CHAPTER 437: CHAPTER 437: FORTUNE BORN OF MISFORTUNE

Ronan Rhodes frowned and pressed on, "What do you mean ’worsened again’?"

The doctor looked at the information on the computer and said, "The records show that Miss Sheffield came to the hospital three years ago for depression treatment. It was when she first came that her condition was the most severe. It improved over the past two years, but recently, it’s relapsed."

Ronan: "What’s the reason?"

Doctor: "I don’t know why she developed depression three years ago; you’d need to ask her psychologist. However, to protect the patient’s privacy, they probably won’t tell you. Recently, her condition worsened, possibly related to her recently being diagnosed with ALS."

"What disease?" Ronan was confused.

The doctor explained blandly, "It’s what we commonly refer to as Lou Gehrig’s disease."

"Simply put, it’s a condition where the patient’s limbs, trunk, chest, and abdomen experience muscle weakness and atrophy."

Ronan was unfamiliar with this disease, froze a bit, and cautiously asked, "Is it life-threatening?"

The doctor sighed and said, "Hard to say; there’s currently no effective medication or treatment for this disease. If it doesn’t threaten the respiratory muscles, there won’t be a risk to life. Some patients may have only a year or even just a few months from onset to death, but some can endure for many long years. Everything depends on the patient’s own condition; it’s all still uncertain."

The doctor’s words echoed in Ronan’s mind, and he soon searched online for information related to this disease.

He seemed to suddenly understand why she cried that day, why she always used a spoon to eat, and had several times broken bowls and plates...

...and why she was unwilling to accept his marriage proposal.

Because she was very aware herself of the terrible situations she would face in the near future.

Paralysis, inability to take care of herself, or even death...

When Ronan found her, she had just come out of the psychological treatment room, her eyes red, clearly having cried.

Bumping into Ronan at the door, she looked very surprised and quickly looked down to wipe her eyes; before she could compose herself, she was enveloped in a warm embrace.

"I know everything now," Ronan said in a steady voice.

Charlotte Sheffield’s mood was still a bit low; although she didn’t understand the implications of his words, she felt a sense of regaining something lost as someone she thought wouldn’t return was now holding her tightly.

He hadn’t shown up these past two days, nor had he called or sent messages. She kept thinking it was because she spoke too harshly that day, leading him to give up on her and pursue someone new.

Seeing her in a bad mood right now, Ronan didn’t confront her directly.

He explained what he’d been doing these past two days and clarified why he’d been out of contact so she could let go of her guesses and doubts.

He found a restaurant with a tranquil environment to take her for lunch.

After ordering, Ronan saw Charlotte’s mood had stabilized a bit and tentatively asked her, "What did the doctor say?"

Charlotte looked up at him somewhat startled.

Ronan then explained, "I know everything now, about the ALS... Why didn’t you ever tell me?"

Charlotte frowned and lowered her head, saying nothing.

Ronan: "Is it because of this that you’re afraid you’ll burden me in the future, or fear I’ll abandon you? Is that why you haven’t agreed to be with me?"

Charlotte still said nothing but it was clear he had touched on her true thoughts.

"You should have told me earlier, and it’s partly my fault for being careless, not noticing anything for so long. Charlotte, don’t think so poorly of me; I’ve changed a lot since meeting you, and I’ve truly decided to spend my life with you. No matter what you may become in the future, I won’t regret my decision now, so... stop avoiding me, okay?"

During the two days he was gone, Charlotte thought a lot, and her psychologist also suggested she shouldn’t have too many worries, and should follow her heart and desires, not placing too much pressure on herself.

And she was thinking about what she really wanted inside.

Regarding her feelings for Ronan, she wasn’t sure if she could call them love.

Maybe it was because she didn’t dare to hope for something like love, so she’d never thought in that direction, let alone about spending a lifetime together.

But she clearly knew she seemed to have grown accustomed to his presence; she didn’t want to overanalyze the truth of the promises he made.

Even if the illness soon robbed her of her right to pursue happiness, she could still choose not to leave with regret...

"...But what if I leave soon?" After a long time, Charlotte asked quietly, her eyes moist.

The way she looked made Ronan think of the first time he saw her, invoking an undeniable sense of compassion.

Ronan: "Don’t speak nonsense; this disease isn’t terminal. Wasn’t Hawking a sufferer too? He was barely in his twenties when diagnosed, yet lived many decades. So don’t always think about the worst-case scenario."

Charlotte lowered her gaze, silent and pondering.

Ronan didn’t know what else she was worried about, but he analyzed all possibilities for her: "Think about it. If you can’t walk in the future, can’t take care of yourself, wouldn’t you need someone to care for you even more? Wouldn’t I be a good choice?"

Charlotte looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears of emotion.

When she first found out about this disease, she hadn’t known him yet; she had indeed been worried that one day if her hands became less agile, her legs unable to move, she wouldn’t be able to leave that small room, perhaps dying in it with no one knowing.

When he first appeared, she didn’t hold much hope; she didn’t want to deceitfully persuade him to stay by her side due to her own needs.

For one, she thought that a man like him couldn’t have the patience to care for her when she was incapable of taking care of herself; for another, even if he could do it, she didn’t want to burden his life like a useless person.

Because without her, he could actually be happier.

Ronan seemed to see through her thoughts and said, "Charlotte, trust me this one time; I’ve never spent so much effort on a woman, nor seriously thought about wanting to live a lifetime with one. Let me take care of you, okay?"

Charlotte looked up at him, and the two of them silently met gazes for quite a while. Charlotte asked him, "Do you want to marry me?"

Ronan smiled suddenly, relaxing, and replied, "As long as you’re ready, we can do it anytime. If you’re worried, we can go get the marriage license now and later find time to hold the wedding. Just happens I have a week’s vacation."

Charlotte’s lips curled into a smile, feeling as if his appearance was the luck she’d exchanged for all her misfortunes.

Seeing her smile, the curve of Ronan’s lips widened a bit more, and he told her, "You look much prettier when you smile."