"Get in the car. I'll take you home," Gehrmann said as he opened the rear door, his gentle voice mixing with the sound of raindrops.
Luana snapped back to reality, realizing the person before her was Gehrmann, Cline's cousin.She and Cline had broken up, and logically, she shouldn't have any more entanglements with anyone from the Moriarty family.However, with her phone dead, no taxi in sight, and all nearby shops closed against the rain, she hesitated for a moment before getting into the car.Her clothes were drenched, leaving the back seat wet as well.Luana quickly took out tissues from her bag, trying to wipe the carpet under her feet, blushing as she apologized, "I'm sorry for messing up your car."Gehrmann stopped her humble gesture, "Don't worry about it. It's just a carpet. If it gets dirty, we'll throw it away."Luana's hand, holding the tissues, paused. She almost forgot that the person who kindly offered her a ride had the Moriarty surnLuana felt uncomfortable by Gehrmann's words and chose not to say more. She put down the umbrella and turned to leave.After walking a few steps in the rain, she felt indignant and turned back to Gehrmann, "Mr. Moriarty, I appreciate your kindness in taking me home, but you don't have to judge me with prejudiced eyes. I just thought the umbrella you gave me was too expensive, and I was afraid I wouldn't have the chance to return it. That's why I refused."Luana spoke her mind in one breath and, without waiting to see Gehrmann's reaction, turned and ran.Gehrmann watched the petite figure disappear into the rain, feeling slightly stunned.He had assumed that women like Luana, who sold themselves, would try to seduce any wealthy man they encountered.Otherwise, she wouldn't have moved on to Travis so quickly after parting ways with Cline.But her words just now made Gehrmann feel a bit embarrassed, as if he had misunderstood her.Running home in the
Luana slowly regained consciousness, her eyes fluttering open to find Cline and Albion vanished, replaced by Clarissa, whose face was etched with worry.She realized she had just had a nightmare, one that traversed the past and people she wished to never see again.Shaking off the lingering images, she swallowed the dryness in her throat and reached for water, only to find her arm hooked up to an IV."You had a high fever, so I brought you to the hospital," Clarissa explained, seeing Luana's delirious state.She then picked up a water cup and helped her take a sip.The sweet water flowed down Luana's throat, bringing her back to life a little."Clarissa..." she whispered."Hmm?" Clarissa responded gently, tucking a strand of hair damp with sweat behind Luana's ear. "Are you hungry?"Luana shook her head weakly and asked, "What did the doctor say to you?"She had been preoccupied with her heart failure and hadn't figured out how to talk to
The young man had always been a taboo in Luana's heart. After all these years, it was the first time Clarissa had heard her call out Albion's name in her sleep.Clarissa wanted to ask if Luana still hadn't forgotten Albion deep down, but she was afraid of reopening old wounds.After much thought, Clarissa chose to keep silent.Albion was a matter of the past, and bringing him up would only cause unnecessary distress.Luana had eaten only a small portion of the soup before feeling full. She put down her spoon and asked Clarissa, "Aren't you supposed to go to work?"Clarissa pointed at her watch and said, "It's so late. There's no work to go to.""Then you..." Luana began."I took two days off to be with you," Clarissa lay down on the empty hospital bed beside her. "It's also a good chance for me to catch up on some rest."Luana smiled and said, "Thank you, Clarissa."Clarissa waved her hand and yawned, "Luana, I'm going to take a nap. Call
In the midst of a deep, unconscious slumber, Luana's phone vibrated incessantly, pulling her back to reality.Weary and disoriented, she forced her eyes open and reached for the phone."Baby," Travis's voice echoed through the line, "I heard you had a high fever yesterday. How are you feeling now?"Hearing his voice, Luana's flagging spirits momentarily surged.She found it odd that Travis, who had always been more interested in sleeping with her than anything else, was suddenly concerned about her health.Was it because he knew she was dying and decided to let her go?Luana's mind raced with possibilities, but she responded, "I'm better now.""Good, that's all that matters," Travis replied before pressing on with his true concern, "You called me earlier. Did you take care of that thing?"Luana understood that Travis's interest in her health was a facade. This was what he really cared about.She sat up straight in bed, p
Clarissa's fiancé, Albert, was also in the store. Seeing Luana come in, he greeted her.Luana smiled back and asked, "Where's Clarissa?"Albert gestured towards the fitting room, saying, "She's trying on her wedding dress. Have a seat."Luana and Albert had known each other for a long time, so she didn't hesitate to sit down in the seating area.Ever since her high fever, Luana had been feeling increasingly weak and tired, often unable to stand firmly.This was a symptom of late-stage heart failure, where the heart's pumping function was severely reduced, leading to blood pooling in systemic and pulmonary circulation, causing insufficient blood supply to brain tissue and resulting in brain cell ischemia and hypoxia.With ischemia and hypoxia, fatigue and somnolence were common.Sitting on the sofa for just a few minutes, she was already dozing off, her head propped up.Fortunately, Clarissa quickly emerged from the fitti
Seeing the bank card, Clarissa was taken aback.She had thought Luana, after repaying Cline a million dollars, wouldn't have much money left.She had even considered giving Luana some money, but to her surprise, Luana had saved a sum for her.It must have been from scrimping and saving, not indulging in any luxuries, that Luana had managed to set aside this money.Clarissa touched Luana's cheek, "Luana, I'm sorry."Luana smiled back, "I have a high annual salary and don't spend much. I can save this money. Just take it."Clarissa pushed the bank card away, "I can't accept this. It's your money. I can't."Knowing Clarissa wouldn't accept, Luana didn't insist further but instead directly placed the card into Clarissa's box.Clarissa tried to stop her, but Luana pushed her away.Clarissa sighed, "Luana, why are you so stubborn?"After locking the box, Luana turned and hugged Clarissa's arm, acting coquettishly.
