, his gaze falling to her hospital attire, causing him to frown unconsciously. "Why are you here?"

Lost in thought, Maggie didn't want to mention last night's stomach ache, so she remained silent.

"Let's sit over there," Ericko suggested, noticing her discomfort.

"But what about…" Maggie glanced anxiously toward the operating room.

"Dad will take care of it. Dr. Stone is Mom's attending physician; everything will be fine," Ericko reassured her, noting her pallor. "We're close; we can get there in two minutes."

Reassured, Maggie followed Ericko back to the lobby where she'd encountered Fiona.

"Why did Mom faint?" Maggie asked softly, her gaze shifting between Ericko and Phillip.

Ericko paused. "Mom's heart isn't strong, and her body is too frail for surgery; the risks are high. We've focused on conditioning, but it hasn't helped much. She felt unwell for a few days, and it worsened this morning. Dad and I decided to bring her in for a check-up and medication," he explained, his tone somber. Fiona had felt unwell the night before but hadn't wanted to be a bother.

Phillip postponed a meeting; Ericko canceled plans to accompany her. Upon arrival, Phillip fetched medication while Ericko consulted Dr. Stone. Fiona collapsed unexpectedly.

After Ericko's account, Maggie fell silent, crestfallen. She hadn't even acknowledged Fiona as "Mom."

Meanwhile, Nathael emerged from the bathroom. Not seeing Maggie, he checked his phone and saw her message: "Your darling has gone to get breakfast. Be back soon."

Nathael frowned. He'd asked Alex to get breakfast; he hadn't expected Maggie to wake up.

Almost half an hour had passed. He called Maggie, but she didn't answer. He pursed his lips, his gaze darkening. He changed clothes and went downstairs.

"Maggie, you look pale," Ericko remarked.

"I'm okay," Maggie replied softly. Physically, she felt fine; refreshed and pain-free. She was simply worried about her mother.

She felt adrift, uncertain about her actions. Concealing her identity from Fiona and Phillip to pursue revenge against the Camerons—was it worth it? Abandoning the Camerons meant she couldn't protect them; staying meant she couldn't be with her family. Would things change in a few years? Would her efforts matter?

Lost in thought, she felt Ericko's hand in hers, a small comfort.

"Nana."

Maggie's eyelashes fluttered, sensing the warmth.

"Ericko," she replied, meeting his gaze. She wanted to tell him so much, but didn't know where to begin. She felt a pang of loneliness, knowing her secrets.

"Don't worry, I'll take you to visit Mom when she wakes up. She'll be very fond of you," Ericko reassured her. He tousled her hair, draped his coat over her, offering gentle comfort. Maggie's eyes pricked with tears.

She could be there for her mother first, even if they didn't immediately acknowledge each other. Being by her side would be another deception to the Camerons.

"She must like me. I saved her, after all," Maggie smiled weakly, a flicker of joy amidst the uncertainty. It gave her a reason to be around Fiona, and Ericko understood her immediately.

It was unsurprising they were siblings; they understood each other without many words. It was comforting. She felt the strength of family ties. A simple smile or words sufficed. Nathael arrived downstairs and witnessed this touching moment. Ericko draped his coat over her shoulders, gently holding her hand, whispering to her…

This revised version addresses grammatical errors, punctuation issues, and improves the flow and clarity of the passage. It also corrects inconsistencies in character names (Fiona/Mrs. Adam).