"Is that true?" Gabriella exclaimed happily.
After receiving confirmation from the other side of the cellphone, the woman glanced at her husband with sparkling eyes. After a while, she let out a sigh of relief and nodded lightly. "Okay, thank you, Auntie."
As soon as Gabriella lowered the phone, Max immediately grabbed his wife's hand. "Is Dad's operation finished?" he asked hopefully.
"Yes. The operation went smoothly. Dad is being transferred to the ICU. If the monitoring results for the next few days are good, he can go home," Gabriella explained with a wide arch of lips.
"I hope his body can accept my heart and there is no complication," Max muttered in a prayer.
A second later, the woman nodded in agreement. She was happy because her worries turned out to be unfounded.
"Sleep now, Max. You need a lot of rest," Gabriella said while caressing his husband's cheek.
Without warning, the man's expression turned flat. After a moment of
“You don't have to make up stories, Mia. I just stopped the car in the parking lot. In a moment, you will see me standing in front of you. I'm not a coward anymore, you know?" Julian said before unbuckling the seatbelt. Hearing the CEO's relaxed response, Mia was pushed closer into despair. With a narrow throat, she said, "It's not about your bravery anymore, Sir, but Mrs. Evans' life." Doubting the hearing, Julian didn't budge and furrowed his brows. Slowtly, he began to detect Mia's sobs from the other side of the phone. “I beg you, Sir. Save her …” the secretary sighed in a trembling voice. “I couldn't tell Mister Max. He would panic if he finds out his wife is missing. I only found Madam's bag and a pen that was covered in blood." Knowing the seriousness of the secretary, Julian suddenly gulped. With hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, the man forced his brain to think. "Where did you find Gabriella's bag?" "On the emergency stairs,
"No," Julian groaned, pressing his stomach. With great difficulty, he strangled the criminal. "Don't touch her ...."Annoyed, No Name turned around and pushed Julian's hand away from his body. "Apparently, you really care about this woman more than your life, huh?"Without the slightest bit of pity, the man threw a fist into Julian's jaw. As his opponent staggered, he returned to Gabriella.Feeling a lot of energy being eroded, Julian finally ambushed the criminal with both arms. With all his might, he dragged the man by the neck to back away from the woman.“Apparently, you're persistent too?” No Name sighed in an indistinct voice. A second later, he struck the waist of the person behind his back. A muffled groan suddenly resounded, shaking the air."Do you still want to play?" the big man challenged while turning the handle in his grip.Instead of loosening up, Julian tightened his arm lock. However, the more suffocated the cri
“Why do Gabriella and Mia take so long? Where do they actually go?" Max grumbled as he continued to stare at the door and the clock alternately. “Do they purposely make me wait alone?” the man muttered as he couldn't decipher the furrowed brows. Something had stuck in his heart. "Or maybe, something happened out there and they don't tell me." After pondering for a moment, Max finally reached his hand out toward the table. Afraid that the wound would open again, he pressed his stomach with the other hand. "Tch, why did Gaby put my phone so far away?" While grimacing, the man tried to slide his cell phone with the fingertips. Inadvertently, the object slipped out of the line of the table and fell to the floor. A sigh of disappointment instantly released into the air. “Why did I drop it when I'm not allowed to bend down? Tsk, at this rate, I have no other choice,” Max muttered before taking a deep breath. A second later, with all his might,
“Mr. Julian's family?” the medic called with a serious look."Yes, Doc. I'm his brother," Max said between breaths. He didn't know if the man was a doctor or not. Most importantly, he had given the right answer.“The specialist has checked. Apparently, the damage to the patient's stomach is quite severe. Therefore, he decide to do bowel resection surgery. So, all the damaged intestines had to be cut.”"Is that the best way to save Julian?" Max asked with high arched eyebrows.Without thinking, the green clothed man nodded. "Yes, that's the only way to stop the bleeding," he said firmly."Then just do it, Doc. Save my brother," Max sighed hopefully.“Okay, we definitely do our best. Now, I will inform the specialist that the patient's family has agreed. The operation will go on.” After a nod, the man in green returned to the room.After the medic left, another heavy sigh escaped from Max's mouth. Wit
