Chapter 40 The scream was from the patient in the next bed . She shrunk into a corner , her voice trembling as she spoke . " Ma - Ma'am , don't do it ! " Mrs. Hardy knelt on the ground , right in the middle of the spilled hot water . In her hands was a silver shard from the shattered inner lining of the thermos , its sharpest end pointed toward her own neck . " If you don't come with me to see Travis , I will die right here ! Right in front of you ! I'll let you feel that guilt for your entire life ! " Her bloodshot eyes glared at Larissa , a resolute expression on her face . Larissa had to admit , at that moment , she was truly afraid . She had been so afraid that for a brief instant , she forgot how much Mrs. Hardy feared death , how truly manipulative and shameless she was . In her panic , she agreed to the woman's request . Travis had already passed the critical period and was transferred from the intensive care unit back to a regular ward in the spinal surgery department . Each ward had three patients in one room , but the room Travis was in only had two patients . When Larissa entered the room , Mr. Hardy was sleeping on the empty bed , his loud snores filling the room . As soon as he heard a noise , he moved his neck to glance at the entrance . Then , he froze . Travis ' appearance at that moment was completely beyond her expectations . He was bald , his head wrapped in bandages , and his thin face crisscrossed with similar bandages . His complexion was pallid , and his eyes bloodshot . It was obvious that he wasn't doing well at all . As soon as he saw her , Travis ' eyes filled with tears , and Larissa's slender figure reflected within those clear irises . His lips trembled and his throat was constricted but he forced out two syllables after staring at her for a long while . " Lari- " His voice was incredibly hoarse , as if his throat had been scorched by fire and polished with sandpaper . Larissa stood at the entrance and gazed at him distantly . The passion in his eyes strengthened her impulse to turn away and run . " He is so gross , " she thought to herself . She would've long sprinted out of the room if it hadn't been for Mrs. Hardy who was right behind her , blocking her sole exit . Seeing as she stood there , unmoving , for a long time , Mrs. Hardy gave her a push , forcing her into the ward . As soon as she entered , Mrs. Hardy followed closely and locked the door behind her . " Are you thirsty ? " she asked Travis . " Yeah , " he replied , his eyes still pinned on Larissa . Larissa avoided his gaze . She clutched her backpack and stood against the wall without saying a word . Mrs. Hardy's expression shifted . With long strides , she approached the sleeping Mr. Hardy and smacked his head , hard . " I told you to take good care of your son , but here you are , sleeping so comfortably ! " Mr. Hardy jolted awake , dodging her fists instinctively . In doing so, he fell off the bed and onto the floor with a loud thump . Even so , Mrs. Hardy's fit of rage was far from over . She rounded the bed and kicked him viciously while he was down . " Do you want our son to die of thirst ? What's the use of you being here ? I go out every day in the rain , and I even got sent to the hospital today because of a fever , and yet you can't even understand how hard I work ? You didn't even do any of the tasks . you had today ! You stupid bastard , you should've died instead ! Why aren't you the one on this bed ? Why aren't you the one hit by the car instead , you useless piece of shit ! " She yelled furiously , not even stopping to catch her breath . She looked completely unlike a patient who was currently burning up . Mr. Hardy had initially felt guilty , and he allowed her to hit and scold him without fighting back . Later , when she'd gone too far and hit him with too much force , he finally snapped . Supporting himself up along the bed , he grabbed her hair in his fists - and slammed her head repeatedly against the wall . Again and again , her head banged against the wall , the sound of it particularly frightening .