"Here, you can have an extra one who just did not speak about it to anyone." The nurse coming to serve the meal to patients gave one extra bowl of strawberry to Nora when she told the nurse that she loved strawberries.
"Thank you, sister. When I start earning, I will bring you a large basket of fresh strawberries too." Nora grinds like a fool as she cherishes the fruit.
Though strawberries might be costly, how could a family like Stone's did not afford it? The nurse's heart wept for the girl eating them like it was the first time she could have so many.
"Haha! That is right, you should not forget this old sister of yours. I have already been appointed as your nurse till you are here. It will take a day or two. So you're free to press that bell and call me whenever you need help. Alright?'' The woman was kind and offered help with a large smile on her face as she guided Nora about the room and her health.
Nora heard that with a tightened heart. It had been six hours. She only needed to eat this and then it would not be two days to her discharge.
"Thank you, sister." Nora took the first bite and then second. Her stomach rebelled. It pained so badly but she held it in as she took bite after bite of the sweet and sour fruit. But slowly, it went past her enduring abilities. Bile and the chunks of fruits started to rise and she had to cover her mouth and ran to the washroom to make sure that she did not stain the recently cleaned floor.
The nurse blinked with surprise. She looked at the fresh fruits and then followed Nora who was vomiting in the toilet with a frown. She went and bought a solution for Nora informing the doctor in the proces.
"Are you alright child?"
She passed warm water with a pinch of salt to Nora. her eyes filled with worry for the young girl.
Nora nodded meekly, her eyes closing and her body swaying. She looked so weak that the maid held her waist and wrapped Nora's hands around her shoulders.
"There, hold me. I will help you." but before the nurse could bring Nora out, she held her stomach and returned to the pot retching.
At this moment only water and bile was coming out of her body but she could not stop vomiting. Her face was red and her eyes were full of tears.
The door opened and a doctor entered. The nurse felt relieved to see Adam there.
"Doctor Adam, her reports did not mention anything about her stomach. I only thought that she had external wounds." the nurse fidgeted as she stood behind the spectacled man.
The man read the one page report attached to Nora's bed with a deep frown.
"Do you have any allergy to strawberries, Nora?" he asked the girl who had closed her eyes and collected her breath after vomiting her stomach out.
Nora shook her head with force. She was already sitting on the bathroom floor at this moment.
"Have you eaten anything else except the food served to you by the hospital or are you allergic to anything else?" the doctor asked again as he walked inside the washroom without reservation and picked her up.
The nurse was surprised by Adam's actions. The doctor was known for his aloof nature. Though he was perfect at his work, he would not lend a hand to patients and forget about picking them up from the bathroom floor.
Nora leaned on the man's chest. Her soiled clothes stain the fresh coat of the man making his face ugly. But he inhaled a deep breath and endured it as he brought her to her bed and placed her gently inside.
"We need to do another test. We did not find any disease in your blood taken last night. Are you sure you have not eaten anything?" he asked again with more force making Nora flinch.
"Yes, I can repeat everything. When I was admitted. First a nurse came and gave me an injection. It hurt a lot. So when another nurse came to.." she re[eated the whole story making the pair of doctor and nurse frown.
"Wait, you mean there was a nurse with a mask who had given you an injection when you were admitted?" Nora blinked and nodded slowly, her eyes closing at this point.
"Take her blood again and send it to the laboratory at this instant." Adam pressed her stomach lightly with an ugly look. The nuse hurried and this time, Nora did not struggle. She let the maid do whatever she wanted as if she had no strength to fight.
"Give her a dose of loperamide and bring only soup for her." giving a few more instructions, the doctor left the room.
But he did not continue his rounds as expected of him. In fact, he took his life and went to the tenth floor of the building that was exclusively for one man. There was a penthouse above the hospital and a large luxurious office. Alric was sitting inside holding a file in his hand and a deep frown etched on his handsome face.
When the door opened, his expression went colder. But when he noticed, it was Adam. he softly nodded his head.
"You were right, sir. The girl had food poisoning. She could not even chew a few strawberries and vomited everything. I have confirmed, her condition is severe and she could not be discharged for three days at least." Alric's lips curled into a sinister smile that forced Adam to take a step back instinctively.
"Good! Do not tell Max that I have asked for her report. You may leave now." Adam was more than happy to leave the dark room where air does not exist. He took a mouthful of air once he was out and cursed.
"God save that young girl. How did she even catch the eye of the devil?"