"Leah..." Mark stood at Leah’s bedside looking intently at her face. "Leah, how are you feeling?"
The effects of the anesthesia had yet to completely wear off, and although Leah was feeling so discomfort, she smiled and shook her head.
Her fingers moved, and she felt sothing in her hand.
Lifting her hand weakly, she saw the chocolate Mark had given her still in her hand, and her smile grew wider. "I still have my chocolate."
"Yes, you still have it." Mark nodded with a grin.
"Thank you for the chocolate," Leah said.
"I’ll bring you more tomorrow," Mark promised.
"Leah can’t eat chocolate now. How about you bring her more in a few days’ ti when she can eat them?" Paul suggested.
"It’s okay. I will give them to her first. She can eat them later when she is able to," Mark replied.
Paul did not comnt further on the matter.
"Since Leah has woken up, it’s ti for us to go, Mark." Mrs. Jeffreys made her way to Mark and reached out for his hand.
Mark imdiately moved away, out of his mother’s reach. He did not say anything, but it was obvious from his expression that he did not want to leave.
He wanted to stay by Leah’s bedside and accompany her.
"Mark, be good," his mother chided.
"Mom, I can..." Before Mark could complete his sentence, his mother interjected, "Leah just woke up, and she needs rest. Besides, didn’t we agree that you would go ho with once Leah woke up?"
Mark looked down. His expression was dejected. Reluctantly, he bid Leah farewell.
"Leah, I have to leave. I will co see you again tomorrow."
"Okay, goodbye, Mark. Goodbye, Mrs. Jeffreys," Leah said politely.
Mark’s mother sighed when she saw how well-behaved Leah was.
"We’re leaving... Goodbye." Mrs. Jeffreys bid the other people in the room farewell as she led Mark out of Leah’s hospital room.
Nodding their acknowledgnt, Wendy and the others watched as Mrs. Jeffrey left with Mark trailing behind her.
After they left the room, Mrs. Jeffreys looked at Mark and sighed. "Mark, didn’t I tell you not to spend too much ti with Leah?"
"But, Mom, why?" Mark asked, perplexed. "I like spending ti with Leah, and Leah likes playing with . Why can’t we spend ti together?"
"Your father and I are just wage earners, whereas Leah’s mother is a famous designer and her father is one of the wealthiest n in Lake City. We are not of the sa social status as them. Do you understand?" Mrs. Jeffreys tried to explain to Mark.
However, Mark was still young and did not understand what his mother ant.
"I just want to play with Leah. What does that have anything to do with us playing?"
Mark asked further.
"Didn’t you say that Leah’s brother does not like you?" Mrs. Jeffreys raised her brows. "Her mother and father might not like you either. If you spend so much ti with her, they might find you botherso. Furthermore, they might think we are using you to try to get close to them."
"That’s not true. Leah’s parents like . They are not like that," Mark said, shaking his head.
"You’re still young. You won’t understand." Mark’s mother sighed again.
She knew her family background and situation were completely different from Leah’s. In order to avoid problems from arising in the future, it was better for Mark and Leah to not get too close.
...
After Mark and his mother left, there were only mbers of their family left in the room.
Wendy and Michael had no ti to worry about what Mrs. Jeffrey thought of them.
Their attention was all on Leah. They all gathered at her bedside.
Her procedure had gone well, and she was on the way to full recovery.
A week passed by.
Leah had beco healthier and more energetic, which made everyone overjoyed.
Paul gave Leah another checkup and reported with a smile, "She’s recovering well."
"Thank you," Wendy said sincerely.
"There’s sothing I need to tell you," Paul began. "Leah’s condition is stable, and she does not need here anymore. The hospital in Rheinsville City is asking to return as soon as I can, and I plan to leave tonight."
Since Leah’s condition had stabilized, there was no reason for Wendy to keep Paul here. He had taken a special leave from his hospital in Rheinsville City to attend to Leah in Lake City.
"Okay, I’ll arrange for a helicopter to send you back," Michael offered.
"That won’t be necessary. I already bought plane tickets," Paul said. "If you ever need again in the future, just contact . However, I would prefer that you all remain healthy and do not need my help."
"I also sincerely hope we won’t bother you again." Michael smiled and said. "You have to let send you to the airport."
Paul did not reject Michael’s offer this ti. He nodded and said, "Thank you."
"We should be the ones thanking you. You saved Leah. It ans a lot to us." Michael shuddered when he recalled the ti when Leah was ill.
