Outside the ICU, Benny Palr, the Hart family, and Kane were all waiting.
Seeing mother and son co out, everyone quickly stepped forward.
Though Emma Carter didn’t like Alia Garcia, concerned about her son’s condition, she took the initiative to ask, "How is it? Did Christopher have any reaction? Any signs of awakening?"
Alia looked at her, her expression sowhat complex, and shook her head, "No..."
The hope on Emma’s face instantly collapsed as she turned around and muttered, "I stayed all afternoon and saw no response. I thought you actually had a way."
Alia remained silent.
Benny, seeing her crestfallen expression, comforted her, "It’s okay. The doctor said you can visit for a while each day. As long as Christopher is still breathing, he’s sure to feel your presence, knowing you’re there for him."
"Yes." Alia nodded, looking at her son Noah, who clung to her hand, "Noah said... he still has a lot to tell his dad. We’ll try to persuade the doctor again tomorrow."
She made up an excuse and pinned it on her son, worried others might misunderstand her intentions and assu she had started to care about this man again.
But Emma’s mood shifted the mont the child was ntioned, "Kid, are you willing to acknowledge your dad now?" She looked at Noah with a warr face and opened her arms, "Then, you must recognize as your grandma, right? Co, co to grandma so I can have a good look at you."
For the past two days, Emma had been pondering sothing.
If her son truly couldn’t wake up, then these two grandsons, as the Hart family blood and heirs, must co back to rejoin the family.
— Regardless of whether Alia agreed or not!
So now, seizing the opportunity, she tried to bond with him urgently.
But Noah didn’t appreciate the gesture.
Faced with his "grandma’s" overture, his expression was calm and indifferent as he instinctively stepped back behind his mother.
Emma didn’t give up and hurriedly urged with a smile, "I’m your grandma... The person lying inside is your dad. You called dad, didn’t you? I’m your dad’s mom, do you understand? Co on, call grandma."
Noah shook his head, saying at the sa ti, "I don’t have a grandma."
Emma’s face instantly fell, and even George Hart’s expression darkened, unable to hide his displeasure.
"You child! Who taught you such rudeness?!" Emma scolded.
Alia knew the barb was aid at her, but she had no energy to care right now.
Benny looked around and quickly tried to smooth things over, "Auntie, things like this can’t be rushed. Give the child so more ti. Let him accept things gradually."
"More ti?" Emma echoed with a rhetorical question, bluntly stating, "I have plenty of ti. But I’m afraid Christopher won’t wait! If sothing happens to him, and this woman runs off with the children, where will I find them?"
Alia looked at her, understanding, and asked, "So, you’re trying to take the children away?"
"What else? They are Christopher’s flesh and blood; shouldn’t the Hart family bring them back?"
Emma fired back self-righteously, and then took it for granted, "Don’t worry, I won’t treat you unfairly; I’ll let Hope go with you. You’re a mother, and it’s more convenient for you to have your daughter with you. The boys, raised so delicately by you, how will they ever make anything of themselves?"
Hearing this, Alia felt as if her worldview had been turned upside down!
Their own son was still lying in intensive care, not out of danger, and could possibly...
Yet, they were already thinking about how to fight her for the children.
Just last night, she had felt sorry for her forr in-laws, empathizing with their sorrow.
But now, she felt... it was not worth it.
Utterly unworthy!
Did they really see her as a heartless vixen in their eyes?
If sothing truly did happen to Christopher, would she heartlessly run off, causing them to lose both son and grandsons?
She wouldn’t...
If sothing happened to Christopher, she certainly wouldn’t even think of leaving again; she’d single-mindedly stay to allow her sons to fulfill their filial duties to their grandparents in place of their father.
But still, she would never set foot in the Hart household again.
These were separate matters.
Yet, what she never expected was, even before things got to that point, they were already scheming on how to snatch the children away, on how to completely get rid of her.
Alia felt a profound mix of emotions, her gaze intensely complicated as she stared at Emma for a long while, at a loss for words.
But Benny, unable to bear it any longer, stepped forth to defend her, "Uncle, Auntie, at this ti, we should all be praying for Christopher to wake up soon, instead of thinking of ways to snatch the children."
Having said that, he glanced at Alia and continued, "Besides, I believe Alia has no plans to flee with the children. Your prejudice against her is too deep!"
"Our prejudice is too deep?" Emma snapped back, not accepting the conciliation, "She secretly hid the children for over four years, and even after coming back to China, she never thought to tell us. Doesn’t that reveal her intentions?"
Alia laughed out of sheer frustration and abruptly threw out a challenge, "If you’re so capable, repeat what you’ve just said at your son’s bedside—I bet the doctors wouldn’t even need to rescue him then!"
"You—" Emma was taken aback, her anger nearly causing a heart attack as she pointed at Alia, "What do you an by that?!"
