CHAPTER 60: CHAPTER 60: HOLDING HANDS, AS A REWARD

Early the next morning.

Poppy Hale exchanged a few words with the doctor who had rushed over overnight.

Then, she sent Mrs. Hale into the operating room.

The light sign outside the operating room lit up.

Poppy Hale sat alone outside the operating room, her hands and feet icy cold.

Beside her was a thermos cup, opened, containing medicinal herbs that emitted a unique herbal fragrance.

Looking up, she saw Declan Hawthorne, still in hospital attire, standing in front of her.

Seeing her unresponsive.

She seemed utterly disoriented, her eyes empty, looking as if she didn’t even have the strength to cry.

Declan Hawthorne sat down next to her, placing the thermos cup in her hand, and said firmly, "Drink some."

"So that you don’t collapse when your mom’s surgery isn’t even over yet."

Poppy’s fingers were trembling.

She could barely hold the thermos cup steadily.

Declan held her hand, bringing the cup to her lips, forcing her to drink a little.

Inside were some edible herbs, a medicinal meal Declan had arranged to be delivered early in the morning.

After having a bit, Poppy’s face didn’t look as bad as before.

She also regained feeling in her limbs.

Only then did she realize that both of her hands were held by Declan, with no intention of letting go.

His hands were warm and strong, enveloping hers, making her entire being feel warmth and energy.

Their striking looks drew the attention of passing medical staff, who frequently turned back to glance.

Someone whispered in discussion.

"This couple seems close. I heard the man is also sick."

"You don’t know, he came up first thing in the morning and stood there watching for quite a while."

"Oh, so sweet?"

...

Listening to the medical staff’s hushed discussions,

Poppy tried to pull her hand away from Declan’s grip.

After struggling for a while, she found her efforts were fruitless.

She had to softly say, "President Hawthorne."

Declan didn’t respond to her, instead, he brought her hand to his lips and blew on it warmly.

Only after confirming her hands were warm did he release them.

He handed her the thermos cup, asking her to have more.

Poppy had no choice but to take small sips until she completely lost her appetite.

She shook her head, "I really don’t want to eat anymore."

Declan glanced, observing she had eaten a third.

The rest, he consumed himself.

He ate from the exact spot Poppy had, not shifting even an inch away.

It dawned on Poppy—was this actually his breakfast?

Early in the morning.

It must have been hard for him, the boss of such a large corporation, yet sharing a breakfast with her here.

In her heart, she was muttering complaints, but outwardly she politely thanked, "Thank you, President Hawthorne, could you let go of me now?"

One of her hands was still held by Declan.

Their fingers intertwined, an incredibly intimate gesture.

Declan responded casually.

"You ate my breakfast, so as payment, hold my hand a little longer."

Poppy was entirely speechless, "..."

What kind of payment was that?

But when she tried to pull away, his grip only tightened.

"...How long does President Hawthorne want to hold it?"

Declan lifted his chin, glancing in the direction of the operating room, with a warmth even he hadn’t noticed.

"Until the surgery is over."

When he came up, he initially had two breakfast portions.

Allen Shaw took one, winking, saying one was enough for him, and Miss Hale didn’t seem to have much of an appetite.

Standing there, Declan couldn’t help but glance a few more times.

She sat on the floor initially.

Hugging her knees, head buried in them, curled up, looking small and fragile.

Declan’s heart silently ached.

A passing doctor tapped on her shoulder, guiding her to wait on the nearby bench, and she seemed only then to realize there were long seats available.

Without hesitation, he walked over.

When Poppy heard the timing, she hesitated.

"...I don’t know how long it’ll take, it might, take a long time."

Heart bypass surgery can take several to more than ten hours, with specifics being uncertain.

In case, anything unexpected were to happen midway.

Poppy dared not think further.

She trembled as Declan held her hand.

He released it, switched to holding her other hand, using the freed hand to wrap around her frail shoulder from behind.

Pulled her into an embrace.

He gave a quiet acknowledgement.

"Mm."

Falling abruptly into a warm embrace, Poppy felt warmth return to her body.

She didn’t have the heart to think of anything else, only her mother’s well-being.

Declan’s hand gently massaged her shoulder.

Some time passed, and the clock on the wall ticked towards a new hour.

Poppy grew increasingly anxious.

Declan spoke, "Did you also send your father off by yourself?"

"Yes. When my mom fell sick, and my grandma passed, I dealt with it all... and for my dad too, I handled it alone."

She didn’t mention her own situation.

She couldn’t let Declan know she was pregnant at the time.

The man seemed to chat casually, diverting her attention.

"Have you ever thought about giving Florence a little brother or sister in the future? So that if she ever faces something like this, she won’t be alone."

If Florence grows up and encounters such situations...

Poppy felt as if her heart was shattering.

She turned her head slightly, wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes.

That’s when she noticed the apparent bite marks on Declan’s arm.

It must have been painful, judging by how deep it was, and yet he seemed completely unbothered?

Unable to help herself, Poppy said, "President Hawthorne, aren’t you worried about getting a rabies shot? I heard getting bitten can be dangerous too..."

Declan’s arm pulled back a little.

The embrace tightened slightly.

But not to the point of causing discomfort or suffocation, instead, providing an odd sense of security.

The man’s voice carried a teasing smile, "If I went for a shot, what would I say? That I got bitten by a woman?"

"It’s not the first time, last time was fine, this time will be too."

Last time.

Back in college, in particular circumstances, Declan insisted she say things she couldn’t bring herself to utter, and Poppy, in a fit of pique, bit his shoulder.

That bite was deeper than this mark, leaving him unable to raise his arm for quite a while.

Back then, Poppy realized he seemed particularly fond of provoking her anger.

Despite her cautiousness, worried about him being upset with her.

Yet, he always seemed keen on making her mad.

Whenever she threw a fit, feeling guilty, he was particularly indulgent.

Thinking about past events, Poppy’s worries about her mother temporarily subsided.

She muttered, "You deserved it."

Not thinking he’d hear it.

Declan wasn’t angry, "That time was forgotten. Was it deserved this time too?"

Poppy, feeling guilty, said nothing.

The door of the operating room was pushed open, and she swiftly stood up, eager to inquire about the situation.

Only to find herself dizzy from standing too quickly.

The man’s hand reached out, holding her waist, already ahead of her in conversing with the doctor.

The doctor removed his mask.

"The surgery was successful, family members can rest assured."

The doctor, a respected expert and authority in the field, looked at Declan with a smile, "You kid, one call pulled me out of bed, I thought it was a tricky surgery!"

Noticing Poppy still embraced by Declan, he added a teasing remark.

"Tell your girlfriend not to worry, the patient is in no serious condition."