CHAPTER 979: CHAPTER 979 LIKING HERA ALL OVER AGAIN

When the door slid open, they were surprised to find not someone else but Terry himself. His left arm rested in a sling much like Hera’s, and the bandages wrapping his torso peeked out from beneath his patient’s gown.

After respectfully nodding at Leo from the doorway, Terry gave a smaller nod toward Zhane. "Thank you, Dr. Everett..." he said before limping his way inside, carrying a leather bag in his able hand as he made his way to Leo’s bedside.

"Why did you come by yourself? You could have just sent someone else," Leo said with a frown. After all, Terry, the new doctor he had brought along, and even the bodyguard who had shielded him from a few bullets were all more banged up than he was, especially Terry.

But that stubborn workaholic mule refused to hand over his role as special assistant to anyone. After their near-annihilation caused by the leak of Leo’s whereabouts, maybe Terry was a little traumatized, unable to trust easily, and determined to handle things himself.

Instead of delegating, he had ordered a secretary to deliver the leather bag to the hospital’s third-floor emergency exit, dismissed them immediately after, and then, despite his injuries, dragged himself up the stairs from the third to the seventh floor just to personally deliver it.

Now that was dedication.

And more than that, although Terry’s back was already damp with sweat from hauling the leather bag, its contents were too important to entrust to anyone else. Inside was Leo’s personal laptop, a stack of urgent documents that required the CEO’s review and signature, and a brand-new phone.

Leo’s old one had barely survived the explosion, its screen was cracked at the top left corner, and the lower edge was already peeling away from the frame. By some stroke of luck, it was still functional, but the battery had swollen from the shock of the blast.

Terry couldn’t risk letting Leo use it any longer. So, he had arranged for a replacement, encrypted, secured, and fortified against hackers, just like all of Leo’s other devices.

"Master, I’m just doing my job. Besides, you’re paying me tens of millions a year; I can’t afford to be out of commission just yet. I haven’t even saved enough for my early retirement." Terry said it half-jokingly, but who would have thought that his very dedication and capability would rob him of that chance?

Instead of retiring early, he would one day transition from Leo’s special assistant to his personal butler, serving faithfully until the two of them grew old and grey. But that was a story for another time.

"You could take a paid leave, you know," Leo said as he massaged the bridge of his nose, baffled at why his assistant hadn’t even considered it. He had just been in an accident, and Leo wasn’t some ruthless businessman who begrudged sick leave, especially not for someone who had just helped save his life.

But Terry’s relentless dedication left Leo feeling a pang of guilt, as though he were the scumbag in the situation.

"Master, there’s no need. I’m honestly getting bored, and my body aches from lying in bed all day. Even my head hurts from too much sleep. Walking around helps, it gives me a bit of exercise, and I think it’ll help me recover faster," Terry explained as he carefully set Leo’s laptop on the bedside table where it would be within easy reach.

He then handed Leo the new phone, already fitted with his SIM card, and placed the documents neatly in the drawer so Leo could look through them once he’d finished eating. After tidying everything, he set the bag aside and made to leave.

"Why don’t you join us and eat before you go?" Hera suggested warmly. They had brought more than enough food for everyone, whether for unexpected company or simply for anyone with a larger appetite.

"She’s right. Stay and eat with us, and thank you for your hard work," Leo added, pursing his lips as he stole a quick glance at Hera.

Terry, who had already heard about Leo’s condition, had been eager to see him with his own eyes. After all, he knew Leo better than anyone else, how he was before meeting Hera: a workaholic, serious, aloof, cold, and indifferent.

Leo never cared much about his image in front of his employees. But because Terry was so familiar with his master’s personality, the moment he noticed Leo trying to maintain a good image in front of Hera, he understood.

Even if Leo’s memories of Hera were gone, his subconscious mind still recognized her. That realization eased Terry’s worries. Earlier, when Zhane told him that Leo was looking for work to do, he had truly believed the amnesia was severe and had been anxious about how Leo and Hera’s relationship could possibly move forward.

It was like the saying went: the king himself wasn’t worried, but the eunuch was already panicking.

So he had come over as soon as he could to see Leo, and now that he had, his worries eased and his heart calmed. "I thank the Master, the Young Madam, Dr. Everett, and CEO Briley for the food!" Terry said before reaching out without hesitation to serve himself a bowl.

Compared to earlier, when he had been carefully putting Leo’s things aside, he moved with surprising ease and even a hint of liveliness. Seeing this, even Leo stopped worrying and simply joined the meal with everyone else.

After eating, Zhane and Rafael wheeled Leo and Hera out while a nurse helped settle Terry into his own wheelchair. Together, they made their way to a private garden reserved exclusively for executives and high-profile patients who preferred not to mingle with the general public.

The garden was secluded, enclosed by rose hedges, and dotted with lilies and other exotic plants that were its pride and highlight. It was the perfect place for the three patients to get some sunlight and fresh air.

"This place is so beautiful..." Hera cooed, her eyes wandering around as Zhane gently pushed her wheelchair forward.

Leo almost snorted, his first instinct to blurt out that his own garden was far better than Zhane’s hospital garden. The words hovered at the tip of his tongue, but he caught himself just in time.

He didn’t even understand why he wanted to say it until the realization struck him. He wasn’t trying to praise his garden; he was trying to undermine Zhane in front of Hera.

The thought made his face flush red. It was ridiculous, petty even, yet the reason behind it was painfully clear. He liked her.

He didn’t know whether it was a lingering trace of his feelings from before he lost his memory or if he had simply grown to like her all over again despite the amnesia. Either way, every time he was around her, he wanted to look good in her eyes, even if it made him act this childish.

The realization was so mortifying that he felt like burying his head in the sand like an ostrich.

"Leo, what’s wrong with you? Why is your face so red? Are you running a fever, or did you get sunburnt?" Rafael asked in confusion. He glanced around. The sun wasn’t that strong here.

Most of its rays were filtered by the tall trees surrounding them, so there was barely any direct light. The breeze was cool and refreshing, too. They hadn’t even reached the spot where they planned to sit and soak up some sunlight.

"What are you talking about, Rafael? We can hardly feel the sun here..." Zhane replied, though his eyes narrowed suspiciously at Leo. Now that he looked closer, Leo really did resemble a cooked shrimp.

Frowning, Zhane walked over, pressed his cool palm against Leo’s forehead, then compared it against his own.

"He does feel a little warm. Could he have caught a fever?" Zhane murmured.

"Should we head back inside instead?" Hera asked worriedly. She felt like a fish in a hot pan, torn between wanting to rush over to check on Leo and knowing she couldn’t with only one good hand. All she could do was watch helplessly, her eyes filled with concern.

"No, I want to stay." Leo pressed his lips together, but instinctively glanced at Hera. The moment their eyes met, his face grew even redder, though outwardly he forced himself to remain calm.

"I also need fresh air and sunlight if I want to recover faster... After all, sunlight carries Vitamin D." He spoke so seriously that Zhane found himself nodding. Sunlight wasn’t just good for the bones; it strengthened the immune system and aided recovery.

And besides, they’d only be out a short while before the sun grew too harsh for patients like them. A little sunbathing would likely do more good than harm.

"Are you sure you’re alright?" Zhane pressed again. Doctor or not, his priority was always his patients, and Leo was no exception.