Charles‘ POV:
We took Grandma to the hospital immediately.
With a low growl, I clenched my fist and smashed it against the wall.
The pain spread from my hand to my heart, and guilt and regret almost drowned me.I could hardly
breathe.
"I‘m sorry." Caroline‘s apologetic voice came from behind me.
"It‘s not your fault. Don‘t blame yourself."
I went to her immediately and tried to comfort her.
"If something happens to Grandma, I…"
Caroline sobbed as her tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks.
Tutting softly, I wiped her tears away and tried to reassure both Caroline and myself.
"I have invited the best expert in the country to treat Grandma.She will be fine."
Grandma‘s operation lasted for six hours.
Eventually, the doctor walked out of the operating room and took off his mask.
"Her leg was slightly broken, but the operation was successful."
After several hours of feeling like I couldn‘t breathe, the boulder constricting my airways was finally
lifted at his news
"But…"
The doctor began and my heart rate skyrocketed at the serious expression on his face.
His eyes found mine and he continued in a grave voice.
"The patient is too old to undergo the craniotomy operation, so the blood clot in her brain can‘t be
removed, and there may be some sequela."
"Sequela? What are the sequela?" Caroline asked nervously.
"It‘s hard to say for the time being.It may affect her vision, hearing, physical movements, or she may
not even wake up." My heart jolted.
"Is there nothing else we can try?"
"Well, there is only one person who can probably help her."
"Who is it?"
"Hugo Neame, the most authoritative brain specialist in France. But I heard that he wouldn‘t leave
France, so…"
"Perhaps I can have more luck in convincing him," Caroline said happily.
Caroline‘s POV:
Tracy drove me to Dad‘s villa after we talked to Grandma‘s doctor.
"Caroline, why are you so anxious? What happened?" Dad asked, his voice going high with concern.
"Dad, I need you to contact Hugo and ask him to come to Los Angeles.Christine has a brain injury.He is
the only one who can perform the surgery." I cried, my anxious gaze pleading with him to oblige my
request.
"Caroline, you know that Hugo is a stubborn man.Since the accident that caused his wife‘s death in Los
Angeles, he has been unwilling to return to the states."
With a rueful grimace, Dad shook his head.
"But last time…"
"The last time Hugo managed to get over his stubbornness long enough to make the trip was because
of the favor he owes me for helping him out of a difficult spot."
"Dad, Christine has always treated me like her own granddaughter.I must save her."
"You have already paid off what you owed the Moore family.There is no need to have anything to do
with them again," Dad said coldly.
"As long as I can save her, I will promise you anything."
I pleaded with him, unwilling to give up.
The thought of Grandma in a coma made my heart ache.
"Will you agree to any condition" Dad asked, raising his eye browe.
"Yes." I nodded firmly for a long while, Dad stayed silent, pondering something
Eventually, he turned to stare me down intently
"Does your promise extend to Charles if i ask you to never see hun again, will you do it? My eyes
widened in disbelief and my heart sank. Could I promise him that I would never see Charles again? No,
I couldn‘t make such a promise.
My mouth wouldn‘t even form the words.
Just thinking about it wrenched my heart into a million pieces It was so painful that I could hardly
breathe.
But Grandma… I couldn‘t let her die because of my own selfish desires.
Biting my lower lip, I suppressed my bitterness at his demand and forced the words out.
"Yes, I promise.I won‘t see him again."
Dad nodded with satisfaction.
"How can you promise him something like that?!"
Tracy snapped, her eyes wide with indignation.
"You should head back.Tell Charles that I will invite Hugo to perform the surgery on Grandma."
My reply was succinct and devoid of any emotion.
Opening her mouth, Tracy tried to say something but then decided against it.
Without another word, she turned around and left.
Heartbroken, I closed my eyes and comforted myself with the knowledge that I‘d made the right
decision.
The pain I was feeling right now was inconsequential as long as Grandma recovered.
Her health was the only important thing right now and whatever I had to do to ensure it didn‘t matter.
Maybe Charles and I were not meant to be together.
Dad patted me gently on the back and comforted me in a soft voice, "Caroline, you have to start a new
life.There are many excellent men around you, such as Simon…"
"Dad, I have no feelings for Simon!" I blurted, finally breaking down.
The dam holding back my tears burst and I fell to the floor, loud, ugly tears racking my frame.
Dad caressed my hair and comforted me silently.
A long while later, I finally ran out of tears.
"Dad, why are you so insistent on pairing me up with Simon?" I asked.
His efforts to make a match between Simon and I were more like a heavy burden for me.It suffocated
me and left me with no chance to breathe.
"It‘s because Simon grew up right in front of me.I know exactly what kind of man he is.If you marry him,
I will be rest assured that you are in good hands." Dad sighed.
"But love can‘t be forced."
"Caroline, why do you dislike Simon so much? Didn‘t he do well enough?" Dad asked in confusion.
"Simon is a good man, but I just don‘t love him," I said firmly A marriage without love would not be a
happy one.
Now that I had made up my mind, I shouldn‘t give Simon any hope.
Otherwise, it would only hurt him more deeply Dad sighed helplessly, "Simon is also a poor young
man.As a matter of fact, I have something to do with the death of his father, Eason."
My eyes widened in disbelief.
"You‘re kidding, aren‘t you?"
Dad shook his head before explaining with a sad smile.
"Eason and I were good friends.But then we fought over a business deal.Eason hired kidnappers to
ambush me at the airport."
"How could he do something like that to you?"
Absently, Dad patted me on the shoulder and continued with his tale.
"Eason‘s driver, Ken, was afraid that he will be implicated if this kidnapping was exposed, so he told me
about Eason‘s plan in advance.It was thanks to his tip that I was able to avoid it and changed the date
of my flight."
"Then how did Eason die?" I asked with a furrowed brow.
Dad‘s silence spoke volumes and a horrible thought occurred to me.
Immediately, I banished the insane thought.
If Dad had really killed Eason, then why did he raise and treat Simon like his own son?
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