"Molly, you stay here,"
Brian ordered.
His words stopped everyone's steps, especially that of Becky's and Eric's.
Becky turned her head back in reflex despite her vision loss, whereas Eric just gaped at Molly.
The atmosphere instantly turned heavy. Harrow and Tony exchanged looks. Harrow was enjoying the show, while Tony put on a solemn look.
Wing looked at Brian, then at Molly. At last, she glanced around and said, "Let's go."
She took the lead to step outside, followed by Harrow, Tony and the medical staff. But three people remained still -- Eric, Becky and Molly.
Becky clenched her fists inside the sleeves of her hospital dress with a sneering smile, not sure herself if it was directed at others, or at herself. She stiffly turned around and walked out, telling herself again and again that she must put up with all these things.
Eric kept his eyes on Molly. He had not moved at all since the moment Brian had asked her to stay. Eric's face was less playful now, and more mature and serious. Deep down, he was hoping, 'Little Molly, don't stay.'
Molly looked at the exhausted Brian. Her heart overflowed with guilt when she thought back to what had happened in the Phoenix Mountain. She was awake on the way back. And her heart was torn apart at the sight of Brian who was unconscious with blood at the corner of his mouth.
She remembered him saying, 'I won't let you get injured. Do you believe in me?'
And he delivered on his promise both times. He protected her. But in doing so, he wounded himself, and this time it was even more serious.
Molly stared affectionately at Brian. A few seconds later, her eyes began to feel heavy with tears. She blinked, then said, "I'm a bit tired. You need some rest too."
Molly turned around, trying not to think about what had happened that night when Brian had been undergoing the surgery for the wound to his left shoulder. The operation got tricky because the previous wound hadn't recovered yet. The doctor said that Brian had almost lost his left arm to necrosis. And that was because he took all the bumps and bruises to protect her, putting himself in a dangerous situation.
Molly winked, eyes teaming with tears. She was just about to step outside the ward when Brian grabbed one of her arms.
She turned back and saw Brian's gloomy look. She gaped at him for a few seconds before she regained her poise and howled, "Brian, are you crazy? "
How could he just grasp her with the hand which had the IV drip line? His abrupt move turned Molly's face pale. She hastily turned back in an attempt to call the nurse. Yet the moment she tried to move, she was pulled back again and Brian ordered, "Eric, you get out."
Eric's eyes had become dim. He didn't move, but he was composed. He said, "Brian, Little Molly has barely slept over the past three days. Her eyes were affected by the flash bomb. Don you want her to become blind like Becky?"
Brian scowled at Eric, who still had his eyes on Molly. He said coldly, "What is the use of all these doctors here, if she loses her sight just because of a flash bomb?"
Eric was running out of excuses and he turned to look at Brian. With a small smile, Eric replied, "You just woke up. You better get some rest. If Uncle Richie sees that your injury is serious, he will be mad at you. But well, if you don't care about it, then just do what you want."
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