With that, she softly closed the door behind her and walked away, her steps steady this time. She didn't spare a glance at the two nurses stationed nearby, who, as always, stood like unyielding soldier statues.
As she entered the elevator to head down to the lower floors, a familiar sound rang in her ears.
Ding!
"True healing begins from the mind. You earned 600 good points out of the good points assigned for helping Four with physical therapy and for encouraging him and 1000 good points for thawing one percent of his icy heart."
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the glowing system message. 'I thawed one percent?' she asked internally, utterly baffled. 'But I was a crying mess in there! How did that help him?'
The love system's voice rang in her mind, warm and soothing. "Sometimes, we need to give advice to others so we can hear it ourselves. What he told you wasn't new to him, he already knew it deep down.
But he hadn't been following it. Your breakdown pushed him to say those words out loud, making them real for him too. So, by breaking down, you ended up helping him in ways you didn't even realize."
'I helped him by crying?' Nnenna thought, blinking in disbelief. 'Maybe I should go back and cry some more. Who knows, I might just melt another percent of that icy heart!'
With renewed determination, she rushed into the elevator and headed straight back to Four's room. However, this time, the two nurse statues by the door moved in perfect sync to block her path.
Their stern expressions made it clear, no crying sessions would be allowed today.
Sighing in defeat, she turned back and went to her room. After changing into one of the comfortable outfits the housekeeper had left for her, she headed back to the elevator.
This time, she pressed the button for the ground floor, deciding she needed a breath of fresh air outside the hospital.
She hadn't stepped outside the hospital in months, and the thought of seeing the world beyond her window made her heart race with excitement. 'What does it look like now?' she wondered, her imagination painting a vivid picture of bustling streets, fresh air, and freedom.
Determined, she slipped into stealth mode, her body hugging the walls as she moved cautiously, like a lizard evading predators. Every doctor and nurse became an obstacle she had to outmaneuver.
At one point, she flattened herself against the wall so skillfully that even a passing orderly didn't notice her.
When she finally made it to the ground floor, she crouched so low she might as well have been crawling. Inch by inch, she crept past the receptionist's desk, her eyes darting around to make sure no one spotted her.
The receptionist briefly glanced her way, but Nnenna quickly pretended to tie her shoelaces.
Once the coast was clear, she dashed for the exit, her heart pounding like she had just escaped from prison. The fresh, open air greeted her the moment she stepped outside, and she took a deep breath, savoring her small victory.
'Finally!' she thought, her lips curling into a triumphant smile.
'Freedom!' she screamed internally, her heart racing with exhilaration as she sprinted toward the parking lot. The natural wind kissed her cheeks, and the distant hum of cars and faint chirping of birds made her feel alive again.
She spread her arms wide, almost as if she were flying, savoring the simple joy of being outdoors.
Meanwhile, in the hospital's surveillance room, a man sat at a console, his sharp eyes glued to the screen. The camera feeds displayed Nnenna's movements in detail, from her room to Four's, noting how effortlessly she had been allowed in, to her hasty retreat with tear streaked cheeks.
He observed her stubborn attempt to return to Four's room, only to be denied entry this time by the unmoving nurses stationed there.
The man's lips curved into a faint smirk as he watched her next series of actions. Nnenna had gone back to her room, changed into plain clothes, and then stepped into the elevator, clearly hatching a plan.
She emerged moments later, skulking through the hospital corridors with all the stealth of an amateur spy.
Almost crawling past the receptionist's desk, she bolted toward the parking lot with a sudden burst of energy, her movements far too dramatic to go unnoticed.
In the surveillance room, the man's brow arched as he observed her exaggerated antics, crouching like a spy near the desk and darting past the nurses, who barely noticed her.
'Is she playing some kind of hide and seek?' he mused, his lips twitching with a mix of curiosity and mild amusement. 'But with who? And more importantly, is this worth reporting?'