Travis looked Luana up and down, his eyes igniting with desire at the sight of her in the champagne bridesmaid's dress.He reached out, pulled her into his arms, and said while caressing her waist, "Since it's signed, why not give it to me sooner?""Mr. Elan, I need to ensure the wedding goes smoothly. If you take the contract and then renege and disrupt my friend's wedding, what am I to do?" Luana replied, forcing herself to endure her disgust and deal with him cautiously."Do you not trust me?""That's correct," Luana stated. "Mr. Elan, you will get the contract tonight."Her makeup was soft, but her expression was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.Travis grinned, "How do I know you're not lying to me?"Luana took out her phone, opened a document, and showed Travis a fake contract she had prepared in advance."Mr. Elan, look closely. This contract is from the Moriarty Group, and it's stamped, so it's genuine."
After the exchange of rings and the champagne toast, the wedding neared its end.Luana's heart finally settled.The wedding had gone off without a hitch, and the next item on her agenda was to deal with Travis.She followed the wedding car to their new home and then took a taxi back to her own place.In her bedroom, as she opened the wardrobe to change out of her bridesmaid dress, a bank card fell out.It was the dowry she had given to Clarissa, who had secretly returned it to her wardrobe.Picking up the card, Luana couldn't help but smile.Clarissa was always giving without expecting anything in return, not even taking advantage of Albert.She was the kind of woman who made one feel warm inside.Holding the bank card tightly, Luana thought about how she wouldn't be there after tonight.If she hadn't left Clarissa any words, Clarissa would surely be heartbroken.So, she sat down at her desk, took up her pe
Clarissa, who had been crying her heart out, also sensed that Luana was barely holding on, waiting for Cline.She remembered Luana mentioning that Cline's private phone was never turned off and quickly said to Eva, "Luana's phone has his private number. Could someone please get her phone? It's in the paper bag on the bedside table in the ward..."The young nurse guarding the door heard this and immediately turned around and ran into the ward, quickly returning with Luana's phone.Eva took the phone, swiped the unlock button while asking Clarissa, "What's the password?"Clarissa knew the password and quickly told Eva.The phone unlocked swiftly, and Eva quickly scrolled to Cline's number.She noticed that he had been blocked by Luana and immediately removed him from the blacklist, dialing quickly.The phone no longer prompted that it was turned off. It connected...Eva was anxious, muttering under her breath, "Cline, please answ
In her dream, she saw a woman standing in the sunlight, reaching out her hand as if to say, "Luana, Mommy's here to take you."She thought it might be her mother, the same one who had left her in the sunlight with such reluctance and helplessness...Or perhaps it wasn't her mother at all. Maybe it was just her deep longing for a mother that conjured up this image in her dream.After all, she had never experienced the love of a mother or a father in her life.She had come into this world alone and was destined to leave it the same way, which was, in the end, a bit regrettable...Seeing her bitter smile, Calvert felt as if a thorn had pierced his heart, causing him pain all over.This pain made him involuntarily lean down and hold her tightly, not daring to let go for a moment...Luana weakly patted his back, "Albion, don't be sad..."Calvert, like a child, buried his head in the crook of her neck, cold tears silently dripping on
Calvert sat by the bedside, motionless, staring at her pale face.Only after she had completely fallen asleep did he take out his phone and call Gath.Gath, who was at that moment talking with Eva in the dean's office, was taken aback for a moment upon seeing Calvert's call.After Calvert had last messaged him for an explanation, he had been ignored, so this initiative to contact him now made Gath somewhat pleased.He immediately released Eva, swiped the unlock button on his phone, and answered the call, "Hello, Calvert, what can I do for you?"Calvert's voice was deep as he asked, "Can you treat heart failure?"Upon hearing this, Gath knew exactly who he was referring to. "Is there a suitable heart donor available?"A wave of helplessness surged through Calvert, and he unclenched his tightly held fists. "No..."Gath pondered for a moment before responding earnestly, "Calvert, without a suitable donor, even God couldn't save he
