Gates looked at Arthur, his expression conflicted, before shaking his head slowly. "I would love to help, Arthur," he said, his voice tinged with regret.
"But the advancements in my private hospital aren't any better than the treatments available publicly. At least, not for something like this." He paused, his gaze softening. "I'm sorry, Fateless. Truly."
Arthur's face darkened for a moment, the weight of Gates's words sinking in. He nodded, masking his disappointment with a forced smile.
"I see. Thanks for being honest, Gates. I appreciate you even considering it."
The room fell into an awkward silence, Gates looked away, fidgeting slightly as if he wanted to say more but couldn't find the words.
Arthur finally broke the silence, his voice quieter than before. "She's only got four weeks, Gates. Four weeks. And I can't just sit back and do nothing. There has to be something out there—something I haven't thought of yet."
