I don’t know how long I cried, probably until I was exhausted.
Scarlett Shaw was carried back to the ward by Julian Ford.
At the door, Ryan Ford saw Scarlett Shaw with red eyes lying on Julian’s back, her arms tightly wrapped around the man’s neck, the ring on her ring finger shining brightly like a star.
How wonderful.
Scarlett and her brother truly love each other deeply.
Ryan felt a bit sad for himself, yet happy for his brother.
Julian finally paid attention to his younger brother, asking indifferently, "What are you still sitting here at this hour for?"
"I can’t sleep."
Ryan answered honestly.
His brother was going to the operating table tomorrow, and it was a craniotomy; how could he possibly close his eyes?
He glanced at the person on his brother’s back, "Scarlett is the sa."
Even he felt uneasy, let alone Scarlett.
Julian took a blanket for Ryan from the ward. Ryan accepted it with a complicated expression, hesitant to speak, rarely showing such a conflicted look.
Julian noticed but couldn’t be bothered, stepping into the ward.
"Brother."
Ryan’s voice was a bit hoarse, but there was an unprecedented seriousness in his eyes as he looked at Julian.
"I’ve never told you this."
"In my heart, you’ve always been the best brother."
Ryan was actually soone who was easily satisfied. Before their mother left, he had received all her love and felt like the happiest son in the world. Later, after she left, his half-brother Julian provided him with a better life, and again, he felt like the luckiest brother.
Though Julian seed cold and emotionless, since the day Ryan t him—
As an illegitimate child, Ryan had never seen a hint of ridicule or disdain on his brother’s face.
Never.
Julian paused at his words, then pinched the bridge of his nose, speaking disdainfully, "I’m just having surgery, it’s not like I’m going to die. Take back those disgusting words."
Ryan: "..."
He speaks from the heart, and it’s disgusting? If Scarlett said it, his brother would probably be overjoyed.
"Oh right, brother."
Ryan stopped Julian again, the latter clearly growing impatient.
Who exactly is the patient here?
Ryan said in a low voice, "Ezra Ford didn’t go back ho tonight either. I saw him when I went out for a smoke."
As a father, he was evidently more restless than Ryan as a brother.
When Ryan saw Ezra, there were nurous cigarette butts at his feet, and his well-maintained face appeared much older for a mont, the mature and deep eyes showing a loneliness Ryan had never seen before.
Julian showed no emotional change upon hearing Ezra’s ntion.
His intention for Ezra now was to settle scores once he recovered.
The sharp-tongued words that could co out of that mouth had chilled even his heart nurous tis, let alone Scarlett’s.
She should never have had to endure this.
The whole night, those going to the operating table, those accompanying, and those accompanying in secret, were all sleepless.
Even Josiah Sutton took a half-day off and ca up early to wait for the surgery to start.
During surgery, no tallic items were allowed, so Julian took off his ring and placed it in Scarlett’s palm, "Put it back on after I co out."
Scarlett, with her heavy and swollen panda eyes, nodded earnestly, "I will."
Julian paused for a mont and added, "When I wake up, I want you to be the first person I see."
Scarlett leaned in and kissed his cheek, "I won’t leave your side for a mont."
With the surgery ready, the dical staff pushed Julian into the operating room.
The hands that were interlocked separated.
The surgery in-progress indicator light turned on.
Josiah turned and saw Scarlett leaning against the wall, her eyes downcast, exuding an unprecedented low energy, as if she were a different person from when she saw Julian into the operating room.
"Scarlett."
He approached and comforted her:
"Julian is in the early stages, and dicine is very advanced now. As long as he cooperates with the treatnt and keeps a good mindset, he will definitely recover. Besides, he has you now; it’ll surely be alright."
In the past, Josiah was most worried about Julian giving up on himself.
But recently, Julian’s cooperation with the treatnt was so earnest, like he was competing for a model student badge, obedient to no end.
So these words were not just for comfort; he truly believed them.
Scarlett pulled at her lips, wanting to smile, but couldn’t.
In the end, she could only say softly, "That’s good."
Josiah frowned slightly.
He couldn’t say what was strange, but he always felt that in this mont, Scarlett felt alien to him, as if she shouldn’t be in such a state.
The ti waiting for the surgery, every second felt like a long tornt.
After six whole hours, the surgery in-progress indicator light went off.
The surgeon, Dr. Lawson, ca out first, taking off his mask and nodding to Ezra Ford, who rushed up first, "Everything went smoothly."
Ezra’s stern expression finally relaxed, and the man, who rarely showed emotion, revealed a rare hint of relief.
Dr. Lawson gave detailed post-surgery instructions, with Josiah listening nearby. Suddenly feeling sothing was missing, he looked around and only saw Scarlett from a distance, looking at the wheeled-out Julian, her eyes filled with pain and a complexity that Josiah couldn’t understand.
Then he saw Scarlett turn away and walk off in the opposite direction of Julian without looking back.
"Scarlett!"
Josiah briskly caught up. Scarlett stopped when she heard his voice, turning to look at him, "Josiah?"
"Julian is out. Aren’t you going to take a look?"
"I just received news from ho, grandma is not well." Scarlett said, "Grandma has a heart condition, I’m worried, and want to go back to check on her."
Josiah: "Do you need my help?"
"Grandma’s been sent to a nearby hospital. I’ll go and see her; if it’s not serious, I’ll co back imdiately. Josiah, if anything happens with Julian, just call ."
Scarlett’s almond eyes revealed a light smile, as if the earlier vision of her was just a fignt of Josiah’s imagination.
He nodded, "If you need help, don’t hesitate to ask."
Scarlett smiled, "Thanks, Josiah."
Josiah accompanied Scarlett to the hospital entrance.
The rain had unknowingly stopped, and a brilliant blue stretched across the sky as a plane flew by, leaving a beautiful trail.
"How wonderful, the rain has cleared."
Almond eyes with an easy smile, Scarlett exuded familiar warmth.
"Goodbye, Josiah."
Scarlett waved to Josiah, then turned to leave, walking further away.
Perhaps it was a misconception, or overthinking, or perhaps it was the unexpected reunion with a certain soone, causing him to think of that person frequently.
For a mont, Josiah saw a shadow similar to Mia, who had left him, in Scarlett’s slender figure.
So determined, so resolutely set on leaving everything behind.
But Scarlett wasn’t Mia after all.
She wouldn’t leave Julian behind, especially not when he needed her most.
Perhaps he really was traumatized by Mia.
Josiah thought, otherwise why would he imagine such a terrible possibility.
In the hospital room.
Sunlight stread through the windows onto the floor.
Julian lay on the bed, his body attached to all the necessary post-surgery monitors, his eyes closed, consciousness yet to return.
The man’s ring on the bedside table sat lonely and quiet.
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