Chapter 3 Heartache

• Hector had barely finished his sentence when the patient monitor began to beep.
• Patrick replied, “I heard you, Grandpa. I'll marry the eldest daughter of the Ashton family.”
• He wanted to reassure his grandfather.
• Kevin and some hospital staff had arrived then and began giving him emergency treatment. They eventually wheeled Hector to the ICU.
• Meanwhile, Gwendolyn frantically peppered the ICU staff with questions.
• “When can my daughter leave the ICU? Can I go in to accompany her?”
• Her anxiety was palpable, and her eyes reddened, threatened by a fresh wave of tears.
• The nurse answered, “She needs to stay in the hospital overnight for observation. You can come back in twenty-four hours. We'll take good care of her.”
• Gwendolyn was hardly going to leave the hospital without her daughter, though she still nodded and said, “Thank you.”
• Half an hour later, Patrick arrived at the ICU entrance, where a waiting nurse greeted him.
• “How is my grandfather doing?”
• The nurse checked the files in her hand and replied, “Old Mr. Lowen is still in a critical condition, Mr. Lowen. We need to observe him for twenty-four hours. The director has prepared a lounge for you.”
• Every hospital staff knew who Patrick Lowen was. He was a close friend of their director, Kevin, and he had visited his grandfather at the hospital almost daily for the past six years. They admired his filial piety.
• Patrick acknowledged the nurse's explanation with a nod. “I understand.”
• He turned around after that, and he noticed that a woman hunched over in the corner of the room. She hugged herself, with her toes curled and her head buried between her knees. It was a pitiful sight.
• Patrick removed his coat and draped it over the woman before heading for the elevator.
• Gwendolyn lifted her head, her gaze fixed on his broad back. She called out, “Thank you! How should I return your coat?”
• Patrick stepped into the elevator. Right before the doors closed, he said, “Keep it. I don't know who's ill, but you should keep yourself healthy while taking care of another.”
• His show of concern for this stranger was out of character for Patrick. He was surprised by his own actions as well.
• When the elevator doors closed, Patrick smirked and shook his head.
• Gwendolyn pulled his coat tighter around herself, reveling in the residual warmth of his body.
• She sniffed and breathed in the faint, pleasant scent lingering on the coat.
• Sometime later, the elevator doors opened and out walked two young boys. The boy walking in front wore a black windbreaker, and he carried a long, white down jacket.
• A boy wearing a gray and white-striped baseball uniform and cap trailed him, a pair of snow boots in his arms.
• Thanks to their chiseled features, both boys were extremely handsome. They looked so alike that anyone could tell they were twins at first glance.
• A man dressed in a gray coat walked behind the boys. Despite his dashing features, Zayden Surrington looked nothing like the boys.
• The older of the two boys was Justin Ashton. He walked to Gwendolyn's side, a hint of anguish in his eyes.
• “Mommy, you should wear this.”
• By then, Justin had noticed the man's coat wrapped around his mother. He guessed that a kind-hearted stranger had given it to Gwendolyn.
• Guilt flitted across the expression of Gwendolyn's second son, Julian Ashton.
• He asked worriedly, “Mommy, why didn't you bring Justin and me along? We could've helped you.”
• Julian bent down and gently pulled Gwendolyn's feet into his lap. He planned to warm them up before coaxing her to wear her shoes.
• Meanwhile, Zayden sat beside Gwendolyn, watching as her sons rubbed her feet and tucked her into a coat. Envy swelled in his chest.
• He asked, “Gwen, why didn't you tell me Juliette was sick? I promised I would take care of all of you.”