Olivia was panicked. She nervously grabbed the corner of Benjamin's clothes.

Benjamin understood what she meant and took all the responsibility on himself. "I am the patient's attending physician. Her condition is stable. She will not have a heart attack. It is probably some other minor ailment."

Matthew frowned in dissatisfaction and rebuked in a low voice. "Benjamin, you must be alert to any detail. The patient's daughter is still here. Be careful with your words."

I was stunned at this conversation.

Ever since Benjamin became Elizabeth's attending physician, she had been getting better. Elizabeth had been paralyzed for many years.

I began to regain hope for the future.

Last night, Elizabeth woke me up while I was sleeping on the nursing bed. She said in a hoarse voice, "Amelia, my mouth is very bitter. Can you make some croissants for me?"

It was one o'clock in the morning. The convenience store nearby was still open.

I comforted her softly. "Mom, if you're hungry, I'll go buy some snacks first."

Elizabeth shook her head slowly like a robot. "I just want to eat the croissants you made yourself."

It would take at least four hours to go back and forth from the hospital to home.

Elizabeth saw my hesitation and rang the emergency bell in her hand.

"Don't worry. This is the hospital. Benjamin is on duty tonight. I'll call him over if anything happens." Elizabeth begged me for a long time. I had no choice but to agree.

Before leaving, I found that there was no one in the duty room.

I guessed that Benjamin might have gone to inspect the ward. So, I hurried home without thinking much about it.

When I came back with croissants, Elizabeth's fingers, which were holding the emergency bell, had become stiff.

The morgue doctor speculated. "Your mother died not long after you left. But next to the ward is the duty room. There was an emergency bell at hand. Didn't the doctors and nurses notice it? Maybe they could save your mother."

There was some regret in his tone.

I had nothing to say and lowered my head to settle Elizabeth's body.

I thought, "If there is a pill for regret, I am willing to take it at any price. I would insist on staying with my mother and never allow Benjamin to skip work for a tryst. I also wish I could kill myself and take Benjamin along to be buried with my mother!"

I went back to the ward to pack my things and ran into Benjamin and Olivia, who were late.