I've been quite bored with the treatment and all, so I decided to write this long boring chapter. I'm so grateful for your love and care, it means a lot to me. Thank you so much, and enjoy reading.❤ Please drop a comment at the end of this chapter, it means a lot to me.

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Choosing a path of love and self-interest was the biggest mistake of his life. He wanted to be with the woman he adores and loves. He wanted to spend his life with her, to grow old together with her as normal couples do. If only he didn't harbor such thoughts of pleasure, then maybe his mother would have been smiling and blessing him. She would have been busy preparing for his grand wedding with Jia rather than lying on the sick bed fighting to survive.

Baekhyun stood beside the door to his mother's room, staring at her on the sickbed. For the first time in his life, he felt a strange pain eating his heart away. He couldn't even go in to see his mother, he felt so low and guilty. He hated himself for every single thing he did.

Jia, the woman he called a worthless low life was the same person doing all she can to save his mother's life. Something that should have been his responsibility.

She lay next to his mother on a different bed, willingly giving her blood to Sojin. She was the only one with the same blood group as Sojin, and with her help, they were able to save the poor woman from dying.

Baekhyun never knew that his mother was suffering because of him. Over the past weeks, she has been seriously ill and also suffering from a shortage of blood. Baekhyun was just too busy with his personal life to notice her sudden weak movement, dizziness, and pale skin. Sunhee wasn't helping at all, she barely creates time for her mother, all she cares about is fashion and makeup.

"I'm sorry, mom." He mutters softly as if his mother could hear him. "I'm so sorry, mom." Tears streamed down his face as he walks back to the chair he was previously sitting on.

Regrets were eating him up that he couldn't control his tears. His father was with the head doctor in the office, getting the results of his wife's health check-up, while Sunhee was still yet to arrive at the hospital due to her modeling shoot for a commercial advert.

The moment that door to Baekhyun's mother's room was pushed open, Baekhyun rushed towards the door that he almost bumped into the doctor in charge of his mother.

"How is she?" Baekhyun asked. He was shaking and scared as he await the doctor's reply.

"She's stable and out of danger." The doctor said before looking back into the room. "But the lady that saved your mother's life is not in a good condition. Go in and keep an eye on her till I return with the things she needs." He said and walked away.

Baekhyun nodded as if the man was still standing with him, and he slowly made his way into the room.

He caressed his mother's face gently before kissing her forehead. "I'm so sorry, mom. Please forgive me." He sobbed. Jia who's eyes were shut chuckled softly at his sudden action before blinking her eyes open.

"Don't worry, she will be fine. All she needs is your support and not your tears, so just relax." She says in a low tone, and Baekhyun averted his attention to her.

She looks so weak and pale, and she had tears in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Baekhyun asked as he slowly walks towards her bed.

"Do I look okay?" She answers and Baekhyun sighed deeply before sitting down beside her on the bed.

Of course, he doesn't love her, he feels nothing for her, but he can't deny the fact that she's the reason his mother still has a chance of living.

"I'm sorry, Jia." He apologized and Jia looked at him before gently moving her hurting hand to balance it well at a comfortable position.

"For what?"

"For hurting you and calling you names. You don't deserve that at all, I was wrong and for that, I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I've never been one to hold a grudge. Believe me, I've long forgotten about it. But I have something very important to tell you, and I will be so happy if you take it to heart."

"Please go on." He said calmly and Jia looked away from him and stare into nothingness.

"Two years ago, I was like an insane person, running from one hospital to another, in the hope to save my parents, knowing fully well that they were already dead. I did all I could. I paid doctors a huge amount of money just to give life to my parents, but it was too late. Parents are the best gift to a child. We're to love, respect, and cherish them. Life is short and we have no idea about what tomorrow holds, so we must give them all the love we have in this world." She turned her head towards Baekhyun and looked at him with tear-filled eyes.

"Your mother loves you so much that even in her weak state she still mutters your name. You've hurt her deeply, but I hope you can change and correct your errors with efforts." Jia shut her eyes, as she couldn't find the strength to hold herself anymore.

"Jia, are you okay?" Baekhyun asked when he noticed how slow and heavy her breathing was. He got up in a hurry to call the doctor, but it seems he was favored by luck as the doctor walked in just in time.

"Doctor, she's not doing well, please take care of her." Baekhyun was scared and the doctor nodded.

"Don't worry Mr. Baekhyun, she will be fine. She gave too much blood to your mother, so this is expected to happen. Please relax." The doctor said and Baekhyun nodded. He stood there, watching how the doctor injected the needle into Jia's arms to insert the drip, and when he was done, he looked at Baekhyun for a while before walking over to him.

"Sorry to ask this question at this moment, but is she your wife or relative?" The doctor asked and Baekhyun looked at him awkwardly.

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Well, I just want to know if she's single or not because I really like her a lo-"

"Enough!" Baekhyun cuts him off harshly. Jia just saved his mother's life, and his mom can't live without Jia, now this?

"She's mine, so you can't have such feelings for her, got it?" Baekhyun frowns and the doctor nods quickly.

"I'm sorry, please don't take my question to heart." The doctor bowed and Baekhyun nods in response before looking away from him.

