“Arius, this is my turf,” Nicholas warned coldly. He couldn't bear to lay a finger on Sophie, but he couldn't say the same about Arius.
“Sophie, did you see that? He has the nerve to threaten me!” Arius immediately went over to sit on Sophie's bed.
She shot a look at Arius.
Can't Arius read the room? Nicholas is a lunatic. There's no telling what he'll do if Arius gets him all riled up.
“Get a good rest. Just tell me if you need anything,” Nicholas said before leaving the room.
“Sophie, are you all right? Did he do anything to you?” Arius was a reckless man, but he cared a lot about Sophie.
“Don't worry. I'm all right.”
“I have to say, Nicholas is really smitten with you. Why don't you just accept both of them? That way, you won't be in a dilemma any longer,” Arius suggested.
Sophie was rendered speechless.
Is he for real?
“What? Am I wrong? He's obviously head over heels for you. Just accept him. There's no harm having one more man around,” Arius added.
Sophie refused to listen to Arius anymore.
“I think you should head back. You're just spewing nonsense here. Do you think you're of any help?”
“All right. I'll shut up. If it wasn't for you, do you think I'd want to come?” Arius retorted. He had never gotten along with Nicholas. Hence, he was risking his life coming here.
Yet, Sophie showed no gratitude for his help.
To make matters worse, she even gave him a disdainful look.
She didn't wish to pay further heed to him and said to Barney, “Dr. Smith, I still can't feel my legs.”
If her condition persisted, Sophie was afraid that she might never stand again.
Barney pushed Arius aside.
“Get away! Did you come all the way here to talk nonsense? You haven't done anything remotely helpful since you came here.”
All Arius had done was bicker with Nicholas.
Then, Barney examined Sophie's leg again.
“What do we do now? We have to get to the hospital right away, but Nicholas will never let us go back. You can only undergo surgery at the hospital. Besides, you have to go through an acupuncture treatment too,” Barney muttered.
There was simply no reasoning with a madman like Nicholas, especially when Sophie was in such a state.
Then again, it was not the time to fight Nicholas anyway.
That was the reason things were in such a terrible state.
“Arius, go tell Nicholas that Sophie has to undergo surgery right now. Otherwise...” Barney thought it was best to let Arius handle the hospital matter.
“Me again? Aren't you worried that the lunatic would murder me?” Nicholas was an extremely stubborn man. Once he had his mind set, it was difficult for anyone to change it.
“Are you going or not? Why are you yakking on? You've got to try everything you can do!” Barney retorted.
“All right. I'll go,” Arius mumbled helplessly.
Among the three of them, he was at the lowest of the social totem pole. Arius knew nobody would listen to what he said or care whether he lived or died.
Meanwhile, Barney was still examining Sophie's leg.
“Does it hurt?”
Sophie shook her head.
She wished it would hurt just so she could feel something. The absence of sensation was more frightening than any physical pain.
Barney furrowed his brows.
Right. The situation is dire. We have to get back to the hospital. The surgery equipment I need is all there.
Meanwhile, Arius had found Nicholas, and he felt somewhat intimidated by the man. After all, Nicholas was a cold-blooded killer.
“What's up with her?” Nicholas asked right away when he saw Arius.
Nicholas was only worried about Sophie's body. He couldn't care less about other people.
“Nicholas, I have to say that I really admire your tenacity. You've liked Sophie for so long.” Despite her never reciprocating your feelings. You're really a madman, falling for a woman just like that.
Nicholas remained silent.
He didn't wish to say a word to Arius, nor did he wish to suffer the latter's mocking words. He had the freedom to decide who he had feelings for.
“If you're here to talk nonsense, you may as well go back right now,” Nicholas said without batting an eyelid.
Arius was rendered speechless.
How heartless can he be? It's not like we've only started to know each other. Does he have to be this cold and ruthless?
“See, this is why Sophie doesn't like you,” Arius commented.
It was apparent that Nicholas was trying to tamp down his anger.
“She will fall for me eventually.” As long as Tristan's dead, nobody will snatch her away from me anymore. She will belong to me and only me.
“Nicholas, don't you think it's better to be honest with ourselves?” Arius added, unafraid of how Nicholas would react.
“Arius, do you have a death wish?”
He must think that I don't dare to kill him. If he has the nerve to provoke me, I will show no mercy.
“Nicholas, look at you. Why are you getting all worked up? I'm only discussing a matter with you. I don't intend to provoke you in any way,” Arius said with a grin on his face.
Nicholas refused to talk to him.
He was jealous of Arius. Sophie had always treated him nicely, nothing like how she treated Nicholas.
“I've come all the way here to talk about Sophie's matter with you. Do you think I like coming here?” Arius quipped.
Why doesn't he get that this is no picnic for me, either?
“What's the matter?” Nicholas finally asked.
“She has to go back to the hospital right now. Otherwise, the consequences will be dire. I was joking with you earlier, but now I'm being dead serious.”
Again, Nicholas kept quiet.
“Nicholas, if you truly care about her, I don't think you'd want anything bad to happen to her, right? The environment here is horrible and not suitable for her to rest at all, especially for her leg. She's a prideful woman. What happens if she really can't stand anymore? Have you given any thought to these problems? If you've never given it a single thought, how could you say that you like her?”
“Can't she undergo treatment here? Arius, I will not let her go back, no matter what you say,” Nicholas said in a determined tone.
“Nicholas, how could you be so selfish? Do you think you have control over her just because you like her?” Arius was furious. He knew it was futile to reason with Nicholas, whom he deemed inhuman.
“Selfish? Yes, I'm a selfish person. Are you just realizing that today?” Nicholas had never cared about what others thought of him. It had taken him considerable effort to get her to his side, and he would not let her go. “Let me put it this way. If this is the only way to make her stay by my side. I'd rather she not stand for the rest of her life,” Nicholas added.
Arius was stumped by his inconsiderate remark and felt his chest constricting in anger and frustration.
D*mn you, Nicholas! You're a freak. Sophie is so unlucky that you fell for her.
“Nicholas, you b*stard! Whoever you like is so unlucky!” Arius hollered without holding back.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Changing only for her (Sophie and Tristan)
Very nice story. Thank you author...more stories please......
Will there be new chapters soon?...