Chapter 163That morning, at the Drake family mansion. In the reading room on the second floor, Grandma Clara sat quietly in her old chair. A cup of green tea steamed on the small table. The book she usually read was still closed. The old woman's eyes stared blankly out the window. Occasionally, Grandma Clara sighed deeply.The door opened slowly. Chintya entered, wearing a pastel dress and carrying a box of homemade cookies.“Good morning, Grandmother Clara,” Chintya greeted softly, approaching with a sweet smile.Clara only glanced briefly. “Morning.”Chintya sat on the sofa across from her. “I made some cookies, Grandmother. Belgian recipe, with real almonds,” Chintya said, trying to lighten the mood. “Just put them on the table,” Clara replied coldly. A few seconds of silence passed before Chintya spoke again, her voice soft yet firm. “Grandma... I didn’t come here just to bring cookies,” Chintya said, looking at Clara with hopeful eyes. “I want to talk about Elena.”Clara l
Chapter 162The morning at the Drake family mansion felt quieter than usual. Sunlight slowly filtered into Elena's care room, which was now at home, right next to Nathan's master bedroom. All the medical equipment was neatly arranged. Nathan sat in the chair beside the bed, his eyes fixed on his wife’s pale face, which still showed no signs of waking up. He held Elena’s thin hand tightly, as if hoping that his touch could wake her up.“Darling... you’ve been sleeping like this for a month now. Ellen and Edward are growing up so fast. Ellen starts smiling when approached, and Edward is more talkative...” Nathan gently strokes his wife’s hair. His voice sounds hoarse. “I miss you complaining... I even miss you getting angry.”The door to the room was knocked. Tamara entered carrying a tray with breakfast and the nurse’s health report.“Mr. Nathan, you need to eat first. You didn’t sleep again last night, did you?” Tamara asked softly.Nathan shook his head slowly. “Yes, I couldn’t slee
Chapter 161It was morning at the head office, and the service corridor was still quiet when Damian stopped in front of the HR room. He straightened his blue uniform—there was a small Office Support label on the left pocket—then took a deep breath. Today he would receive his salary.Jamshon, the HR officer, greeted him warmly. "Congratulations, Damian. Here are your pay slip and ATM payroll card."Damian smiled stiffly. “Yes. Thank you.”“Clean work, neat reports—the cleaning supervisor is pleased,” Jamshon said. “Keep up the pace, and you could get a raise soon.”Damian signed the receipt, then left. In the corridor, he encountered Tamara carrying a stack of mood boards for the Fashion Week presentation.“Payday?” Tamara asked, noticing the white envelope in Damian’s hand. Damian nodded. “Finally. Tonight I’m going to take Katty, Delya, and Alva out for pizza. Let them forget their sorrows for a while.” Tamara patted his shoulder. “Good. They need some cheer. You do too.”Damian
Chapter 160A month had passed since the emergency surgery. Elena was still lying in the ICU, her fingers occasionally twitching, but she had not yet opened her eyes. Meanwhile, at the Sebastian family mansion, Grandmother Clara insisted on holding a "Recognition Party" for the twins who had just returned from the NICU—Ellyn and Edward.The ballroom of the large house was filled with relatives, business associates, and several social figures. Classical music played softly, and waiters bustled about carrying trays of champagne. In the corner of the room, two baby boxes were decorated softly; Ellyn was wrapped in a pink blanket, Edward in sky blue. Nathan stood nearby, wearing a black suit, his face tense. Sonia cradled Edward, while Tamara watched over Ellun.Grandmother Clara stepped onto a small podium in the middle of the room and tapped her silver glass. The guests' voices immediately quieted."Thank you all for coming," the woman said loudly. "Today, the Sebastian family officiall
Chapter 159The "OPERATING" light above the door finally went out. Dr. Alana came out still wearing a mask and a sterile green cap. Nathan, Sonia, Tamara, and Damian stood up simultaneously.“Mrs. Elena has given birth,” Dr. Alana explained. “Twins—one boy, one girl. Their weight is normal for 34 weeks. The babies are in a light NICU incubator, just for respiratory monitoring.”Shock mixed with relief swept across Nathan’s face. “Are my children safe?”“Yes,” the doctor replied. “But Mrs. Elena lost a lot of blood. We performed a transfusion, her heart rate is now stable, but she hasn’t regained consciousness yet. We’ve placed her in the ICU to monitor her organ functions closely.”Nathan nodded, his eyes teary. “Can I see Elena for a moment?”“Later, after we set up the equipment,” the doctor said gently. “About ten minutes from now.”The ICU corridor was silent. Behind the glass window, Elena’s body lay with IV tubes and a flickering heart monitor. Nathan stood with his palm pressed
Chapter 158The car stopped right in front of the mansion's main door. Nathan hurriedly got out and opened the door for Elena, who looked pale and tired. Tamara also got out immediately, helping to guide Elena's children, who were asleep in the car."Come on, slowly," said Nathan, holding Elena's hand.Elena nodded, but before she could step inside the house, her body suddenly bent over.“Ahh!” she cried, holding her stomach. “My stomach… Nathan, it hurts…!”Nathan panicked immediately. “Honey? Honey! What’s wrong?”Tamara quickly caught Elena’s body before she fell. “Oh my God, El! What’s wrong?”“My stomach hurts so badly, like it’s being stabbed… this is different… this isn’t a normal contraction…” Elena’s voice was cut off by a deep groan of pain. “We need to go to the hospital now!” Nathan looked panicked. Elena’s children joined in the panic because of the commotion; they were scared seeing their mother in pain. “Mommy, what’s wrong?” Delya asked fearfully.“Don’t panic, swee