Code Blue

"W... What?"

Nora's breath caught in her throat at Ethan Black's cold question. 

But before she could respond, the middle-aged man fell to his knees before Ethan. 

"Please, Mr. Black! This woman doesn't know anything. She just... she just stopped me from jumping to my death!" He pleaded desperately, his whole body shaking.

Ethan scoffed, then he fixed his cold eyes on Nora. 

"She doesn't know anything, yet she is so audacious to face me." He stated, directing at Nora. 

Despite the fact that she was scared of the imposing man before her, Nora stepped forward. 

"Mr. Black, he knows what he did was wrong. Please, kindly be the bigger person here. He has a little child at home who needs him." Nora stated firmly. 

At her statement, Ethan's expression was a mixture of annoyance and amusement. 

"She is really something, isn't she?" He thought to himself. 

"You are not in any position to tell me what to do, young woman." Ethan replied Nora flatly. 

"But sir—" Nora was going to keep pleading but she was interrupted. 

"Miss, you should leave." One of Ethan's men warned, moving closer to her.

"No, I won't." Nora insisted, lifting up her chin stubbornly, even though her heart pounded in her chest. 

"What you are doing isn't right." She added, facing Ethan. 

Again, Ethan was amused that this strange petite woman was holding her ground against him despite how menacing he looked and talked to her. 

"And who are you to decide what is right?" He asked Nora, his tone deceptively soft.

"Even God forgives those who offend Him." Nora argued, her voice stronger than she felt.

A cold smile played on Ethan's lips. 

"That is exactly why I'm not God. I don't forgive. That word doesn't exist in my vocabulary." He stated casually. 

"Please, Mr. Black..." The errant man spoke up, his voice breaking. 

"I will accept whatever punishment you want to give me, but please don't kill me. My daughter—" He was saying but got cut off. 

"You should have thought about your daughter before stealing from me." Ethan interjected coldly.

"It was poverty!" The man cried out, tears streaming down his face. 

"My Lucy, she needed urgent medical care. The bills kept piling up. I was desperate—" He tried to justify his actions but couldn't finish before getting cut off again. 

"And that gives you the right to steal from me?" Ethan asked, his voice dangerously low.

Nora turned to the man, her expression softening. 

"Even your daughter wouldn't want money gotten this way. You should know that."

Then she faced Ethan again, her eyes burning with anger. 

"And you! You wouldn't be human if you refuse to forgive him. Look at him—he is clearly sorry! You don't have to kill him before you will know you have punished him." She blurted to Ethan. The latter scoffed. 

"Sorry doesn't return what he stole. Even if he returns everything, the damage has been done." He replied flatly.

"So, you are just going to kill him? Leave a child fatherless?" Nora's voice rose with each question.

Ethan let out a sinister chuckle and the sound sent chills down her spine but she wouldn't show it. 

"You are right about one thing—I'm not human. I'm a businessman. And in business, every action has consequences." Ethan maintained. 

"You are cruel." Nora spat out, boldly.

"No, I'm practical. And you are testing my patience." Ethan said, narrowing his eyes on her. 

At that moment, a black SUV pulled up beside them, and more men in suits emerged. Ethan nodded to his men.

"Put him in the car." He ordered, turning away.

"No, wait!" Nora tried to step forward but was pushed aside roughly by one of the men.

"Stay out of this if you value your life." The man growled at her.

"Please, Mr. Black! I will do anything to make things right!" The man struggled as they dragged him. 

"You have already done enough." Ethan replied coldly without looking back.

As they dragged him away, the man looked back at Nora, his eyes filled with tears. 

"Thank you for trying to help me, miss. Thank you for showing me kindness. I won't ever forget you." He said. 

Nora watched helplessly as Ethan Black entered his car, his movements as graceful as they were threatening. Then the vehicles pulled away, leaving her alone on the bridge.

"Wow, what a heartless jerk!" Nora huffed in anger. 

"He is definitely not human." She muttered, wrapping her arms around herself.

 ~~~~~~~~~~

When Nora returned to the hospital, her jaw dropped in shock and her hands trembled in fear at the sight of doctors and nurses rushing into her grandmother's room.

"Code Blue!" Someone shouted.

"No, please..." Nora whispered, watching through the window as they performed CPR.

"Her BP is dropping!" A nurse called out.

"Come on. Please... Respond to this for my sake." Nora pleaded as she pressed her hands against the glass, her breath fogging it up.

After what felt like hours but in reality was just few minutes, the doctor emerged from the room, his face grim.

"Miss Hayes..." He called out. 

"How is she?" Nora asked, fear showing in her voice.

"We managed to stabilize her, but that is just barely." The doctor informed her. 

"What does that mean?" She inquired, dreading the doctor's response already. 

The doctor shook his head slowly. 

"We are losing her. The deterioration is progressing faster than we anticipated. Without immediate intervention, I am afraid we are going to..." He tried to explain but got interrupted. 

"No." Nora cut him off, then quickly grabbed his arm. 

"Tell me what to do. Please, I will do anything to save her. There must be something... I can't lose her." She said desperately. 

"Miss Hayes... Bring the money. Bring it as soon as possible, or we won't be able to start the treatment she desperately needs. Time is running out." The doctor's eyes were sympathetic but his words were cold and clear.