April laughed, a low, wicked chuckle. "Oh my God. You might wanna bake a cake with the apology, you know, because I could really do one." She gave a small demonstration, tilting her head and waving a hand dramatically. "I'mma be like, 'I'm sorry, psycho.' You would love it, huh?"
Adrian couldn't hide a small smile. "I'm really glad you think this is a joke. Believe me, you don't want to see the reality."
"That's reality, man. Think of it: an apology cake. Your dummy has never made one for you, right?" April teased further.
Jorge tried to say something but stilled himself.
"My dummy?" Adrian asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Yeah. By the way, she is the reason I'm here, you know," April reminded him with a cheeky tilt of her head.
"You know what? Just have this first." Adrian tossed a white envelope onto her bed.
"What's that?" April asked, eyes wide. She grabbed the envelope, tearing it open. "A probation letter?" Her voice cracked slightly with disbelief.
"Okay. At least you can still read," Adrian said calmly, turning to leave.
"Your dummy of a bitch made me pass out, and I get a probation letter? You've got to be kidding me." April barked, standing abruptly.
She stormed toward him, throwing the envelope to his face. Adrian caught her in a swift motion, pulling her close. Her forehead grazed his chest, and his lips accidentally brushed her temple. At that moment, the door opened, and Lu stepped in, his eyes taking in the scene with raised brows.
Adrian flicked her forehead real hard with his finger. The sound was loud, almost like a wooden desk tapped with a knuckle. "This should be the last time on earth you call me a psycho."
The sting shot through April like a sudden burst of fire. She gasped and dropped to the floor with both hands clutching her forehead. "Ow, are you insane?" she hissed, eyes squeezed shut as the pain pulsed through her skull.
Jorge darted to her side immediately, his movement frantic. "April, hey, hey, look at me."
Lu stood frozen for a second, his eyes dilating as he processed what he had just witnessed. Then rage kicked in, hot and instantaneous. "What the hell, Adrian!" He didn't even wait for an answer. He punched Adrian straight in the stomach. "Are you in your right senses?"
Adrian staggered but caught himself, anger flashed across his face. "How dare you, Lu?" he spat, shoving forward.
Lu's chest heaved. "What on earth is wrong with you, man? An hour ago you were dying to save her. Now you wanna kill her?"
"Shut it, Lu!" Adrian snapped, pointing at him with one furious finger. "I was only carrying out my duty as a doctor. As someone who passed out, what was I supposed to do? Kick her in the ass?"
"And this?" Lu gestured at April writhing on the ground. "This is another duty you are performing right now? Sending her to the ICU?"
Adrian's nostrils flared. His breathing had turned harsh, like he was forcing himself not to explode again.
Lu stared at him, disbelief clouding his eyes. "Look at me, Adrian. I swear, right now, you look unstable. I'm sorry but I also think you are a psycho. A real bad one." He turned away before his anger could push him further, moving back to April and Jorge.
April's skin burned under Lu's fingers as he checked her wrist. Her pulse was racing, an erratic drum beneath his touch. "She's burning up," he muttered. "Has she eaten anything today?"
But Jorge wasn't listening. His gaze was locked on Adrian, his expression shifting from concern to something akin to fury and defiance. Something clicked behind his eyes, a sudden, reckless bravery. If April could stand up to Adrian, why couldn't he? He was her best friend, after all. What was he good for if he couldn't defend her?
He rose slowly, squaring his shoulders as he faced Adrian. They stood only inches apart now, breathing against each other.
"If you hadn't been playing the jerk's role," Jorge said quietly, "she wouldn't have called you that. And you know it."
Adrian stepped closer until they were chest to chest. "You care to repeat what you said?"
Jorge tilted his head slightly, unfazed. "I don't talk twice, man. I don't have two mouths."
"Jorge," Adrian said, his tone dangerously low, "if you really wanna dare me, you have to repeat what you said."
Jorge smirked. "Want it repeated with my mouth, or should I record it on my phone and play it via an airpod so you don't miss a word?"
That did it.
Adrian shoved him real hard, violently, sending Jorge slamming into the wall. His back hit first, then his head. Jorge groaned and slid down the wall, dazed.
April's vision blurred with rage. Her body moved before her brain caught up. She staggered to her feet, stormed toward Adrian, and slapped him with everything she had. The slap rang out like a tire bursting on asphalt.
Adrian froze. His eyes widened. For a moment he looked stunned and humiliated like he couldn't believe she had touched him.
Then his anger returned, fierce and unfiltered.
He grabbed April roughly by the waist. She yelped as her feet left the floor, and he was about to throw her onto the bed when Lu lunged and tackled him from behind. They crashed to the ground. Adrian punched Lu in the nose, drawing a quick burst of blood.
He got up and made for April again.
April backed away, but his hand caught her hair. Pain shot through her scalp as he jerked her back and hurled her toward the bed. She collided so hard that the bed rolled backward into a medication cabinet. Bottles toppled and shattered across the floor with explosive crackles.
She fell with them, letting out a loud cry before scrambling up and aiming a desperate kick at his groin.
Adrian dropped to one knee with a groan, both hands flying to the impact zone.
The noise drew attention instantly. The door burst open as nurses rushed into the room, shouting for security and spreading out between them.
About an hour later.
April opened her eyes slowly. Her left side ached. Her head felt pretty heavy. She moved and realized her wrist wouldn't follow. Her hand was cuffed to the hospital bed.
Her confusion heightened.
Then she saw her dad.
He sat beside her with a hard, disappointed scowl.
"Dad?" her voice sounded cracked. "What's… going on?"
He didn't speak or blink . He simply stared at her like looking at a stranger he couldn't recognize.
"Dad?" she whispered again, clearing her throat. "You won't talk to me?"
A cop stepped forward. "Ms. April Scott," he announced with practiced authority. "I'm Officer Nick Fletcher with the NYPD." He flashed his ID. "You are facing several charges and will be coming with us to the station to make your statement."
April couldn't believe her ears. "Excuse me?" Her heart thudded. "A dumb statement for what?" she managed to ask.
"For harassment, violation, breach of contract, destruction of property, and verbal abuse."
Her mouth hung open. She turned back to her dad, desperate for him to defend her. To say something. Anything.
"Dad… what's happening?" she whispered.
"Are you seriously asking me that?" He finally spoke, but his tone was icecold. He stood up abruptly. "I leave for an hour to sort Maya's bills, and return to hear you fought twice today, with a senior and your Director. Your sister's bill is barely complete, and now I need to pay for damages. Have you even seen Maya since she woke up?" His voice shook with anger. "I thought you cared. I thought you had a plan. You'd better have one, because I have no money left to bail you out."
He didn't wait for her to answer. He stormed out.
April stared at the doorway long after he left.
She didn't even have the strength to cry.