The exchange between the two was brief. Once Cynthia ended the call, she forwarded the address through WhatsApp, then started her car to pick him up. The car windows remained open throughout the journey. The icy wind blasting served to sharpen her senses, helping her realize that, during a crisis, she could not always maintain perfect calm and vigilance. In normal times, she would have noticed if something were off with Joshua, even if he merely had a fever. This time, however, his gunshot wound had eluded her detection entirely. It now made sense why he had been urging her to leave, insisting he had matters to attend to. Cynthia could not quite pinpoint her emotions; guilt, regret, and anxiety all of them plagued her. She understood why Joshua would go to such lengths and chose to conceal the truth from her. However, to her, nothing from their past warranted him risking his life. After all, she had already forgiven him. Carrying the weight of this emotional turmoil, Cynthia acce
When Yves spoke to him, his tone was cold. "You can refuse. Nobody's forcing you." Sean felt a surge of frustration in his heart. He was sorely tempted to fling the paper and pen in Yves' face and assertively declare, 'I refuse.' However, he understood the consequences of such rash actions; if Joshua were to suffer any harm, all the effort he had put into his transaction would be in vain. It was not an option. "Could you possibly reduce the amount?" He began to negotiate with him, his tone unusually civil. "One billion in other currencies?" With a swift motion, Yves snatched the paper from his hand. He sauntered away lazily, evidently uninterested in continuing the conversation. "I'll sign!" Sean found himself cornered. "Ten seconds left. It's void if you run overtime." Yves handed back the paper, still half-asleep. Sean seethed internally. One day, he vowed, he would make this guy cough up everything he had swallowed. His signature found its place on the documen
As the door closed behind him, effectively isolating Yves from Sean, Cynthia secured the contract and took a seat in the hallway outside the operating room. She did not ask Sean about Joshua's condition. If it were not severe, he would not have paid such a hefty sum to negotiate with Yves. Requesting Yves's help was a sign of dire circumstances. As she waited, Sean approached and sat down beside her. Neither spoke for a while. Eventually, Sean turned to her and asked, "What's your relationship with Yves?" "Friends," came Cynthia's succinct response. "With benefits?" "No." "Then why did he bring you here?" Sean's heart tightened bit by bit. His expression was as unruffled as ever, giving the appearance of idle chit-chat. At this late hour, a man and a woman alone together would certainly raise eyebrows. Moreover, Yves, as reclusive as he was, would not have kept company unless it was someone important to him. It indicated that when Sean had contacted Yves, he was w
"What are his chances of being okay?" Cynthia asked. Yves did not withhold the truth from her. "Less than 0.1%." His words plunged Cynthia into an abyss. Less than 0.1%... This meant that Joshua would either end up in a vegetative state or suffer from a host of issues due to severe damage to his central nervous system. The thought was hard for her to accept, and she knew it would be even harder for Old Man Neal and the rest of them. They loved Joshua in their own way, despite their occasional disagreements. "Do not worry too much. Sean is a top expert in this field. With his previous research, there's a chance Joshua will be fine," Yves said, talking more than usual during their conversation. Cynthia remained silent. Indeed, Sean was highly accomplished in the fields of psychiatry and neurology, but she was deeply worried about Joshua's condition. Sean, standing not too far off, was watching them discuss. He let out a sigh and walked over. "Thanks for everything you've done
At the sound of his voice, Cynthia turned to look at him. "How is he?" she asked. "He's past the critical stage. The good news is that he won't end up in a vegetative state. However, the bad news is that his central nervous damage might result in various symptoms, including but not limited to those mentioned by Yves," Sean reported, sounding more serious than before. Cynthia felt as though her heart was being crushed. "When will he wake up?" "In a day or two. Get the consent form signed in the meantime. Once he wakes up, I can transfer him to my place. The facilities there are more advance and conducive to his treatment," Sean replied. "Okay," Cynthia agreed. Seeing that she was still standing there, Sean lifted an eyebrow. "You should go. Any further delay may affect his optimal recovery time." "I'd like to see him one more time." Cynthia expressed her wishes. Sean allowed her to. Cynthia entered the room. Joshua's eyes were closed, his face pallid. He lacked his usu
Felix did not know what to say. He put the newspaper on the table next to him, stood up, and said, "I'll go cut some fruit for you." "Off you go," Old Man Neal replied dismissively. Felix then left with his phone. He went to the yard before calling Cynthia back. His tone was always slow and composed, carrying an air of elegance and calm. "Cynthia." "Uncle Felix." "I'm alone now. Daphne isn't here," Felix told her. He was always kind to Cynthia. Cynthia initially had a lot to say, yet at this moment, she lacked the courage to speak up. Both Felix and Daphne were such good people. If she were to bring them this devastating news, she was afraid they could not take it well. "What's wrong?" Felix's voice came through the phone again. "Could I meet with you? It's not something I can explain easily," Cynthia asked, finding it more challenging than ever to articulate her thoughts. Felix, being the intelligent man he was, listened to her tone and what she said, guessing, "Did
Cynthia stood up, intending to call for someone, yet she found herself unable to utter a word. "Sit," Felix instructed, taking a seat across from her. Cynthia pursed her lips, and as she sat down, she finally managed to address him, "Uncle Felix." "Don't be so nervous. What happened to Joshua?" Felix responded in a comforting tone, with the care of an elder. Cynthia was about to recount the incident. However, before speaking, she handed over the medical records she had obtained from Sean. "Take a look at this first. He just had surgery and is still unconscious. His condition isn't very good." Felix's heart skipped a beat, yet his hands took the documents, and his expression remained unaffected. His demeanor was calm throughout the process. He asked half-jokingly, "So, you're saying he might either be paralyzed or impaired once he wakes up?" Felix glanced at a portion of the documents. His eyes flickered briefly before adjusting quickly. Cynthia did not sugarcoat her reply. "
Given Moses' character, there was always the risk of him inadvertently revealing the truth. As long as there was a chance for Joshua's recovery, they had to keep this matter concealed. They could not let anyone know. "Alright," Cynthia agreed. Nonetheless, Cynthia boarded the vehicle and headed for the airport. The extent of Joshua's future recovery would depend on both his luck and Sean's abilities. The situation weighed heavily on Cynthia's heart, and Felix was far from untroubled. After seeing Cynthia off, he sat alone in the car, pondering Joshua's current state and massaging his furrowed brow. It was undeniably hard to bear when he learned of his son's predicament. Apart from the emotional strain, it was also difficult because Joshua had always been a source of pride and never a cause for worry. He was always a paragon of excellence, the child others often spoke of in envious terms. However, now the situation was dire. With severe damage to the central nervous system, a vari