Alia countered, "With such outrageous behavior, have you considered your son’s feelings? I believe that even if he truly can’t wake up, his spirit in heaven wouldn’t want to see you treating and the children like this!"
To lose their father was unbearable enough, but to also be separated from their mother at such a young age? Such cruelty, no one could bear to commit!
"You—see! You’ve spilled your true feelings, haven’t you? You’re just dying for Christopher not to wake up!"
Alia shook her head, at a loss for words, feeling that the woman before her was completely unreasonable.
She was fed up with Christopher Hart; indeed, when he had been pestering her to the point of fury, she had wished he would just vanish on the spot, but that was just sothing said in a mont of emotional outburst, not sothing she truly ant. No matter how upset she was, she did not wish for her children to lose their father!
But in Emma Carter’s eyes, she was just that—a heartless and callous woman who disowned her own family!
Since they were not on the sa page, it seed pointless to argue further. Taking her son’s hand, she turned to leave.
Emma, seeing her attitude, got even angrier: "Alia Garcia, let make this clear today! The two boys must acknowledge their ancestry and cannot be taken away by you!"
Kane stood on the side, not quite understanding their dispute, but he could tell from the atmosphere just how bad the situation was.
Before turning away, he gave Emma Carter a cold, hard stare, his face dark with displeasure.
Benny Palr, concerned about the departing mother and son, also turned and followed them, catching up in front of the elevator.
"Alia."
The woman turned around, "Young Master Palr."
"Are you... heading back now?"
Alia checked the ti—it was already past midnight—and said weakly, "I’ll find a hotel nearby. I’m afraid... he might have another ergency in the middle of the night." She couldn’t bear the thought of rushing back and forth anymore.
Benny’s expression softened quite a bit upon hearing this and he quickly offered, "There’s no need for that trouble. The hospital’s luxury wards are always available. I’ll arrange one for you."
Benny had his reasons for doing this.
For one, it was certainly more convenient to have a room in the hospital closer to the ICU.
Secondly, he was wary of Kane, the foreigner.
His friend was now unconscious, fighting for his life, and he had to ensure his friend’s well-being—what would it an to let them, a mother and son, go out with another man?
Alia frowned, seemingly hesitant.
Benny quickly said, "That’s settled then! Co on, I’ll take you up."
With that, he pressed the elevator button to go up.
Alia looked a bit embarrassed and turned to Kane, "Maybe... you should go back first. I’ll be in the hospital; nothing will happen."
Kane looked at her, clearly worried, "That family... they’ve been too cruel to you."
He spoke in English, but Benny understood very well and replied in English as well, "Don’t worry. I’ll be here; no one will bully her."
Kane eyed Benny, his expression indifferent but with a complex look in his eyes.
He too could tell that the man was guarding against him.
Benny, noticing the gaze fixed on him, was quite open about it, smiling politely and reminding, "Miss Betty still needs you, right? Don’t get her riled up again, causing a scene with Alia."
Kane’s eyes sharpened at these words, "Betty is here because of you."
He stated this as a fact, not a question.
Benny slightly bowed his head, scratching his nose, "Not exactly... It was just a coincidence that we t. After hearing her family speak highly of you and knowing that your families have plans for a marriage alliance... I was just being helpful. Seeing Miss Betty’s deep affection for you, Mr. Kane, I simply did a good deed—you don’t need to thank . We Chinese love to help others."
Alia, standing aside and listening in, felt her face could fall off with embarrassnt.
Since when had Benny beco as thick-faced as Christopher Hart?
His shalessness was truly breathtaking!
Birds of a feather flock together; it was no wonder that he and Christopher Hart were so close-knit.
Kane clenched his fist in anger at Benny’s words. If not for considering Alia and her child being present, he probably would’ve thrown a punch.
The elevator arrived, and Benny went ahead to retrieve the ward.
Alia, seeing Kane following her out, stopped and turned around.
Kane too stopped, looking at her.
Noah looked up, his gaze shifting back and forth between the adults, feeling an inexplicable sympathy for Kane.
"So, you’re sending away again?" Seeing that the woman didn’t speak, Kane asked proactively.
Alia’s eyes were filled with regret, and she felt even guiltier hearing him say that, "Kane... You don’t have to stay with all the ti; I’m okay. I haven’t been able to manage work these past days, so I’m troubling you to take care of it. Please hand over my clients to other designers."
Kane did not respond to the work matter but directly asked, "If he... can’t wake up, what will you do?"
What will she do?
Alia looked at him, and for a long while, she didn’t know how to answer.
"To be honest, I really hope he never wakes up, but if that were the case, you would be very sad, and the three children without a father would be pitiful. So, I still hope he wakes up."
This response from Kane surprised Alia trendously, her eyes brimming with astonishnt.
"But until he wakes up, I won’t leave you. At tis like this, you need a friend’s care more than ever."
Reviews
All reviews (0)