Clarissa, recalling Luana's plea not to blame Calvert, said nothing more and simply stepped around him to get some water, ignoring him completely.Calvert stood at the ward door, gazing at the frail and weak figure on the hospital bed, his vision gradually blurring with tears.He struggled to steady his trembling body, clenched his fists tightly, and with heavy steps, he walked slowly to the bedside.Blind Luana sensed someone approaching and thought Clarissa had returned, so she reached out to grab her clothes."Clarissa..."Before her hand could make contact, it was grasped by a broad and slender hand.The hand that held hers trembled slightly, as if it had a thousand words to say but couldn't utter a single one, so it just held on tightly.Luana realized it was a man's hand and thought of Cline's stern and handsome face, but she didn't think it could be him.She tentatively called out, "Albion..."Calvert hadn't expec
Tears rolled down Clarissa's cheeks, dripping onto Luana's hand and making her body stiffen.Luana tried to raise her other hand to wipe Clarissa's tears, but after feeling around for a while without success, her wrist was grabbed by Clarissa instead."Luana, are you... blind now?"Clarissa held Luana's hand, her face full of shock as she stared intently into Luana's eyes.This time, Luana didn't hide it from Clarissa and nodded calmly, "Probably triggered some other conditions..."She had experienced blurred vision during her dizziness before, but she hadn't expected to wake up completely blind this time.Seeing her like this, Clarissa broke down and cried again.She threw herself onto the hospital bed, hugged Luana tightly, and wept her heart out.Luana no longer tried to console her not to cry. Instead, she reached out to hug her back, gently patting her back and whispering, "I'm okay..."If she couldn't see, then so
After returning to the hospital, Clarissa encountered Albert at the triage desk on the first floor, where he was handling discharge procedures.Seeing her, he was somewhat surprised and asked why she had come. Clarissa pursed her lips and didn't respond.Albert, feeling uneasy under her penetrating gaze, which seemed to see through him, instinctively averted his eyes."Honey..." he called out tentatively, then asked guiltily, "The doctor said Angela's pregnancy is unstable, and it would be best for her to stay near the hospital until the baby is born. Since our place is close to the hospital, how about she stays with us for a while?""With a pregnancy so unstable, it's no wonder she's acting out," Clarissa thought, resisting the urge to retort.She had a flaw—having grown up without much love, she was easily swayed by affection.But she also had a strength—she could quickly dismiss anyone or anything that betrayed her.She
Luana had long been aware of her physical condition, so she wasn't particularly concerned. She asked, "How much... longer do I have?"Eva, with her hands in the pockets of her white coat, looked down at Luana's pale face and said seriously, "About a week."If she hadn't sustained such severe injuries, with the help of special medications, she might have been able to hold on for another two months.But the nail piercing the back of her head had accelerated her heart failure. The fact that she could still last a week was nothing short of a medical miracle.Eva couldn't help but shudder as she recalled the scene of the nail piercing the back of Luana's head."Luana, who on earth nailed the back of your head?"Cline had only messaged her that Sidney, Runa, and he had attacked Luana, urging her to come and save her.He hadn't mentioned who had caused the injuries.Eva suspected it might have been a group attack, but she couldn't bel
After shouting, Clarissa covered her face and cried almost hysterically.Luana, seeing her like this, couldn't help but feel her eyes well up with tears.She mustered all her strength to reach out and pull at Clarissa's clothes.But Clarissa, unable to accept the reality, kept backing away...She cried and ran out of the ward in a state of collapse.Watching Clarissa's retreating figure, the tears that Luana had been holding back began to fall drop by drop.Clarissa ran out of the VIP ward in one breath and unconsciously stopped in front of the door of an ordinary ward.She wanted to ask Albert for help. Although she wasn't sure what kind of help he could provide, she desperately needed someone to lean on at the moment.She walked to the ward door, crying, but instead of seeing the Albert siblings, she heard a series of embarrassing noises coming from the adjacent single room...Instinctively, she wanted to avoid them, b
After speaking, Eva gave Clarissa a gentle smile, which temporarily relieved Clarissa of her worries and shifted her focus to Luana.Seeing Luana sweating from pain in her coma, Clarissa felt heartbroken and quickly took out a towel to wipe her sweat.After finishing, she turned to Eva and asked nervously, "Dr. Woodward, is Luana's heart okay?"Luana had congenital heart disease and had to be very careful in her daily life.Being beaten into a coma could have caused damage to her heart, just like how she had become weaker after being kicked before. Clarissa was very worried about this.Eva glanced at Clarissa, unsure of how to respond.As a doctor, she should tell the patient's family about such a life-or-death issue.But without the patient's consent, she didn't feel right making the decision.Moreover, seeing Clarissa's worried face, she was afraid that Clarissa wouldn't be able to handle it.After thinking for a while