Instantly, indescribable emotions welled up within Nicole, and her eyes teetered on the brink of tears. A distinct warmth rose from the sour emotions within her.

As always, Roscoe was straightforward and honest, concealing nothing.

It seemed that apart from Austin, she was his sole anchor in life.

Nicole's hand was wrapped in breathable gauze, but Roscoe continued to hold it, showing no intention of letting go.

Feeling a twinge of discomfort, it was Nicole who finally withdrew her hand. ‘m fine. You can go back."

“No, you sleep. I won't disturb you," Roscoe insisted.

Nicole was not naive. She understood Roscoe's feelings for her.

However, she did not label it as love. She attributed his feelings to the fact that she had once shined brightly in his life. Besides, he was probably grateful for her father's previous financial support.

Since Nicole assumed most of his actions stemmed out of gratitude, she couldn't accept his feelings with a clear conscience. It would be too unfair to Roscoe.

In fact, the lack of contact between them since their last encounter at the hotel had brought Nicole a sense of relief. She deemed herself unworthy of his kindness. She had hoped that Roscoe would come to this conclusion on his own, but it seemed that he hadn't realized it yet.

With resolve, Nicole shut her eyes and ruthlessly uttered, “Roscoe, I don't need you."

Roscoe's body stiffened for a second but quickly returned to normal.

“I know. I'm the one who needs you." A palpable melancholy tinted his voice.

Nicole felt a pang in her heart as though a weighty stone pressed upon her, hindering her breath. This oppressive sensation made her hands tremble uncontrollably.

She secretly hit her hands under the blanket, pausing for a moment before clenching her teeth in determination. “Roscoe, don't you understand? When I say I don't need you, I mean I don't need you in my life."

The air around them seemed to freeze.

Stunned, Roscoe remained silent for a few minutes. Upon regaining his composure, the first thing he said was, "Nicole, did I do something wrong?"

He meticulously retraced his steps, pondering if he had done anything wrong since he entered the ward. Could it be that Nicole was unhappy about him asking his colleagues to keep him updated about her?

“I know asking my colleagues to keep me informed might be a bit too much, but I was genuinely concerned about you. You don't have any family in Ardlens, and I was afraid that you wouldn't be able to reach me if something happened."

Roscoe's serious explanation only intensified Nicole's heartache. The blend of that piercing pain left her breathless.