While holding his new bandage, Max kept his eyes on the door. After a while, what he was waiting for finally came. Two nurses pushed a bed with Gabriella asleep on it. “Gaby,” the man sighed, trying to get up. However, before his shoulders left the bed, someone had pressed his head back against the pillow. “Please don't be stupid! I don't want to take you to the emergency room again," Sebastian grumbled, successfully inviting a cynical look from Max. "That's right, Sir. Please stay still. Your wife is okay. She'll wake up as soon as the anesthetic wears off,” a nurse explained as she locked Gabriella's bed next to the man. Received the same ban, Max did not argue. After heaving a faint breath, with hands still attached by the IV line, he tried to grab his wife's fingers. Knowing the man's predicament, the nurse brought Gabriella's hand closer. "Take a rest, Sir. Don't move too much anymore," she suggested even though the patient didn't
With teary eyes and out of breath, Gabriella walked quickly. She completely ignored the commotion behind her back. Amber's anger was no more important than her brother-in-law.As soon as she opened the door, the secretary looked up at her with a high arched eyebrow. Without waiting for orders, the girl gave up the chair she was sitting on. "Madam?""How is Julian?" Gabriella asked in a low voice.“The operation went well, Madam. We just have to wait for Master to wake up,” Mia explained as she turned to the man who was surrounded by many tubes.Feeling doubtful, Gabriella grabbed the girl's shoulder. "You didn't lie to calm me down, did you?"With a face without a smile, Mia shook her head. "I'm telling the truth, Madam. Master has passed the critical period. Now, we just have to wait for him to become conscious.”"So he's not going to die, is he?" Gabriella asked, unable to sift through the words anymore."Yes, Mada
"Have you thanked Julian?" Max asked when he saw that his wife's face was no longer somber. In an instant, the woman who had just entered the room was smiling loosely. "Yes. He's awake when I saw him,” Gabriella reported before pulling up a chair and sitting on the side of the bed. "Then, how is he?" The woman's lips pursed. "He's fine, Max. The doctor said that his body is strong. In a few days, he is able to go home. Julian just need to keep his wound clean and follow the rules of eating. There's a lot that he shouldn't be consuming right now. Whenever I think about it, I feel more guilty.” "Take it easy, Gaby. Mia will take care of him very well," the man said, trying to lighten the burden in his wife's heart. Unexpectedly, those simple words managed to make Gabriella smile again. "Do you know what? I think, Julian has feelings for Mia,” the woman said with round eyes even though her eyelids were still swollen. "Why do you c
"Sorry, Sir. You can't be mean to me. Even though I work as a secretary, there are still limits for me to fulfill your request. I can't continue to meet your needs in 24 hours per day," Mia said, began to raise her voice.The girl's brows had twitched in annoyance. She didn't understand why his boss was so childish.“So, you have the heart to leave me with Amber? Don't you already know that the woman is incompetent. She can't even boil the water. What will my fate be if I'm taken care by her?”Shaking head in disbelief, the secretary sighed. "Miss Amber doesn't need to boil water here. So, you can throw away the worry. Now, I have to go. In a moment, she will be here.”A second later, the girl grabbed the bag, preparing to leave. Looking at the girl's seriousness, Julian became more panic.“But I don't want you to go, Mia. Stay here with me. Sebastian can definitely take care of the company on his own,” the man said wi
"Whoa!" Cayden sighed as his father placed him on the back of a pony. With round eyes, he surveyed his height from the ground. Even though it was not much, the toddler in the cowboy hat still showed a happy smile. “How is it, Little Evans? Are you happy?” the woman who held the horse's rein asked. Not daring to move much, Cayden nodded at a limited angle. "Yes, Greta. I am happy. It's thrilling!” he answered enthusiastically. “Thrilling?” Gabriella muttered, furrowing an eyebrow. While continuing to rock her niece, the woman expressed astonishment. “Where did you learn that word, Little Prince?” "Daddy often mentions it," the toddler replied, successfully making his father wince. "Daddy said that the nights spent with Mom were always thrilling." As Gabriella glared at her husband, Greta burst out laughing. "Gosh, Max. I think you should be more careful now. Your genius son can absorb all the words you speak.” "Right. I'll be more caref
"If you kept avoiding me, I would really quit the company," Julian said, successfully freezing Mr. Hunt's steps. The old man was then blinking, digesting the words he thought he heard wrong. “Actually, my position as a CEO is being threatened for some reasons. I tried to keep it a secret from all of you. I didn't even let Mia know. But as it turned out, it wasn't easy at all. My mind became adrift. And because the burden was too heavy, my emotions finally exploded. I'm so sorry it had to happen in front of you." Hearing the tone that seemed honest, Mr. Hunt slowly turned his focus. Two seconds later, he saw the tears slide from the grandson's eyes. "I've tried to be strong and tough, Grandpa. I thought I could solve all problems. But it turns out, I haven’t found any solution yet. That's why I was angry when I failed to find Grace and you at the cemetery. It got me think that I am a useless man," Julian explained with the gloomy eyes landed on the grass.