He was glad Leah was fine now.
"If there’s nothing else, I will go back to pack my stuff," Paul said as he prepared to leave.
"Okay." Michael gestured politely to the door.
Not long after Paul left, a plainclothes police officer knocked on the door.
The officers had been at the hospital for days, and Wendy recognized him. He was one of the officers who were guarding Timothy.
"Mr. Lucas, Mrs. Lucas," the officer greeted. "Mr. Timothy Woods has almost fully recovered from the procedure, and the doctors have given him the all-clear. We will be leaving for Rheinsville City with him soon."
Timothy was a convict and would still be in prison if not for Leah.
Now that the procedure was over and he had recovered from it, he had to return to prison.
Wendy pursed her lips, feeling complicated.
Then, she nodded and said, "When will you be leaving?"
"Mr. Woods said that he would like to et you, Mrs. Lucas, one last ti before we leave. We will leave imdiately after that."
"He wants to see ?" Wendy asked, surprised and curious.
She had visited him secretly every day the past few days. Why did he still want to see her?
The police officer nodded. "Of course, if Mrs. Lucas does not want to see him, he will not insist."
Wendy glanced at Michael, but he did not know how to react either. He kept quiet and allowed Wendy to make her own decision on the matter.
"I will go see him now." Wendy looked at Mary.
Mary was looking out of the window, seemingly unaware of their conversation.
Wendy knew her mother had heard it.
Upon arriving at Timothy’s room with the police officer, Wendy saw that Timothy had already packed his belongings and was ready to leave. She asked, "Mr. Woods, you wanted to see ?"
Timothy nodded at Wendy and pointed to the chair by his bed. "Take a seat."
...
Wendy sat down on the chair and waited quietly for Timothy to begin talking.
For a mont, the room was silent.
Timothy looked down, fearful of eting Wendy’s eyes.
Suddenly, he asked, "Wendy, is your mother here in the hospital?"
Wendy was not surprised to hear him ask about Mary.
Timothy had been at the hospital for a week but had yet to et Mary. He knew Mary would not want to see him.
Wendy regarded him quietly before nodding.
"I would like to see her." Timothy gathered his courage to ask. He rubbed his hands back and forth on his knees. "I’ve been wanting to ask you, but was afraid you would get angry. I know she probably does not want to see ."
"Then why do you still ask?" Wendy sighed and continued, "Just pretend you know nothing and return to Rheinsville City with the police officers."
"I did think of doing that," Timothy said. "Since she does not wish to see , I will not force her to et .
"I will just pretend that I do not know anything and that nothing happened.
"But. Corinne, every night, when I sleep, I dream of the ti I spent with your mother.
"I feel I should et her... to tell her I’m sorry, at least.
"My mind cannot be at ease unless I apologize to her, face to face.
"Of course, I still will not totally be at ease even after I’ve apologized. I have done her wrong, and I deserve it."
"Why don’t you tell my mother you wish to et her yourself?" Wendy asked. "Why did you ask the police officer to say you wished to et instead?"
"I know your mother will not want to see , and I would like to ask for your permission before I see her." If Timothy had asked the police officer to inform them that he wanted to see Mary, she would definitely refuse.
The only way he would get to see her was if Wendy brought him upstairs.
"Mr. Woods..." Wendy looked down at her fingers and sighed. "I think it’s better if you do not et her."
Wendy was thankful to Timothy for saving Leah, but Mary was her mother, and she did not want to go against her mother’s wishes.
"Corrine, I beg you... Take to see your mother." Tears welled in Timothy’s eyes. "I want to tell her I’m sorry."
Wendy’s resolve weakened at Timothy’s tone.
Timothy continued, "Considering that I saved Leah, can you please help ?"
Wendy found it hard to refuse him, especially since he had ntioned Leah.
After a mont of silence, she said, "I can bring you there, but my mother will decide if she wants to see you, okay?"
Timothy imdiately nodded. "Okay."
Wendy stood up and said, "Let’s go."
At the door, Wendy said to the two police officers standing guard at the door, "I’m taking him upstairs. It won’t take long."
One of the police officers stated, "Okay, but we have to go with him."
Their duty was to guard Timothy and follow him wherever he went.
They would be accompanying him back to prison soon, and nothing must go wrong.
"Okay." Wendy nodded.
They soon arrived upstairs and stopped outside Leah’s hospital room.
Wendy turned and said to Timothy, "Wait here while I ask my mother if she will see you. Co in only when she agrees."
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