Luis shrugged off the concerns, saying, "Asher's personality, environment, experiences, and the pain he endures at such a young age—all these factors have already determined what kind of person he will become. How could a mere book like 'Abnormal Psychology' influence him?"
Elliot could tell that Luis was criticizing him regarding his role as Asher's father.
He clenched his hands beneath the sleeves of his military jacket and remained silent.
Yosef countered, "As the saying goes, 'If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas'. Babies are born with a blank slate. What if exposing Asher to something like this only piques his interest and leads him to commit irreversible mistakes? You're harming him."
Luis scoffed dismissively, paying no heed to Yosef's words.
The words "leads him to commit irreversible mistakes" caught Elliot off guard.
Lost in thought, he recalled his conversation with Asher in his ward earlier.
Despite his childlike voice, Asher confidently said, "Even if you and Mommy aren't mad at him anymore, I'll still punish him in the future. Getting rid of him means making him disappear forever, right? I don't want to see him, so I hope he disappears."
It seemed that Asher was not joking just now…
Asher disliked Nathaniel. In fact, he even hated him.
Elliot felt an unexpected sense of panic, realizing he could no longer fully understand his five-year-old son.
The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.
"I'll head back to the ward. I'll leave this to you," Elliot said abruptly, quickly leaving.
"Huh? Elliot?" Yosef called out, but Elliot was already gone.
Yosef had no choice but to continue dealing with the eccentric Luis.
Elliot found himself back in the ward without even realizing it.
Opening the door, he saw Asher sitting on the bed. The fluid in the IV drop had not moved in the slightest.
The sight of his son, pale and weak but quietly gazing out the window at the leaves, left Elliot distressed.
Hearing the door open, Asher turned to look and smiled.
"Daddy, you're back."
Then, he glanced at the IV drip and continued, "The doctor who changed my medication said this is the last bottle for the day.
"Daddy, if you're busy, you can go handle your work first. You don't have to rush to be with me. I'm already a five-year-old boy; I'm a big boy now. I won't insist on you staying. I won't make a fuss and finish my treatment on my own."
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