Chapter 84: Crushed Pai-Shuu

Maddie woke up slowly, rubbing her eyes as the sunlight filtered through the curtains in the hospital room. She blinked a few times, adjusting to the light. The room felt unusually quiet. She turned her head and saw a man in a neat gray suit sitting in the chair next to her bed, his eyes distant, like he was lost in his own thoughts.

"Where's Mom? And Aiden?" Maddie's voice broke through the silence, and Nick snapped back to reality, flashing her a sweet smile.

"Aiden's at work, and your mom's with Dr. Liu," Nick said, his tone cheerful as he leaned in, reaching for something beside him. "But hey, look what I've got here for you." He placed a small white box on the table next to her bed, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "You know what's inside?"