The nurse, naturally obedient to her employer, quickly removed the flowers and opened the windows to let fresh air in.
Sydney blinked her big, innocent eyes at Ernest with a pitiful expression, "Ernest …"
"Ivana! Sydney came to see you out of kindness and even brought flowers! You've gone too far. She didn't cause you to lose your toe!" Ernest shielded Sydney behind him.
Ivana glanced at her heavily bandaged foot and almost laughed. Wasn't it ridiculous? Did Ernest think someone who could barely walk could harm Sydney?
Ernest turned and stepped out of the room, grabbing the flowers left in the hallway and shoving them back into Ivana's arms.
"Apologize to Sydney!" he commanded.
Ivana's face was buried in the lilies. Her severe pollen allergy made her feel suffocated.
Ernest, seeing her silent, pushed the lilies against her chest again.
Her anger made her breathe harder and the pollen triggered even worse reactions. Ivana began to struggle to breathe. She reached out, gripping the call button on the bed, squeezing it so tightly her hand turned white.
"Apologize! Do you hear me?" Ernest seemed oblivious to Ivana's pale face and bluish lips. He kept pressing the lilies against her, demanding an apology.
By the time the nurse rushed in, Ivana was already struggling for air, unable to say a word.
The experienced nurse immediately saw what was wrong. She shoved Ernest aside, tossing the flowers out of the room, "Quick! Call the doctor! Move! Make way!"
"Who's the family member?" The doctor moved quickly, oxygen mask on, blankets adjusted, pupils checked …
Ernest instinctively responded, "I am."
A piece of paper was stuffed into his hands, "She's in anaphylactic shock, we're resuscitating her. Sign it!"
Ernest didn't even read the paper. He quickly signed, an inexplicable sense of panic rising within him.
As the adrenaline was administered, Ivana slowly regained consciousness.
The doctor gave a few instructions to the nurse before frowning at Ernest, "As her family member, you didn't know she was allergic to lilies? Severe allergies can lead to shock! What kind of family member are you?"
Ivana, now able to breathe again, glanced at Ernest before closing her eyes and turning her back to him. She didn't want to see him or talk to him right now, she was utterly drained.