7

Celia Winters left her apartment after minutes, heading to the hospital.

She was carrying a small bag, and inside it were all her mother's papers, while the traces of staying up and crying were clear on her face.

She arrived at the hospital before the scheduled time.

She ran towards the surgery department, and as soon as the doctor saw her, he approached her.

He smiled a slight smile and said:

"We have finished all the procedures."

"We will transfer your mother to the operating room shortly."

Celia breathed a sigh of relief.

Then she bowed to the doctor respectfully.

"Thank you, Doctor."

The doctor smiled and said:

"Thank us after the operation is successful."

She nodded her head while trying to hold back her tears.

She entered her mother's room.

Helen Winters was lying on the bed, while the nurse was preparing her for the operation.

As soon as she saw her daughter, she smiled tenderly.

"Come here, Celia."

She approached her and held her hand.

Helen said while patting her hand:

"Don't worry... I will come back to you."

Celia smiled despite the tears that filled her eyes.

"Of course you will come back."

Then she added, trying to hide her fear:

"We will go home together."

Her mother looked at her for a long time.

Then she touched her face tenderly.

"Did you cry?"

Celia froze.

Then she smiled quickly.

"No... I just didn't sleep well."

She was lying.

And for the second time in two days...

She chose to hide the truth from her mother.

Helen smiled, but she didn't seem convinced.

However, she didn't ask her anything.

After a few minutes...

The doctors entered the room.

One of them approached the bed.

"It's time."

Celia felt her heart tighten.

She approached her mother, then hugged her gently.

She whispered in her ear:

"I love you."

Helen smiled as she wiped her daughter's tears.

"And I love you more."

Then the nurses began pushing the bed towards the operating room.

Celia stood watching the door until it closed in front of her.

At that moment...

She felt as if the whole world had stopped.

She sat on one of the chairs in the hallway, and clasped her hands together.

She couldn't do anything...

Except wait.

And at the same time...

Junior Hamilton's car was stopping in front of the headquarters of the Hamilton Group.

He got out of the car with steady steps, and as soon as he entered the building, all the employees stood up to greet him.

"Good morning, sir."

He nodded without stopping.

He entered the private elevator, then went up to the top floor.

In front of him were dozens of meetings and contracts waiting for his signature.

For him...

What happened last night was over.

And Celia Winters was nothing more than a passing employee he had met by chance.

He entered his office and sat behind his large desk.

At that moment, his assistant Ryan entered carrying today's agenda.

He said respectfully:

"Sir, in an hour you have a meeting with the board of directors, and in the afternoon you will visit Hamilton Charity Hospital to sign a new donation agreement."

Junior raised his head slightly.

"Yes... don't delay the appointments."

"Understood, sir."

Ryan left, while Junior returned to his work, unaware that his visit to the hospital that day would make him see someone he did not expect to see again so soon.