Chapter 1271
After saying that, Rosa waited for Ned’s response, but he remained silent for a long moment. Turning to look at him, she found him gazing thoughtfully at her with his deep-set eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, she realized how impulsive her words and actions had been; they seemed unreasonable.
“I’m not feeling well, so I’m going to rest,” Rosa said quickly, adopting a submissive tone. “Ned, I can handle things here at the hospital; you don’t need to worry.”
Ned nodded, processing her words. Over the past two or three years, he had always been cold and distant, speaking minimally. However, at that moment, Rosa felt something was amiss, but she couldn’t reveal it.
Skylar arrived at Paul’s ward to find him sound asleep. Howard gestured for her to step outside, and they went into the hallway.
“Mr. Ziegler’s condition is worse than I expected,” Howard said, his eyes still red. “He’s experiencing memory confusion. Just before he fell asleep, he said that if Mr. Martin called, he wanted to be woken.”
Skylar nodded. “Dr. Maldonado also told me his situation requires gradual recovery; we can’t rush it. I’ll be in Murida handling his affairs during this time. You and Mr. Lourdes can visit whenever you have time.”
Howard agreed. “We’ll come whenever we can. The Mr. Ziegler I know isn’t someone who’s easily knocked down. He’ll pull through this. Gene also said familiar and stable surroundings would help his recovery.”
Just then, Jacky emerged from the ward. “Mr. Ziegler is sleeping soundly. He probably won’t wake for another hour or two. I have a demanding case at the law firm, but I’ll come back in a couple of days.”
“Okay, go ahead,” Skylar replied.
Howard checked the time. “I have a meeting with a psychologist in an hour. I want to discuss some things with him.”
After they left, Skylar returned to the ward and sat on the nearby couch. She noticed several unread WhatsApp messages from Steven, inquiring about Paul’s condition. She glanced at the sleeping Paul and typed back: “He’s been admitted. His condition is similar to when he was in Murida. If he takes good care of himself, he should recover soon.”
After sending the message, she was about to stand when she heard a frantic whisper: “Ned… don’t die. We will escape.”
Paul’s repeated calls to Ned surprised Skylar, but she couldn’t hear him clearly. As she listened closely, disbelief washed over her as she looked at Paul. She wondered if he was calling for Ned—it seemed impossible, given Paul's three years of isolation in the underground factory.
Confusion flooded her mind. Paul wasn’t sleeping soundly; he seemed plagued by nightmares, struggling to break free. His face was contorted in distress, his panic and helplessness almost palpable.