Chapter 2

10 pm. Mei sat in her brother's hospital room staring at him. There was nothing she could do for him but cry. If only she was his real sister, if only she wasn't just an outsider, she could save him.

She turned towards the door when it opened. Their old nanny came through the door with 2 maids.

"Nana, why are you here so late?" she said while wiping away her tears.

"Hush now child, you haven't gotten any sleep for 3 nights straight now. Go home and rest. We will call you if anything happens. Alright dear?" the old nanny said while placing the basket filled with fruits and foods, beside Freddie's bed.

"I-I can't leave him. What if he wakes up and looks for me? What if he thinks I abandoned him?" Mei asked while trying to conceal her tears.

"We will call you if anything happens dear. Please don't worry and have a rest. Your brother wouldn't want you staying up late, especially if your 5th book launch is on its way. Go home and have a rest" Nana gently said and urged the worried sister towards the door with her bag. "We will take care of him. I promise."

Mei knew that her nana would just completely disregard her excuses to stay with Freddie. She also knew she needed a very much sleep since her book launch is 4 days away already. She tidied her hair and wore her loose trench coat and slowly made her way through the hospital corridor.

Thoughts completely filled her mind. Thoughts about her brother. Thoughts of the past she spent with her brother. He was her world and her life. And then she thought, how could life be too cruel for a 12-year-old boy? She wept on the inside.

She wasn't ready yet to go home so she stayed at the hospital lounge for a good two hours, drinking coffee and facing her laptop.

I need to work, she thought. She needed to clear her head to properly take care of her brother so she put her mind to work to keep it from thinking the worst of the worst about Freddie.

After working for a while, she glanced at her wristwatch and decided to go home since it was already past midnight. She stood up and carefully placed her papers and laptops into her bag and she slowly made her way outside the hospital. Her publisher had called and told her she could delay her book launch because of her brother's condition. She smiled and felt relieved.

Little did she know, someone saw her and took an interest of her. Unfortunately for her, she couldn't care less because the only person she cares about was her brother.