Yanni was sent to Lockwood Hospital. She needed an AB-type blood transfusion urgently, but there had been a horrible accident that morning and supplies were running short. It just so happened that both Mason and Zoe weren’t in the AB blood group. It would take an hour for them to transport the blood supply from another institution. Yanni could faint and pass into a coma at any given moment. He made a snap decision and exclaimed, “Use the helicopter to transport the blood!”“My blood type is a match!” Cecil declared as he walked right into the room. Everyone held their breath. They knew Cecil and Mason were enemies. No one dared make a peep, much less agree to his offer.After a brief moment, Mason barked, “Prepare to perform the blood transfusion!”Cecil had always done a routine health checkup and he was fit enough for this process. They extracted seventeen ounces of blood from him and transfused it into Yanni without a moment’s delay.The seventeen ounces of blood was like
The walls in the VIP suite were painted light pink. It was heartwarming to look at. However, Yanni was still looking very fragile. Lying down on the white pillow, she opened her eyes and asked her mom a question that she had been holding back for a long time, “Am I going to die, Mom?”It broke Zoe’s heart to hear it, but she used everything she had to pull herself together for her little girl. She even managed to smile and say, “No way!”Yanni was still feeling very weak. Leaning on her mom, she murmured, “Why can’t I go to school like ordinary kids? If you and Dad are going to make a little brother for me, I hope he’ll be all healthy and fit. You have to make sure he’s handsome too. That way, you and Dad will still have a good-looking baby when I’m gone!”Zoe had no idea where her little girl learned to say this stuff, but it struck home and made her fall apart. She said with a sob, “Please look after her for a second, Mia.” Then, she opened the door and went out. She needed
“I can’t do that! Yanni’s important to me, but Zoe is equally important as well. The fact that I did so many wrongs by her just made it worse! I owe it to her!”…Mason paused a little before clenching his fist and continuing softly. “I know you still love her and that she used to have feelings for you…”Cecil cut him off and asked, “Why are you so generous all of a sudden?”Lowering his gaze, Mason smiled bitterly. Moments later, he turned around and said to Cecil, “Power and status was all I cared about in the past. I used to think that having a family of my own was nothing but a bonus. Never did I consider that I’d sacrifice myself just so my kid could live on. I could just as easily make another kid. Don’t you agree?“However, Zoe gave birth to Yanni because of me. “That’s why I love her.”…Mason didn’t specify who he was talking about and Cecil didn’t ask any further questions. He stopped fighting him on his decision because he could see the determination and courage i
Yanni was discharged from the hospital three days later. They returned to Kirk Manor and lived out the rest of the month peacefully. Both of them looked after Yanni together. When Mason had a social or business outing, he’d take Zoe along with him. It looked like they were an actual married couple.Neither of them brought up their painful history. Instead, they tried to put it past them. He knew this was his last few weeks with the people he loved.He told Zoe that he needed to work late into the night, but he’d make sure he came back home before Yanni’s bedtime. He’d bathe her, put on pyjamas for her, and wrap her in a warm blanket before letting her sleep on his chest. Underneath the warm glow of the night light, he’d tell her fairy tales until she slept. Afterward, he’d return to his study and resume his work. By the time he was done, it was past midnight. Both his wife and daughter were long asleep.It was enough for him to simply lie next to them. That was happiness for him
All of the love and hatred that they shared would cease to exist.This was the first time she leaned on his chest of her own accord. She proceeded to talk to him. Her voice was soft when she said, “Ella and Farley are going to get married at the end of the year. Yanni’s condition will have improved by then. I might take her back to Silvercrest to attend the ceremony. I’m wondering what kind of gift should I prepare for them.”He didn’t say anything about it. Brushing her hair, which was damp from the sweat, he chose to enjoy the quiet for a brief moment. She gave him some time. Her voice was a little strained when she spoke. “Are you going to attend the ceremony as well? Ella told me that you have some business dealings with Farley as of late.”Lowering his head, he stared at her intensely, “Do you want me to go?”Instead of answering his question, she ran her fingers across his dashing features and talked about Rosemary. “Rosemary is going to attend as well. After all, she was
“I’m going to make something warm to drink!”Mason didn’t reject his offer. He watched as his father hurried into the cramped kitchen and went about boiling water clumsily. The night breeze was a tad too strong, causing him to cough intermittently. All of a sudden, Mason asked, “Have you gone to see the doctor?”Westley’s body stiffened. Then, he responded softly, “I’ve had this cough for a long time. It’s no big deal, really! All it takes is some pill and I’ll feel better.”Mason knew he was lying. One look was all he needed to know that this condition had haunted his father for a long time. However, he didn’t press for more information. Instead, he started paging through the books on the couch. Westley proceeded to make some tea once the water was boiled. He was a little uneasy when he gave his son the cup of tea. He even smiled bitterly when he said, “I don’t have any better tea leaves. I’m sorry if you find it distasteful.”Mason took a sip and put the cup down.The old ma
Mason walked over, sat by the bed, and flashed her an affectionate smile. “I went out to take care of some matters. Did you have a nightmare?”Zoe stared right at him wordlessly. She didn’t tell him about her dream. It felt like a bad omen. Then, she took his hands when he laid down on the bed. The warmth of his palms made her feel easier somewhat.It was just as they say, dreams were usually the opposite of reality. It wasn’t going to happen. After all, it was just a dream.Just as she was about to doze off, she thought she heard him murmuring in her ear, saying that if she ended up getting pregnant tonight, then she should name the baby Jamie.Zoe woke up the next morning. She thought about what he murmured over and over again in her mind and decided that it was nothing but a dream. “You’re on edge. That’s all,” he said.That wasn’t how she felt, though. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. What was worse, the feeling was growing stronger
The surgery took a long time, almost sixteen hours. There were some hiccups, but it was ultimately successful. The only thing was, Mason didn’t wake up. He was still lying on the operating table quietly. He didn’t know that the surgery went well for Yanni and that she was sent out of the operating room. He didn’t even know what would happen to him tomorrow. All he could do was lie down wordlessly as the universe meted out its sentence to him unfeelingly. Cecil took off his mask and read the numbers shown on the monitor. It was a frightening sight because it showed that Mason’s vital signs were dropping significantly. He might die at any second. Now, Cecil was a doctor who had seen a lot of deaths in his lifetime. He had grown used to it, but he simply couldn’t accept it when it came to Mason. Leaning close to him, he murmured, “Zoe’s waiting for you! Are you just going to leave her like this?”Mason didn’t respond to him. He simply lay there quietly, his face was as white as