"Mr. Schultz!" Alec, who had thrown his umbrella to the ground, grabbed the trembling Jarrod. From choking, Alec shifted to outright bawling.

"Mr. Schultz, please, allow the medical team to attend to you..."

Alec pleaded, desperate to alleviate Jarrod's pain.

Alec owed Jarrod his life. Jarrod had saved Alec when the latter was a tramp abroad.

Before Alec encountered Jarrod, his life was a relentless struggle.

He faced daily beatings and was treated worse than a dog. It was a harrowing time for him.

Then, one day, everything changed. Jarrod wore bright leather shoes and intervened, kicking a hooligan off Alec's back. At that moment, Alec lay on the ground, too beaten to lift his head.

It was then Jarrod offered him a helping hand, asking, "Do you want to work for me?" That day marked a new beginning for Alec. It was his moment of salvation.

Jarrod taught Alec boxing and self-defense. Together, they forged a path in their careers abroad. Alec silently vowed to remain loyal to Jarrod for the rest of his life.

It seemed Jarrod momentarily emerged from his delirium upon hearing Alec's voice. Jarrod managed to push Alec away, murmuring as if in a trance, “Nicole had said she might forgive me as long as she's satisfied..."

Nicole's words consumed Jarrod. As he spoke, blood continued to flow from the corner of his mouth, making it seem as if his throat was filled with shards of glass.

Even breathing became a form of torture for Jarrod. Each breath felt like thorny vines were being driven into his throat. His entire body ached, the pain so intense that he thought death might be a kinder fate.

“Mr. Schultz! She is playing a trick on you! Please, snap out of it!"

Alec implored, his voice filled with concern and desperation.

“Not possible!" Jarrod's voice, hoarse and growling, cut through the sound of the rain. "Nicole won't play tricks on me. She just won't..."

The rain intensified, pouring down as if to engulf everything in its path.

Alec, watching Jarrod's pale, trembling form, felt a deep sense of sorrow.

Jarrod was battling extremes of heat and cold, a challenge even for the strongest of bodies. To make matters worse, the doctor had warned that given Jarrod's current state, he could suffer spasms or even die unexpectedly at any moment.

Alec considered forcibly taking Jarrod to the hospital, but he knew all too well Jarrod's stubborn streak after working with Jarrod for eight long years. He understood that, despite the potential to save Jarrod's life, forcibly taking Jarrod away might leave Jarrod with a lifetime of regret and depression.

Alec couldn't bring himself to act against Jarrod's wishes.