“Tsk, why does Grandpa run away like this? It just makes me feel even guiltier,” Julian grumbled between gasping breaths. Holding on to Mr. Hunt's message, he walked down the tree-lined path. “What should I do if Grandpa isn't there? Where should I look for him?” the man thought as he couldn't erase the wrinkles from his face. The burden in his heart was too heavy to ignore. After a few moments of struggling with the noise in his brain, Julian finally shook his head and blinked strongly. "No, no. Grandpa must be there. I'll take him home and things will automatically return to the way they were before," the man nodded, fostering hope. Ignoring the anxiety that kept swirling in his mind, he went faster. Unfortunately, as soon as Julian passed the cemetery gates, his steps were frozen. His jaw was dropping while his eyelids were lifted to the maximum. What he had hoped for quickly turned into disappointment. "No way! This is impossible!” he curs
"Dad," Cayden called quietly. A second later, the toddler handed Max a piece of bread that had been cleaned of jam. "I'm already full," he continued with a meaningful smile.Understanding the son's intentions, Max spontaneously raised an eyebrow. "Do you want me to finish your bread again?"While showing two rows of tiny teeth, Cayden nodded. After a faint exhalation, the father began to vibrate the air with laughter."Gaby, look at what Little Prince did! I can get fat if he keeps handing me food,” the man said while showing the second bread he received from his son.“Just eat it, Max. You need more energy to help the Little Prince take care of Hasty,” the woman who was cleaning the dishes with a sponge replied.Hearing his mother's response, Cayden's eyes immediately widened. His energy had just risen to the peak. “I've finished breakfast, Mom. Can I go to the stable now?”"Yes, but you have to wash your face
Suddenly, Julian dropped his face into his hands. After exhaling heavily, he lifted his head again and put on an indescribable expression."I didn't mean to scare anyone, Mia. I just don't want Grandpa’s mistake to happen again," the man said with frown on his face."Yes, I know," Mia replied with the same thin voice. “But you can do it without hurting Grandpa's feelings, Julian. This matter can be discussed amicably.”While gritting his teeth, Julian shook his head. Confusion had returned to cover his eyes. “What should I do now? I already made Grandpa sad.""Apologize?" Mia answered with a grimace."Is that enough?" the man asked doubtfully. He began to realize that his anger had indeed crossed the line.Pondering, the woman nodded. “As long as it's sincere, Grandpa will definitely forgive you. And I think, you should also explain to Cayden that what you did was wrong. Don't let your nephew imitate something t
“Greta, have you prepared delicious toast for us?” Cayden asked as the hostess opened the door wider to welcome him. Seeing her father was still able to walk, the woman with high arch of the brows spontaneously sighed in relief. After shaking her head for a moment, she turned her gaze to the toddler who was still holding Mr. Hunt's hand and waiting for her response. "Of course I have. There is also strawberry jam for you. Are you hungry?” Greta asked while faking a smile. “Not me, but Grandpa. I heard the sound of his breathing all the way. Grandpa is very tired! He should eat a lot of bread," Cayden said with his trademark expression—round eyes and pursed lips. While stroking her son's head, Gabriella bent her knees. After leveling their eyes, the woman tilted her head. "You know where Greta put the plate of bread, don't you?" No more than two seconds, the toddler nodded. "Yes. On the dining table," he answered with a big smile. "That
"Sorry, Julian. I took Grace to see your grandmother for a while. Now, I intend to take her home. We're not wandering around or straying like you said," Mister Hunt explained with an indescribable expression. Even so, his hoarse voice was able to touch the hearts of the listeners, apart from his grandson. "But the way home is over there, Grandpa!" Julian snapped, still with eyebrows raised to the max. The young man didn't feel sorry at all for the hunched back that was getting weighed down by guilt. "I really can’t understand what’s on your mind. Don't you realize that your recklessness can lead to trouble? Didn't we agree to go together? Why did you secretly take Grace away?” he continued, thickening the wrinkles on his grandfather's forehead. Sensing her father's anger, Little Princess began to furrow her brows. The baby had never heard such a loud voice. When her eyes fell on Mr. Hunt's gloomy face, she spontaneously pouted. A second later, her heavy cry b
Arriving at the cemetery, Julian was taken aback. What he saw was completely beyond expectation. There were no old man and baby among the tombstones. The grandfather and Grace left absolutely no trace. "This is impossible," Julian muttered as he quickened his pace. Neglecting his initial attempt to remain calm, the man sped toward the direction Greta had given. After searching for a while, he finally found the grandmother's name on one of the stones. “Right, this is the place. They should be here," Julian sighed, sounding desperate. With deep furrows, he circled around, trying to find any trace of either his daughter or Grandpa Hunt. Unfortunately, as far as the eye could see, the two remained off the radar. Confusion instantly grew bigger in Julian’s mind. "Tsk, how could it be like this?" he grumbled while clutching his head. Knowing that irritation, Mia gently touched her husband's arm. She knew that the man had failed to control hi
Carefully, Mr. Hunt wiped his great-granddaughter's cheek. Grace's red eyes no longer shed sadness. However, the old man still felt guilty for making the baby cry. "I'm sorry, Grace. I should have walked more calmly so you wouldn't wake up," he whispered in between his ragged breaths. After her face had been dry, Grace rested her head on Mister Hunt's shoulder. Blinking slowly, she pursed her lips. The furrow of her tiny brows indicated that she still wanted to roll up in the blanket on the crib. The baby wondered why she was with her great-grandfather, sitting on a long bench at the edge of a path. “When I was young, I only need fifteen minutes to arrive at your great-grandmother's grave. But now, why does it feel so long and tiring?” Mr. Hunt grumbled as he wiped his forehead with one hand. After one quick breath, the old man stood up again and held Grace in his languid arms. Although the baby was a bit heavy, his lips still curled up warmly.