NovelTrueAfter Naylor set Henry down, the boy walked straight toward Jessica.
Jessica was leaning against the wall, her gaze fixed anxiously on the doors to the operating room. She was
silently praying that Timothy's surgery would go
smoothly.
The last thing she wanted was to owe him such a life-altering debt.
All her attention was wrapped around the worries in her heart.
Suddenly, a small, warm hand slipped into hers.
Glancing to her side, she saw Henry looking up at her with innocent, searching eyes.
His expression was riddled with guilt, uncertainty, and a hint of fear.
Henry was afraid she might push him away.
The look in her son's eyes made Jessica's heart soften.
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She didn't say a word or pull away. She simply let Henry hold her hand in his steady, silent grip.
Across the waiting room, Vince glanced over at them. The sight of mother and son standing together was
unexpectedly harmonious.
Blood ties are powerful-just like siblings separated for years, not recognizing each other at first, but still drawn
together by something deep and unspoken. No matter the years or the distance, that pull remained, urging them
closer.
Meanwhile, Yates pressed his lips into a tight line. He'd never actually seen Jessica and Henry together before;
this was his first time, and the image unsettled him. It was as if Jessica and Henry, standing hand in hand,
belonged exclusively to Timothy—even though Timothy wasn't even with them at that moment, it felt as though
his nwas etched invisibly across both of them.
Yates couldn't quite explain why he felt this way, but the feeling was sharp and undeniable.
He realized his childhood engagement to Jessica might not stand a chance.
Maybe Jessica had already made her choice all those years ago.
Still, resentment gnawed at him.
How had he lost to Timothy?
What did Timothy have that he didn't?
It would be many years before Yates finally understood the answer.
Tcrawled by, each passing second an ordeal for Jessica.
Henry didn't say a word—not even "Mom." He was afraid that if he spoke, Jessica would snap out of her daze and
let go of his hand.
It struck him, standing there, how long it had been since he and his mother had been this close-how many years
since they'd held hands like this.
The surgery, neither long nor short, lasted about three hours. At last, the doors to the operating room swung
open.
Herbert emerged first, looking utterly exhausted. He had led the operation as chief surgeon—a renowned
neurologist, with a team of other specialists assisting. Everyone hurried forward.
Herbert pulled off his mask, about to speak, when he suddenly collapsed. "Herbert!"
Jessica let go of Henry's hand and rushed over.
Henry felt his heart sink like a stone.
He was no longer the most important person in his mother's world.
Thankfully another doctor quickly cout produced a small bottle none of them recognized, and held it under
Herbert's nose. After a
moment, Herbert slowly regained consciousness.
Everyone's nerves were stretched taut. Timothy's previous attending physician helped steady Herbert and
addressed the anxious crowd at the door: Please don't worry. The surgery was a complete success. There's no
risk of the patient falling into a coma. Once the anesthesia wears off, we'll wait for him to wake up. Dr. Wheeler
was under tremendous pressure during this operation-he's completely worn out. I'll take him to rest now."
Herbert could barely stand. The staff quickly brought over a wheelchair.
Jessica stepped forward. "Letpush him."
Sallie, seeing how attentive Jessica
was to Herbert, felt a pang of jealousy. But remembering that Herbert had just saved Timothy's life, she
swallowed her feelings and catted softly, "Dr. Wheeler."
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