Chapter 502

A discreet black sedan slowly pulled up to the hospital entrance. The car door opened, and a man in a black suit stepped out. He wore sunglasses, his face pale, but his eyes held a sharp intensity.

Inside the hospital, people came and went, their footsteps, conversations, and the cries of babies mixing into a particularly noisy din. The man paid no attention to the commotion, heading straight for the elevator.

He was the only one in the elevator. He pressed the top floor button, and the elevator doors slowly closed. As it ascended, he took out a photo from his pocket—it showed a girl with a sweet smile. His long fingers gently caressed the photo, a flicker of tenderness and pain crossing his eyes.

The elevator reached the top floor, and the doors opened. Before him stretched a long corridor, at the end of which was a tightly closed door. He took a deep breath and began to walk, each step heavy yet resolute.

He stopped before the door, his hand trembling as he raised it, yet he hesitated to knock. The person inside was his only hope, and all his despair.

Finally, he closed his eyes, steeled himself, and knocked on the door. "Knock, knock, knock," the three knocks echoed particularly loudly in the silent corridor.

A weak voice from inside the room responded, "Come in."

The man pushed the door open, and the strong smell of disinfectant immediately assailed him. The room was clean, the curtains drawn, making the light somewhat dim. A frail woman lay on the hospital bed, her complexion sallow, lips cracked, and hair disheveled on the pillow.

When she saw the man, a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes, immediately replaced by exhaustion. "You're here," her voice raspy and faint.

The man walked to the bedside, leaned down, and gently held her hand. Her hand was cold and bony. "I'm here," his voice low and hoarse, filled with suppressed pain.

"Is the child... alright?" the woman asked, summoning all her strength.

The man's body stiffened slightly. He looked up, his gaze complex as he met her eyes. "He... he's fine," his voice trembled slightly.

The woman managed a weak smile. "That's good. I... I can rest easy now." Her eyes slowly closed, and her breathing grew faint.

"No!" the man cried out, gripping her hand tightly. "You can't leave!"