After venting all his anger and sadness, Leon finally fell asleep in his wheelchair. His breathing sounded heavy and irregular, as if the burden on his chest was too much for him to bear alone.
The room, which was usually neat and tidy, now looked messy. Shards of photo frames were scattered on the floor, books were strewn about, and a flower vase was broken in the corner of the room. All of this was concrete evidence of how deep the heartache Leon was experiencing.
No one dared to enter the room, except for two people who loved him very much—Gaby, his mother, and Bibi Eli, the head maid who had worked for their family since Gaby and her late husband got married. Bibi Eli was not just a maid. She was like family, knowing Leon's character and habits since he was a child until he grew up.
Carefully, Gaby opened the door with a spare key. Her steps were slow, as if afraid to awaken Leon's anger that might still be smoldering. Behind her, Bibi Eli followed, carrying equipment to clean up the mess in the room.
But just a few steps inside, a hoarse voice called out, startling Gaby.
"Mama…"
Gaby turned around quickly. She didn't expect Leon to wake up, even though they had entered very carefully.
"Son, I'm sorry… Mama didn't mean to disturb you," Gaby said in a soft voice, trying to calm the atmosphere.
She stepped closer to her son, while Bibi Eli immediately busied herself cleaning up the broken pieces on the floor without making a sound, trying to keep the atmosphere calm.
Gaby knelt beside Leon, gently touching her son's hand, which felt cold. "Have you eaten, dear? You haven't eaten anything since this afternoon…"
Leon shook his head weakly. "I'm not hungry, Ma," he replied flatly, without looking at his mother's face.
Gaby took a deep breath. She knew Leon wasn't just not hungry—he was rejecting life, slowly giving up on the situation.
"You have to eat, darling. You have to take your medicine too…" Gaby coaxed, trying to be as calm as possible even though her heart was breaking.
But Leon only laughed cynically. "Take medicine? What for, Ma? It's useless. A week, a month… I'm still like this. I'll never be able to walk again…" His voice was bitter, full of despair.
Gaby held back the tears that were welling up in her eyes. She mustn't cry. Not in front of Leon. She had to be strong, because her son needed that strength.
"You mustn't give up, son. Mama is sure you can recover. But you have to eat, you have to be strong…" Gaby continued to coax in a soft voice.
But Leon turned away instead. His tone rose, holding back the anger that was resurfacing.
"I said I don't want to eat! Go away, Ma! Leave me alone!" he shouted.
Gaby was stunned for a moment. She wanted to hug her son so badly, wanted to say that she would never leave him no matter what happened. But she knew that at this moment, Leon didn't want to hear any advice.
Before Gaby turned to leave, Leon spoke again, his voice cold and full of rejection. "And one more thing, Ma. You don't need to bother finding a nurse for me. I don't need a stranger to pity me. I can take care of myself!"
Gaby pursed her lips tightly, holding back the turmoil in her heart. She only nodded slightly, choosing to remain silent rather than prolonging the argument with Leon, who was fragile.
Bibi Eli, who had been listening and witnessing everything, approached Gaby after leaving the room.
"Be patient, Madam… People who are sick are indeed emotionally unstable. Master Leon just needs time. He definitely needs our support," Bibi Eli said softly, trying to strengthen her.
Gaby nodded weakly, her eyes looking teary. "I know, Eli. I know… But seeing him like this, my heart is truly broken…"
"Believe me, Madam. Everything will get better in time," Bibi Eli said, holding Gaby's hand warmly. "Besides, the nurse you're looking for will arrive today, right? Hopefully she can face Master Leon and help restore his spirit."
Gaby sighed deeply. "Hopefully… May God send the right person for my son…"
"Yes, Madam. I also pray that Master Leon will recover quickly," said Bibi Eli sincerely.
The two of them left Leon's room, leaving the boy alone with all his wounds and anger. Behind the door of that room, a young man who was once full of confidence and dreams was now trapped in the walls of despair that were slowly killing his hope.
Around three in the afternoon, a new nurse finally arrived at Leon's family home. The woman introduced herself as Mery — a nurse who had been sent by the agency to help care for Leon according to Gaby's request.
