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Chapter 11 Needs Surgery

  • In actuality, he didn't have to stay and help her out, at least not with their relationship. Though they were getting married, they still hadn't at this point, and even if they had, it was more fitting to describe their relationship as a partnership rather than a marriage.
  • "There's no need for thanks between us. Since we're getting married, your grandmother is naturally mine, and this is something I should do. Apart from being unable to constantly stay by your side, I won't avoid any obligations or responsibilities I should uphold."
  • Tia was rendered speechless momentarily, and she could only nod at him awkwardly.
  • "Of course, if someone wants to covet my wife, I won't give him the chance either." Lewis looked straight at her, dead serious.
  • His words stumped Tia for a split second, and she blushed reflexively. "It's not what you think. There's nothing between us," she explained awkwardly, knowing he was referring to Lance.
  • Lewis chuckled lightly, then nodded and said, "I know that. I just want you to know that our marriage might be a little impetuous, but a marriage is a marriage no matter what. I will treat it seriously."
  • "Right…" Tia mumbled as she nodded.
  • "Let's go in, then. The soup has probably turned cold by now," said Lewis as he turned to head back into the ward.
  • It was only then Tia recalled the reason she had asked him to come out. At that, she grabbed him and said, "Um, why don't you head back first? I can take care of Grandma on my own."
  • "I'll stay. It's better that you have someone looking out for you, after all."
  • "It's fine. I can manage myself. Besides, you have to work tomorrow."
  • "Don't worry about it. I'll just head over earlier tomorrow." Lewis wasn't going to take no for an answer. Since he would be marrying this woman, he had also readied himself to shoulder all sorts of responsibilities.
  • At that, he looked at her and said, "Come on, let's go in."
  • Tia knew she wouldn't be able to change his mind when he was so insistent. Thus, she nodded and pushed the door open to go inside.
  • While she was eating the soup in the ward, Lewis went to the reception to rent a couple of blankets and a foldable lazy chair.
  • Elizabeth was staying in a two-bedded ward, and the other bed was unoccupied. Hence, they only needed a blanket before they were good to go.
  • When Tia watched Lewis return with the blankets and chair, it suddenly hit her that he was really stalwart.
  • Lewis wasn't a man of many words. As usual, he told her to take the empty bed after putting a blanket on it, then unfolded the chair to sleep by the side.
  • However, neither got to use their rentals, for they didn't get a chance to sleep that night. Elizabeth was suddenly struck with a high fever in the middle of the night, and the acute pain in her chest and nausea made it hard for her to go back to sleep. Right after giving Elizabeth first aid, the doctors had her admitted to the ICU. It all happened so fast that they had a hard time adjusting to the situation.
  • Tia stared at her grandmother through the ICU window, her eyes puffy. Meanwhile, fear and worry was written all over her face.
  • Just then, Lewis returned with his phone in his hand, and he patted her shoulder lightly while consoling her, "Don't worry. I've already contacted a doctor, and he'll schedule an operation within these two days. Everything will be okay."
  • However, Tia just stared at her grandmother, wishing how she could be the one lying in there instead of watching Elizabeth like this.
  • "She's all I have left. When I was ten, my mom stabbed my dad to death and ended her own life, lying lifelessly atop him. Ever since then, all I could depend on were my mother's parents. My grandfather passed a few years back, and now it's just Grandma and me. She wanted me to get married, so to make her happy, I kept going on blind dates to find the right guy. Why would she suddenly…" Tia choked on her words.
  • Lewis sighed under his breath as he looked at her. Then, he pulled her into his arms and patted her back while comforting her, "Everything will be okay…"
  • Just like that, the two kept vigil the whole night outside the ICU, and when morning finally came, Elizabeth's condition had alleviated to a controllable condition while her fever broke as well.
  • Since Elizabeth's condition had exacerbated all of a sudden, Lewis didn't return to the research institute that day. Instead, he stayed by Tia's side in the hospital.
  • Lance and Shannon came in the afternoon, and when Lance heard that Elizabeth's condition didn't turn for the better, he offered to make a call anxiously. However, before he could even finish making the call, a man in a suit headed in their direction with Elizabeth's attending physician and the hospital's director, who Lance was about to call.
  • With that, Lewis went up to the man in a suit. "Thanks for coming."
  • The man nodded at Lewis, then took a gander at Tia before announcing, "I've gone through the details with Dr. Chappell just now. Your grandmother's situation isn't looking too good, and she needs to undergo surgery as soon as possible."
  • Lewis frowned in response and glanced at Tia before shooting the man a look. With that, the two headed to the end of the corridor.
  • "How confident are you?" Lewis asked while standing by the window.
  • The man looked at him, then suddenly burst into a chuckle. "Have you no faith in me?" he asked while giving Lewis' shoulder a punch.
  • At that, he patted the man's shoulder and smiled with relief. "I'm glad to hear that."
  • "You shouldn't even have to ask in the first place," the man answered, then glanced over to Tia before shifting his gaze back to Lewis. "Who's that young lady, though? I can't believe she got you to ask your dad to call this little hospital's director. You should've seen how Director Litchfield reacted when he got your dad's call. He was so shocked he could barely speak."
  • To that, Lewis glanced at him and answered, "She's my wife."
  • His tone was so monotonous that it was as if he was stating something super ordinary.
  • However, the man's eyes widened with incredulity as he screeched, "Your wife?!"
  • He looked as though he had gotten the fright of his life, and at that, he blurted out, "You've put Jennie behind you?"
  • Lewis said nothing, only replying to him with a glance before heading back to where Tia was.
  • Realizing he had blurted out what he shouldn't have, he hurriedly cleared his throat. "Right, it has been so long, after all."
  • When the two returned, Director Litchfield had already explained the operation procedures briefly to Tia and the others. He even promised that the hospital would put special emphasis on Elizabeth's case, forming an expert panel to schedule an operation as soon as possible.
  • Tia nodded in response, but she was still worried about the risk of the surgery. "How confident are you guys at this surgery? Will there be any risks?"
  • At that, Lewis went up to her and patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, Geoffrey's an expert in this. There won't be any risks."
  • "Rest assured, I'll be the one performing the surgery. Everything's going to be okay," the man named Geoffrey Lestrange reassured Tia as well.
  • Tia looked toward Geoffrey in response, but she then shifted her gaze to Lewis, still worried.
  • With that, Lewis nodded and reassured her by saying, "Geoffrey is very experienced in this kind of surgery, so you don't have to worry."
  • Tia finally nodded after getting the promise she needed and turned to Geoffrey. "I'm counting on you."