Ruby Sullivan looked at Seth Sterling solemnly, "Seth, mom knows you’re willing to do anything to save Honey, but there are so things mom needs to tell you clearly. Bone marrow extraction is very painful, and after the extraction, there will also be follow-up tests, and it might even force you to take a break from school. Are you willing to accept all this?"
Although she impulsively asked Ethan for help, when she cald down, she realized that even though Seth and Honey were only half-siblings, her love for Seth would not change. Even if she had ulterior motives, she couldn’t selfishly ruin a child’s life in the na of love.
Seth resolutely nodded and said in the sa serious tone, "Dad, mom, after you refused my first request to take a bone marrow test, I read so related books and learned that saving a sister is not an easy thing. I will be afraid, and maybe I will have thoughts of retreating, but I believe I can overco these hurdles because I don’t want to lose my sister."
When he thought Honey wasn’t related to him by blood, he chose to try bravely. Now that he knows Honey is his biological sister, sharing the sa blood, he has even less reason to back down.
He looked at his mother with unwavering determination, not wanting to hesitate even if he was scared.
Looking at Seth’s maturity, Ruby Sullivan felt a sourness in her heart.
As the saying goes, a child from a poor family grows up quickly.
Although Seth had no worries about food and clothing at The Sterling Family, he was undoubtedly a child without love. Ethan had a child just to deal with Grandma’s pressure. Although he had the appearance of a father, the limit of his love for Seth was conceivable. Otherwise, the child would not choose to leave his biological father’s side to be with her, a stepmother he had only been with for a few months.
Added to Rhonda’s dramatic nature, Ruby Sullivan almost imagined how difficult it was for her son to grow up in The Sterling Family for those few years. Pouting her lips, she was again on the verge of tears.
Seth looked at his mother’s expression and felt very tender toward her, "Mom, I have really thought it over, believe ."
"Mom believes in you, our Seth is the bravest." Ruby Sullivan forced a smile, fondly stroking his head in praise. In her heart, however, she was thinking sothing else. She didn’t want him to be so brave. She hoped he would speak up when he didn’t want to do sothing, hoped he’d act spoiled when he’s scared, hoped he’d be like an ordinary child, a little more naive, a little more silly, a little more willful...
Ethan also squatted down, holding one of his son’s hands, "If you ever don’t want to continue, you must tell mom and dad. A sister’s illness should be decided by adults; you are not obligated to bear these things."
Seth nodded, "I understand, Dad."
Ethan patted him on the shoulder, "Seth, you are a good son. I’m proud of you."
Seth rarely received praise from his father. Hearing such words made his eyes light up, and he revealed a happy smile.
Even though Ethan and Ruby had told Seth everything they could, and Zane Lawson had also explained the possible situations during bone marrow extraction, seeing him lying on the surgical table, curled up like a shrimp by the doctors, both Ethan and Ruby felt their hearts clench.
Ruby Sullivan had seen such a scene many tis before, but it was always Honey. This ti it was her newly recognized son. Seeing the doctor pick up the syringe, she closed her eyes, not daring to watch.
Ethan gently pulled her close, letting her lean against him, and covered her ears with his hands.
Soon, their son’s heart-wrenching cries ca from the examination room. Even with hands covering her ears, Ruby could hear them clearly, making her heart twist in pain.
Ruby Sullivan trembled all over, hugging Ethan tightly, fearing that if she didn’t, she might rush in the next second to push the doctors away.
Ethan closed his eyes in agony; for the first ti, he felt such a heartache.
When Seth ca out of the examination room, he was drenched in cold sweat. Yet, when he saw Ruby and Ethan, he managed to smile. Ethan bent down to pick up his son, feeling an irresistible urge to kiss him for the first ti.
On the way back, Seth lay in the back seat, sleeping on Ruby’s lap.
Despite crying so miserably inside, he hadn’t uttered another single word.
Ruby Sullivan looked down at her son’s face the whole way, her heart filled with both sourness and relief.
Since elentary school coursework was not much for Seth, Ruby and Ethan, after discussing, decided to give him three days off to rest and wait for the bone marrow match results before making further plans.
These days, although Ruby Sullivan’s body was very weak, she still tried to cook for the two kids every day. Ethan simply moved all his work to ho, only going to the company if there were extrely important etings, spending the rest of the ti with the kids.
On the third morning, Ethan received a call from Zane Lawson with good news: Seth and Honey’s bone marrow matched successfully, and both children needed to be hospitalized right away for the first phase treatnt. Then, based on Honey’s physical condition, they would plan the surgery.
"However, Honey’s condition isn’t as good as last year, and the surgery’s success rate isn’t high. We hope you’re prepared for this."
"How low is not high?" Ethan disliked such vague words.
"It’s between eighty to fifty percent. I’ll need to do a further check on Honey’s body to give a more accurate estimate."
"Got it." Ethan hung up the phone and t Ruby’s expectant eyes, repeating Zane Lawson’s words word for word. This success rate was higher than he had imagined because, during his ti, it was much lower.
However, he didn’t know Ruby’s tolerance level, observing her expression with so concern.
"It’s much better than I imagined..." Ruby Sullivan let out a long breath, almost crying again, "What’s wrong with lately? Why have I beco so lancholic?"
Ethan embraced her, "You’ve always been this way."
Ruby Sullivan blew upward, as if to blow the tears back, choking up, "I can’t, I need to be a strong mom, to be a role model for our two treasures." Saying this, she collected herself, imdiately pulling back the blanket to get out of bed. She was going to make breakfast for the two treasures and then tell them about the hospitalization.
*
Honey’s treatnt process went far smoother than the doctors had anticipated. Half a month later, Seth and Honey were sent to the operating room together.
Far away in Gallia, Rachel Lawson and Third Uncle, Leon Sterling, Cindy Sterling, Nathaniel Truman, and Sasha Shaw all rushed to the hospital. Although they knew they couldn’t do anything, everyone insisted on coming, hoping to offer prayers for the two children outside the operating room.
The surgery was led by Zane Lawson and lasted nearly four hours before the lights in the operating room went off.
Everyone imdiately focused their gaze on the door, every passing second seeming unbearable.
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