Mery wore a white nurse uniform that was quite tight and a skirt above the knee, even though Gaby had specifically ordered that the nurse wear trousers to maintain Leon's comfort.
As soon as she saw Mery's appearance, Gaby frowned. "Didn't we order her to wear trousers, Nurse?"
Mery smiled a little awkwardly, then bowed politely. "I'm sorry, Madam… This is purely my mistake. I'm used to wearing uniforms like this. I promise I'll wear trousers tomorrow."
Gaby nodded briefly. "Alright, but don't forget tomorrow. It's important."
"Yes, Madam. I understand," Mery replied quickly.
After that, Gaby escorted Mery to Leon's room upstairs. Along the hallway, Mery seemed to be trying to adjust to the atmosphere of the large house, which felt quiet and heavy.
Inside the room, Leon was sitting in his wheelchair, his back to the door, facing the large window that showed the vast garden outside. He seemed silent, lost in his own world.
Gaby's steps, carrying Mery into the room, were quite light, but still heard by Leon. But Leon remained silent, assuming that only his mother or Bibi Eli had come.
Gaby spoke up, in a careful tone, "Leon, Mama brought a nurse for you. She will help you. Her name is Nurse Mery."
Without turning around, Leon immediately replied in a snappish tone, "I told you I don't need a nurse. Get out of my room."
Gaby glanced at Mery hesitantly. She knew her son was very sensitive lately. But before she had time to decide on the next step, Mery whispered softly near her ear, "Madam, let me try to persuade him. Sometimes patients like this find it easier to talk to new people."
Gaby looked hesitant. Worry about Leon's outburst loomed in her mind. But seeing the confidence in Mery's eyes, she finally nodded slightly. "Alright. We'll go out first. But be careful," she said, half warning.
Gaby and Bibi Eli left, leaving Mery alone with Leon.
As soon as the door closed, Mery immediately took action. Deliberately, she opened the top two buttons of her uniform, showing part of her chest, then stepped slowly towards Leon with a flirtatious style.
"Young master," she said in a deliberately sweet voice, "it's not good to be angry and gloomy like this all the time. I'm here to help. Wouldn't it be better if we just worked together?" Mery was now kneeling in front of Leon, letting her body lean forward, clarifying the curves of her body that she deliberately flaunted.
Leon stared at her sharply. His cold eyes showed no interest whatsoever. Seeing Leon silent, Mery thought her plan was working. She dared to touch Leon's hand with seduction.
However, what happened was completely unexpected.
Without many words, Leon suddenly brushed Mery's hand away roughly, then in a matter of seconds grabbed her neck tightly!
Mery was shocked to death. "M-master... Master... let go..." she cried in a stuttering voice, both hands trying to release Leon's grip, but in vain.
Leon's face was so cold, his voice full of hatred as he whispered in Mery's ear, "You think I'm willing to be cared for by a cheap woman like you? Get out of here, before I really finish you off."
Mery could only nod frantically, scared to death.
Leon finally released his grip. Mery fell back on the floor, coughing hard while holding her reddened neck.
Without waiting any longer, Mery hurriedly stood up and ran out of the room. With a pale and frightened face, she met Gaby who was waiting in the hallway with Bibi Eli.
"What's wrong, Nurse Mery?" Gaby asked anxiously, seeing Mery's face.
"I-I... I can't take care of Master Leon. Sorry. I quit... I quit today too," Mery replied quickly, without explaining what actually happened in the room.
Gaby tried to persuade her, "Please, hold on a little longer. Leon is like that, but eventually he will accept your presence..."
But Mery shook her head hard. "No, madam. I don't want to risk my life. I'm afraid... I'm afraid of being killed!" she cried in a trembling voice.
Without much further ado, Mery immediately left the large house.
In her heart, Mery cursed annoyedly, "Damn it! I thought I could charm him and live comfortably. It turns out he's a monster, not an ordinary man!"
Gaby could only sit limply on the living room sofa after Mery's departure. Her head hung heavily, her mind confused. This was not the first time a nurse sent had been terrified after meeting Leon. She really didn't know what else to do.
Meanwhile, from upstairs, Leon only stared blankly out the window, letting the world spin without caring anymore.
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