Chapter 5

Once the call connected, Adrian was unusually cooperative.

He didn’t lose his temper or complain.

He carefully answered every question Dr. Wilson asked.

After hanging up, he said, “They’ll be here tomorrow night at eight.”

The tightness in my chest finally eased.

“Thank you.”

Adrian suddenly looked a little uncomfortable and rubbed his nose.

“If you really want to thank me, then divorce me and let Vivian and me be together.”

I looked at him.

“My answer hasn’t changed. When the real Adrian comes back, if he still wants a divorce, I’ll sign.”

As I reached the door, I heard Vivian lower her voice behind me.

“Why didn’t you make her agree to something first?

“She was desperate. If you’d told her to sign the divorce papers before you called the doctors, she would’ve done it.”

“Her grandmother’s life is at stake, and you wanted me to use that against her?”

Adrian’s voice instantly turned cold.

“Do you really think I’m that much of a bastard?”

“That’s not what I meant. I just didn’t want you to get taken advantage of.”

“That still doesn’t mean we take advantage of someone when they’re desperate.”

I didn’t turn around.

At least the eighteen-year-old Adrian hadn’t sunk that low.

The next day around noon, I was about to call Adrian and ask him to come see Grandma before her surgery when Vivian showed up at the hospital first.

She handed me a divorce agreement.

It was the same one as before.

I would walk away with nothing.

“Adrian said the specialist surgical team will only come as scheduled if you sign this.”

I looked up at her.

“No.”

She smiled.

“You can call him and ask.

“But he listens to me now.

“Anna Shaw, I don’t need him to threaten you himself.

“All I need is a way to make sure that surgical team never gets here.”

She glanced toward the emergency room.

“Are you really willing to gamble with your grandmother’s life?”

My fingers slowly went cold.

Adrian hadn’t been like this last night.

But Vivian did know exactly how to manipulate him.

And Grandma’s life wasn’t something I could gamble with.

“I’ll sign.”

I took the pen.

“But I have one condition.

“Have Adrian come to the hospital today and see my grandmother.”

Vivian agreed immediately.

I glanced at the date.

After midnight tonight, the real Adrian would be back.

Grandma’s surgery was scheduled for eight tomorrow morning.

There was still time.

I signed my name.

But I waited until nine that night.

Adrian never came.

And there was still no sign of the medical team that was supposed to arrive at eight.

I called him again and again.

No answer.

The floating comments suddenly appeared.

[Young Adrian and Vivian are back at the house popping champagne to celebrate the divorce!]

[Are they finally going to sleep together tonight?! Ahhh!]

Just then, a doctor hurried out from the operating area.

“Where is Dr. Wilson?

“Her condition is getting worse. We can’t wait any longer!”

I called Adrian one more time.

Still nothing.

I had no choice but to start calling hospitals myself, getting transferred from department to department, desperately trying to track down Dr. Wilson.

Finally, someone on the other end told me,

“Dr. Wilson’s team canceled the trip at around one this afternoon.”

One in the afternoon.

Not long after I had signed the divorce papers.

My phone nearly slipped from my hand.

The doctor looked at me.

“Ms. Shaw, we can’t wait any longer.”

I heard my own voice trembling.

“Then please do the surgery yourselves.”

They handed me the surgical consent form.

My signature came out crooked.

After Grandma was wheeled into the operating room, my legs gave out.

I slid down the wall and sat on the floor.

For once, the floating comments went silent for a long time.

Then a single line slowly drifted past.

[Now I suddenly feel kind of sorry for the supporting female lead.]

The digital clock in the hallway passed midnight.

The operating room doors opened.

The doctor removed his mask.

Then he shook his head at me.

In that instant, I couldn’t hear anything.

I tried to stand.

My legs wouldn’t move.

Then the floating comments suddenly exploded across my vision.

[HOLY SHIT! OLDER ADRIAN?!]

[Why did he come back in his eighteen-year-old body?!]

[It really is Older Adrian!]

My neck stiffened as I slowly turned my head.

At the far end of the hallway, a teenage boy was running toward me.

He still had his eighteen-year-old body.

But I knew that look in his eyes.

I knew it better than anyone.

Adrian rushed up to me, his eyes red and his breathing ragged.

“Baby!”