CHAPTER 21: CHAPTER 21: FROM NOW ON... I WON’T ALLOW YOU TO SHED TEARS FOR ADRIAN CHAMBERLAIN AGAIN

That night, Ethan Sterling stood outside the car for who knows how long—Seraphina Thorne really couldn’t tell.

She hadn’t slept for two days, nor eaten on time or properly.

With low blood sugar and after getting drenched in the rain, her body simply couldn’t take that kind of torment.

Leaning against the car window, she quickly drifted off into a heavy sleep.

By the time she woke up again, she was already lying in a hospital bed.

Seeing that Seraphina was awake, the nurse gently pressed down her right hand. "Don’t move, I’ll take out your IV."

Glancing at the time of day outside, Seraphina propped herself up on the bed. "Where am I?"

"Emergency Center, First General Hospital." The nurse pressed her back against the pillow. "Don’t get up yet, you just broke your fever. You need to rest well now."

"No, I have to go..."

"Lie down."

A man’s voice came from the doorway, low and hoarse.

Seeing Ethan Sterling step in, Seraphina felt a pang of guilt and obediently lay back down.

The young nurse bent down to help her stick the medical tape and teased quietly,

"Looks like, whatever the husband says works best!"

Seraphina lowered her lashes and said nothing.

The little nurse picked up her tray and turned to Ethan Sterling.

"Her fever’s gone. If observation shows nothing wrong after a bit, she can go home. Remember—remind her to rest, get plenty of sleep, and take her medication on time!"

Ethan Sterling thanked her politely, walked over, and set the bag in his hand on the table.

Seraphina had just started to speak when he’d already come over, adjusted the head of her bed for her, bending over to help.

Turning around, he helped her sit up, propping her up against the pillows behind her.

Seraphina gave a light cough.

"Ethan... I mean... not... husband..."

Ethan didn’t even look at her—he took a new towel from the bag and walked into the bathroom.

When he came back out, Seraphina quickly pasted a smile on her face.

"About last night..."

He raised his hand and placed the hot towel directly on her face, wiping it clean.

Seraphina lifted her left hand, wanting to take the towel, but he grabbed her wrist instead and wiped her hand for her.

He tossed the towel aside, took a container of porridge from the bag, and opened it up.

Before Seraphina could speak, Ethan brought a spoonful of porridge over and fed her directly.

Seraphina held the porridge in her mouth, looking at his face.

His hair was a bit messy, with dark red streaks bloodshot in his eyes.

He was still wearing yesterday’s clothes, the elbows and back wrinkled.

A corner of his suit was soaked darker—a clear sign it hadn’t dried out yet from the rain.

"I’m..."

The words "sorry" hadn’t even made it out before her mouth was stuffed with a dumpling.

Seraphina pulled the bun out of her mouth. "Can’t you let me say something?"

Ethan looked up and met her eyes.

His eyes were bloodshot, his whole body radiating anger.

"Sorry, thank you, anything else?"

"I..." Seraphina drew a breath. "I didn’t mean to let him sleep with me."

"So what then...?" He grabbed the fruit knife on the table and tossed it onto her quilt. "Were you going to fight him with this, then what? End up in jail, or with the death penalty? Who’s going to take care of your dad—your brother in prison? You’d ruin your future for Adrian Chamberlain—for him? Is he worth it?"

Seraphina was speechless.

She was no longer the naïve girl she once was—she knew.

If Theodore Thorne really woke up, it would do Adrian Chamberlain no good at all.

Given Adrian Chamberlain’s despicable nature, even if she did give herself to him, he’d never truly let her or her father go.

If she didn’t get rid of Adrian Chamberlain, that man would keep scheming and clinging to her, tormenting her forever.

She knew this was a lousy move, but she had no choice.

After a long while, she spoke softly.

"I’m not as strong as you."

"Then fight, work for it, try—make yourself strong! The best revenge is to live better than him, stand higher than him, and laugh brighter than he ever could!"

Ethan stood by the bed, towering over her, each word ringing with force.

"Where’s the Seraphina who bargained with me that night? If you give up so easily, I really have misjudged you!"

He turned and strode out of the hospital room.

Seraphina pressed her dry lips together and turned to reach for the breakfast on the table.

In fact, she didn’t have any appetite right now.

The porridge she usually loved tasted like nothing in her mouth.

Every swallow stung her throat.

She didn’t care. She just stubbornly forced each mouthful down.

As if swallowing the bitterness of life itself.

She wasn’t about to give up on herself.

Ethan was right—she couldn’t destroy her own life for someone as vile as Adrian Chamberlain.

He wasn’t worth it!

Outside the sickroom.

Ethan Sterling peered through the door’s small window, watching that frail but unyielding figure.

He took a step back, leaned against the corridor wall, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

After forcing down all the porridge and buns, Seraphina grabbed the change of clothes Ethan had brought her from the paper bag and went into the bathroom.

When she walked out of the ward again, her clothes and hair were neat, her messy long hair now efficiently tied into a ponytail.

Her complexion was still a bit pale, but her spirit seemed transformed.

She walked up to Ethan, chin high, eyes meeting his squarely.

"I owe you this time. When I’m strong enough, I’ll pay you back."

She turned and strode toward the inpatient wing.

This time, Seraphina didn’t say thank you.

Ethan raised his eyebrows, took a long stride to follow and walk beside her.

"All right, I’ll wait for you!"

When the two of them reached the inpatient wing, Sean Hale stood at the ICU entrance, nurses preparing Theodore Thorne for surgery.

At 7:30 sharp, Professor Hans and Dr. Bennett arrived together in front of the operating room.

After quickly explaining the surgery details to Seraphina, Dr. Bennett handed her the informed consent form.

"Miss Thorne, I need you to sign this."

Seraphina didn’t hesitate and solemnly wrote her name at the end of the document.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Just as Ethan said—if you don’t fight, if you don’t try...

There will never be hope.

Everything carries risk—this time, she chose to be brave.

"Good!" Dr. Bennett nodded softly. "Then, we’ll go get ready in the operating room."

At 7:45, Theodore Thorne was wheeled out of ICU and into surgery.

At eight o’clock, the operating room light went on.

Four and a half hours later, the operating room light finally went off again.

Dr. Bennett and Professor Hans walked out together; Seraphina stood up from her chair and took a deep breath.

Ethan raised his right hand and steadied her by the shoulder.

She turned her face to glance at him.

Seraphina summoned her courage and walked up to the two doctors.

Professor Hans took off his mask and gave her a smile; Dr. Bennett explained first,

"The operation went very smoothly. We’ve already cleared the blood clot in Mr. Thorne’s brain—he’s made it through. Next, he’ll need a lengthy recovery period, but... we’re confident he’ll get better."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you all!"

The two doctors smiled and nodded, then returned to the operating room to change.

"Don’t worry about the follow-up care." Ethan gently patted her on the shoulder. "In a few days, once your dad’s stable, I’ll transfer him to another hospital—Adrian Chamberlain won’t find him again."

Seraphina turned, grabbing his shirt and burying her face in his chest.

Finally unable to hold back, she began to sob out loud.

Thank God she hadn’t done anything foolish last night.

Otherwise, she might have never seen her father again for the rest of her life.

Ethan lifted his arm and gently held her.

Sean Hale, standing to one side, looked at the couple in each other’s arms, blank for a moment, then slipped quietly away.

With his big hand gently soothing her back, Ethan let her tears soak through the front of his shirt.

"This is the last time. From now on... I won’t allow you to ever cry for Adrian Chamberlain again."