Episode 6: Becoming the Enemy’s Nurse (6)
During the three days Ashley was unconscious, Agatha was overwhelmed with a mix of emotions. The nurse Natalie, who just wanted to save him, clashed fiercely with the Agatha from before, who dreamed of revenge.
Then, Agatha’s thoughts began to shift. As Ashley had said, it wasn’t unusual for a severely ill patient to die in a field hospital. No one would suspect her if something happened to him. If that happened, she could get her revenge without facing consequences.
She didn’t hesitate for long.
It was the second day of his unconsciousness.
While Agatha fiddled with a small glass vial in her pocket, Ashley suddenly began to tremble violently. It was a seizure, caused by his high fever.
When Agatha checked his temperature, she couldn’t believe her eyes. It was rare for a patient to wake up after such a high fever. Most soldiers who were shot and lost consciousness like Ashley did never woke up again. But Agatha had held on to some hope because his gunshot wound missed any vital organs. Yet, he had suddenly passed out and hadn’t regained consciousness until now.
Sadly, the field hospital didn’t have enough medical staff or equipment to properly monitor his condition. As Hout had said, it all depended on Ashley’s will to live, but it seemed like he was just fading away without a fight.
Agatha felt something was wrong. The guilt of having wanted to kill him while he was on the brink of life and death made her feel ashamed.
She cried silently, without realizing it. Holding his hand, she prayed desperately to God for mercy, hoping he wouldn’t die. She asked for forgiveness for her foolish thoughts and wished for him to survive. She spent the whole night praying with all her heart.
At the faint light of dawn, Agatha could finally see the truth deep in her heart. What she truly wanted was not Ashley’s death. He needed to wake up—he had to. Even if he didn’t realize the sins he had committed, he had to return to his life. She had always felt this way.
Did he see me crying?
Ashley had been in such a critical state that he couldn’t have seen her tears. Agatha stared at him, trying to make sense of it.
“Natalie, Nurse… you were crying while holding my hand.”
“No, I wasn’t. You must have misunderstood, Captain,” Agatha replied quickly.
“I thought it was just a dream,” Ashley murmured, his voice soft.
Agatha’s face turned red, trying to hide her embarrassment. She wasn’t lying, but looking at her face made it clear that Ashley now had no doubt. It was indeed Nurse Natalie who had stayed by his side, holding his hand, refusing to leave him for three days. But now, she acted as though nothing had happened.
“Then, why did you save me? If you had let me die, things would have been so much simpler for you.”
Ashley said it with a chilling coldness, staring at Agatha as though blaming her.
“If you think I wanted to kill you, Captain, that’s not true,” Agatha snapped back.
She didn’t want to argue with him anymore. She walked away, sitting on the sofa. It was nap time, but Ashley was stubbornly refusing to sleep. She needed to save her energy for the long afternoon ahead, so it was better not to confront him.
The next evening, after finishing her shift, Agatha was called by senior nurse Adele.
“Tomorrow morning, Captain Gloucester and three other injured soldiers will be transferred to Noelle Military Hospital,” Adele said.
“I know,” Agatha replied.
“And Natalie, you’ll need to travel with them in the military vehicle,” Adele added.
“Can’t another nurse go with him?” Agatha asked, a little irritated. She had been treating him like he wasn’t her responsibility anymore.
“It’s standard procedure for the personal nurse to accompany the patient,” Adele explained.
“But I don’t even know the other three soldiers,” Agatha replied.
“There’s a patient journal. Just check it carefully,” Adele said, explaining it calmly.
Agatha bit her lip in frustration. She had been hoping to avoid spending more time with Captain Gloucester, but Adele was insisting that she go.
“What do I do when I get to Noelle Military Hospital?” Agatha asked.
“You just need to brief the nurse there about Gloucester’s condition, and don’t forget to hand over the patient journal,” Adele said.
Agatha realized there was no way out. She could not disobey Adele, who was practically her supervisor.
The transfer was scheduled for 9 a.m. tomorrow, and it would take two days to reach the hospital. After three nights, she wouldn’t have to see Captain Gloucester again. She wouldn’t have to be alone with him, so Agatha felt a little relieved.
It was 7 p.m. when the clock in the hospital room showed the time. Knock knock. The door opened, and Agatha entered. She was always punctual, and Ashley knew this well, having observed her behavior on their walks and during her nursing sessions.
“You’re here,” Ashley said, looking up at her as though he had been waiting.
“Did you sleep well?” Agatha asked.
“Yes, thanks to you, Natalie, I had a good rest,” Ashley replied.
Agatha lowered her head and walked toward his bed. Today, her clean nurse’s uniform looked especially good on her, even though the dark circles under her eyes showed she hadn’t slept well last night.
Agatha knew he was still upset about the transfer to Noelle Military Hospital. She could tell he didn’t want her to go with him, but he had no choice but to accept it. His mixed feelings were obvious, especially as he mentioned her caring for him. Still, she remained cold, keeping her emotions in check.
“I’ll get some water for you to wash your face,” Agatha offered.
“That’s not necessary,” Ashley replied.
“What?”
“I’ve already gotten some water,” he said, pointing to a basin of water on the table.
“It must have been hard carrying the water up to the second floor every day,” Agatha said, glancing at the basin.
Agatha wasn’t thanking him for helping; she knew he was just offering a way for her to take a break.
“I didn’t mind doing it,” Ashley said, shrugging. “I woke up early and had nothing to do. My hands weren’t wet, so there’s no need for you to worry.”
He had always been punctual, even when he was serving in the military. The day he woke up, he had gotten up precisely at 4:30 a.m., finding his routine and stability again. But even though he had recovered, he felt a strange emptiness in the hospital room. It was silent and cold. The weight of the emotion washed over him.
“Let me help you wash your face,” Agatha offered again.
“Yes, please,” Ashley responded, giving her a slight nod.
Ashley sat up from the bed, and Agatha led him to the basin. She wrapped a towel around his neck and gently wiped his face with the cool water. Ashley kept his eyes closed until she was done. Normally, he would have kept his eyes shut during this, but as Agatha washed his face, he peeked through his eyelashes to watch her.
Agatha, still avoiding his gaze, wiped his face with the towel. He could tell she was avoiding him, but he didn’t mind; in fact, he felt it was almost comforting.
“Let me shave you now. Please sit in the chair,” Agatha said.
Ashley sat in the chair, leaning back slightly, as Agatha spread shaving cream on his face and gently shaved off his stubble.
For some reason, Ashley stared at her, watching every move she made. He felt an odd sensation, and his expression shifted slightly. She was cold, and he couldn’t understand why, but something about it intrigued him.
Agatha’s fingers brushed against his skin, and he noticed the delicate movement of her hands. The way her eyelashes fluttered and the way her lips trembled as she worked—he saw it all.
“Finished,” Agatha said, stepping back and cleaning her hands.
“You did a good job, Nurse Natalie,” Ashley said with a small smile, though his eyes remained fixed on her, sensing her discomfort.
Agatha lowered her head, trying to escape his intense gaze, but it was clear she was trying to get away quickly. As soon as she could, she left the room, carrying the basin and walking quickly.
Ashley lay back in bed, his thoughts swirling. He wasn’t sure if he was grateful or if he should be annoyed by her behavior. He had no idea what she was thinking, but as he thought about it, he realized he had a long road ahead of him.
