CHAPTER 147: CHAPTER 147: YOU CLEARLY SAID YOU WOULDN’T LIE TO ME AGAIN (PART 1)

In the medicine bottle, the last few drops of liquid dripped out, and Seraphina Thorne didn’t notice.

At this moment, she was completely engulfed in self-blame and guilt.

Fortunately, Sean Hale returned to the ward with food in time.

Seeing Seraphina staring blankly at the bedside, he put down the food and glanced at the medicine bottle hanging on the rack.

Noticing that there was no more liquid in the bottle, Sean reached out to grab the infusion tube, shutting the switch off.

"Ma’am?"

Seraphina turned her face, her eyes taking several seconds to focus on his face.

"Did Ethan wake up?"

Sean shook his head gently, turned around, and called the nurse to help remove the infusion needle from her hand.

"I brought back some food, why don’t you eat a little?"

Pulling the mobile table on the hospital bed over for her, Sean opened the food he bought and placed it on the table.

Seraphina didn’t look at the food on the table. She got out of bed, pulled a sweater over her hospital gown, and put on her shoes.

"I want to go see Ethan."

Sean stood by the bed, watching the girl’s pale face.

"I understand your feelings, but if you don’t eat something, the first to collapse might not be President Sterling, but you. You wouldn’t want him to wake up and see you like this, right? Even if you want to see him, at least eat a bit, otherwise, I can’t allow you to leave the ward."

Seraphina didn’t say anything, sat back down by the bed, and mechanically reached for the milk on the table, drinking it down in one go.

"Now, can I?"

What else could Sean say? He could only turn around and open the ward door for her.

Together they went to the door of the intensive care unit upstairs, just as Ethan’s attending physician was coming out of the room.

Arthur Sterling was the first to approach, "Why hasn’t my son woken up yet?"

"Our surgery was very successful, but it does affect brain function. We can’t determine when he’ll wake up," the doctor glanced at them, "Who is the closest to the patient?"

Seraphina stepped forward, "I... I am his wife!"

"The first 24 hours after surgery are the most critical. You can go in and talk to him, stimulate his brain response, maybe he will wake up a bit faster. Of course..." the doctor paused, "I hope you all are prepared; it’s also possible that he won’t wake up in the short term."

"What do you mean by that?" Arthur grabbed the doctor’s arm, "Is my son going to become a vegetable?"

"I’m not saying he will become a vegetable. Every patient’s recovery period is different; it could be a few hours, a few days, maybe... a few months, or even longer."

"Dad!" Henry Sterling pulled his father, "Calm down, Ethan will definitely be okay."

"Please." Seraphina stood in front of Arthur, "Let me go in and talk to him."

Arthur frowned, not saying a word.

"Mr. Sterling." Sean stood beside Seraphina, "Even for President Sterling, you should let the lady in. At this moment... she’s the most likely person to awaken him."

Arthur turned his face, looking at Ethan through the window lying on the hospital bed for a moment.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Finally...

He nodded.

The nurse helped Seraphina put on a sterile gown and carefully disinfected her hands before finally opening the door to the intensive care unit, allowing her to approach Ethan.

At this time, ten hours had passed since Seraphina and Ethan separated.

A mere ten hours, which in the past meant nothing to them.

But this time, it was completely different.

From the door of the hospital room to his bedside, it was only a dozen steps, a distance of less than ten meters.

For Seraphina, however, it seemed like a distant another world.

Finally, she approached him, gently holding his hand.

In her memory, Ethan’s hand was always warm and full of strength.

At this moment, it was completely different, that beautiful hand was even colder than hers, held in her palm, it felt powerless, like a soulless work of art.

From the time of the car accident until now, Seraphina hadn’t shed a tear.

But when she touched him again, holding his hand, tears unexpectedly fell.

These ten hours were torturous for Ethan.

The same held true for Seraphina.

No one knew what Seraphina went through these ten hours.

The nurse moved a chair over, placing it beside Seraphina.

She didn’t sit down, just held Ethan’s hand, letting her tears drip onto his palm and her own hand.

The nurse stood by, watching her for a moment, softly reminding her of some precautions, then quietly left the intensive care unit.

After a while, Seraphina finally controlled her emotions and sat down on the side of the hospital bed.

Holding Ethan’s hand, she placed it against her face and softly began to speak.

"Do you know?"

"I... I really regret now, regret that I never said so many things to you.

Actually, I... I liked you a long time ago, I just didn’t want to admit it.

I still remember the night I went to see you, I really thought you were a bastard, worse than when we were in school, even scarier...

When you asked me to kiss you, I really wanted to turn around and leave."

Seraphina tugged the corners of her lips.

"You know, that was the most outrageous, boldest thing I’ve done in over twenty years of my life."

Holding his hand, she began recounting from the first day they met, little by little, up until last night’s car accident.

Seraphina had never spoken so much at once, nor had she ever shared all her feelings with him as she did tonight.

Outside the hospital.

The sun set and rose again.

Outside the window, people came and went.

For others, this might just be an ordinary day.

But for Seraphina, every minute and second felt like a century.

She raised her face, extending her hand to gently touch Ethan’s face.

"Honey, I beg you, don’t sleep anymore, I’m really... so scared!

Can you please open your eyes? As long as you wake up, I’m willing to do anything, Ethan, honey... I’m begging you!"

On the hospital bed, Ethan remained asleep as before.

Outside the window.

Arthur, who had been standing motionless, walked to the window at the end of the hallway, raised his right hand, and rubbed his face.

Sean stood still, his eyes already rimmed red.

After hours of waiting, full of hope, they were met with futility.

Though no one said anything, in their hearts, hope was slowly sinking.

Henry leaned against the hallway wall, watching Ethan through the window on the hospital bed.

He squinted his eyes, the corners of his mouth scarcely perceptibly curving upwards.

No one noticed his expression.

Neither Arthur and Sean outside the ward nor Seraphina inside.

The nurse checked the time, opened the door and came in, gently supporting Seraphina’s shoulder.

"Miss Thorne, why don’t you rest for a while?"

"No... I’m not tired!" Seraphina turned her face, pitifully looking at her, "Just give me a few more minutes, just a few, please! Just five minutes... three minutes!"

The nurse sighed.

"Three minutes."

Seraphina nodded gratefully to her, turning her face back to Ethan.

"Did you hear that? If you don’t wake up, they’ll make me leave.

We don’t know when we’ll meet again next time.

Ethan, you promised me, you promised to give me a wedding, you said the next time it snowed we would build a snowman together, during New Year’s we would watch the spring festival gala together.

You liar, you clearly said you’d never lie to me again..."

Burying her face in his palm, Seraphina at last couldn’t hold back and cried out loud.