"It's fine." He looked at his mother, then Jia and he sighed. He really owes Jia his mother's life and the last word Jia said to him was still resounding in his head.

He sat beside his sleeping mother and caressed her hand. He was still thinking about what Jia told him when his mother's fingers moved. He smiled, knowing that there's still hope for his mother. He was so excited about the little movement of her finger that he vowed never to hurt her again, but that was when it all dawn on him.

He looked at Jia's sad face, and he realized how sad and helpless she must have felt when her parents died. The feeling of knowing that they were gone and never coming back. Despair took the place of hope, leaving her with nothing to hold on to.

He realized how strong Jia was to endure all the pain, sorrow, and sadness alone. She had to live with the painful reality that her parents are no more. Baekhyun lowered his head and kissed his mother's hand.

He considered himself lucky to have what is called hope rather than despair, and he was grateful to Jia for everything.

〰〰〰〰〰〰〰

"Mom you have to take another spoon. You need this to regain your strength." Jia tried to convince Sojin to eat more, but the woman wasn't in the mood to eat much.

It has been three days after the incident, and they've just gotten back home. Sojin has been doing well, but she wasn't that strong yet. Mr. Byun made sure his wife got the best nurse in Seoul to look after her at home.

She was responding to treatment quickly and it's all thanks to Jia. Ever since Sojin returned from the hospital, she has refused to talk to Baekhyun or even see him. She couldn't forget that ugly side of Baekhyun she saw that day, not to mention the mean things he said to Jia.

Baekhyun knew that he deserves the cold treatment from his mother, but it was just too much for him to endure. He misses his mother so much. He wants to hear her beautiful voice. He wants to feel her touch and wants to be held in her warm embrace. It's been so difficult for him over the past three days and Jia clearly saw his pain, but there was nothing she could do.

"I'm full honey. You've been feeding me ever since I returned from the hospital and I hate that feeling. I'm used to doing things for myself and not the other way round."

"I understand you mom, but at times it feels good to let others take care of you. You've been taking care of others all your life, at least you should also be taken care of as well." Jia smiled at her and Sojin felt like crying. Jia is every mother's dream, but Baekhyun is just too blinded by his own selfish desires that he can't see that.

She caressed Jia's face and kissed her hand. "I'm so sorry for what my son did to you, I feel so ashamed to even call him my son." She says sadly, but Jia shook her head.

"Please don't say that mom. He regrets his actions, and as I said, he already apologized to me. He's still human after all and we all have flaws. Besides, I can't really blame him, it's all new to him, so please forgive him. He's suffering silently and I know that it's also hurting you. You share a strong bond with your son, and avoiding him is hurting you and Baekhyun. So, please forgive him and let go of your anger." Jia says softly and Sojin smiled.

Jia's kindness and wisdom were some of the prominent characters Sojin loved about Jia. She's so caring and thinks about others. Of course, Jia was right. She loves Baekhyun so much, and avoiding him was also hurting her, but what can she do? All she wants is to teach him a lesson, however, she can't keep doing that forever.

"I will think about it, sweetie. But for now let's talk about something else, like your favorite food, movies, color, and other things, okay?"

"Alright, mom." Jia balanced herself properly on the bed, and gladly engaged in a beautiful discussion, unknown to them that Baekhyun was around, and stood beside the door throughout, and he heard all their discussion.

He wanted to go in, but he couldn't. He felt so ashamed about everything. He felt ashamed for standing up for Sonia, a woman who never paid his mother a visit in the hospital, not even once.

He decides to leave his parent's house, he wasn't needed there, moreover, his parents are still giving him the cold treatment. He drove out and went straight to his mansion.

On getting home, he noticed that Sonia had given him three missed calls, but he really didn't care. He was still upset about the fact that the woman he loves never bothered to visit his mother even once. He ignored his ringing phone completely.

He went to his room and relaxed on his bed. The thought of not talking to his mother was eating him, and he's not sure if things will ever be as they were with his mother. They once shared a lovely relationship, he never started a thing without permission, but now it's as if they're total strangers. As if they're not even a family, and his father strongly supported her.

Baekhyun sighed and looked at his ringing phone. It was Sonia still calling and he looked away. At times wonders why his mother doesn't like Sonia, but it's all clear to him now. How can he be with Sonia, a woman who never visited his mother in the hospital? A woman who didn't care?

Baekhyun picked up the phone and ended the call before switching the device off. I looked at his mother's picture on the wall and he felt like crying.

He couldn't even recall when things became the way they are now. They used to be a happy family, but now it's as if they never lived as one.

He sighed deeply again before shutting his eyes. He just wants to be alone at the moment.

He stayed like that for a while, and he didn't intend on leaving his mansion. He just want to be left alone to think about everything when he felt someone tapping his laps to get his attention.

He blinks his eyes open, and in front of him was Jongin. He looked worried and confused. He has always known Baekhyun to be a lively and bright man, but right now he's seeing the opposite of it.

"What's wrong Baekhyun? Are you okay?" Jongin asked while sitting on the bed. He can't help being sad whenever he sees Baekhyun restless despite his arrogant behavior.

"I think I will give in to mom's request. I will have to get married to Jia if I w