Rachel lowered her gaze to the critically-ill notice in Carson’s hand but didn’t take it.It looked as though
she was trying to process a lot on her mind.
The doctor pressed, "Please, hurry up and sign your name here.We don’t have all the time."
Roger frowned, creases appearing on his forehead, as he looked at Rachel.
He moved his lips in an attempt to speak.
"Rachel, if…"
But before he could finish speaking, Rachel grabbed the pen and the notice from Carson’s hand and
signed her name on it.
Seeing that she had signed it, the doctor rushed forward to collect it.
After confirming that the signature was correct, he swept a glance at them.
"You can just wait outside.We don’t know when the operation will be over for the time being."
With that, the doctor swiftly disappeared into the operating room.
When the door of the operating room was closed again, Rachel still had the pen in her hand.She stared
blankly as she couldn’t get the words "critically-ill notice" out of her mind.
"Rachel?" Roger called with concern.
Rachel snapped back to reality.She closed the pen lid, then turned to look at Roger.Her lips slightly
parted as she wanted to say that she was fine, but she couldn’t find her voice.
She tried to force a smile but failed.
It felt as though a boulder was on her chest, making it hard for her to breath.
‘What happened to me?’ she thought.
"Let’s go see Joe, shall we?"
Seeing Rachel’s expression, Roger suddenly felt a sense of powerless, as if he would lose her again if
he didn’t say anything.He was not stupid.He understood the look on Rachel’s face.
Because he was once like that.
She might have just not realized it yet, but he could tell that her feelings for Victor were not as casual
as she thought.
"Joe will wake up soon."
Carson took the pen from Rachel’s hand, and slid one hand in his pocket.
"You should go see him first.I know you’ll be the first person he would want to see when he wakes up."
Rachel’s eyelashes fluttered, but she said nothing.
"I’ll wait here," Carson added.
Rachel raised her eyes to meet Carson’s gaze, and only after a long while did she speak in a hoarse
voice.
"Okay.Call me if anything happens."
When Rachel and Roger walked into the ward, Joey was still asleep.
Andy was standing beside the bed, looking at the boy with concern all over his face.
Only when they got closer did Rachel see Joey’s face clearly.
His forehead was wrapped in gauze, and there were visible bruises on his right cheek.
"I’ve asked the doctor.He just bumped his head a little.The gauze was to prevent infection.The bruises
will heal in a few days, and there will be no scars left," Andy said.
Rachel nodded slowly and walked to the bedside, gently stroking Joey’s face in a bid not to hurt him.
When her fingertips touched his soft cheek and she felt his body temperature, Rachel felt so relieved
that everything nat had held her emotions together broke loose.
Her eyes quickly reddened as the urge to cry hung in her throat.
Roger gently placed his hand on her shoulder and handed her a piece of tissue.
"It’s all over now.He’s sare.Only then did Rachel feel the warm trickle of tears on her cheeks.
She took the tissue and wiped her tears.
Glancing at her watch, she said, "Andy, Roger, it’s been a long day.It’s getting late and you haven’t
eaten anything yet.Why don’t you eat something and go home to rest? I will watch him."
"Can you do it alone?" Andy asked with concern.
"I’ll stay too.We may need to call the doctor to check on Joe as soon as he wakes up.Besides, once the
anesthetic wears off, he will feel pain and may find it hard to sleep again.You have had a long day.We
can take shifts to take care of him," Roger said.
"I can handle this.You should leave now."
"Rachel…"
Rachel insisted, "Roger, you’ve done enough today and I appreciate it.But I’m sorry, I want to be alone
now."
Roger’s Adam’s apple moved up and down, but he didn’t insist.
With a wry smile, he nodded and said, "Okay, but if you need anything, just call me at any time.My
phone will be on tonight."
Rachel pursed her lips, saying nothing.
Roger took her silence as his cue to leave.He turned towards the door as he and Andy exited the ward.
The door of the ward creaked gently as it closed behind them Rachel sat on the edge of the bed, her
gaze falling on the door for a moment.
She shifted her gaze back to Joey, who was still in a coma.
Looking at his face, which was a replica of Victor’s, she suddenly remembered what Carson had just
said.
"Joe is Victor’s sole remaining family member."
"Only you can sign this."
Those words hit her so hard, like a hammer.
"Mommy…"
Joe stirred, slightly opening his eyes.He subconsciously wanted to move his right hand, but couldn’t as
the pain seared through him.
His voice was nearly above a whisper but was clear enough to be heard in the quiet ward.
Rachel quickly put herself together.
"Joe, are you okay?"
Joey’s blurry sight slowly gave way to the clearness of the fluorescent light in the ward and the white-
painted walls.
He looked around and then looked at Rachel, saying in a low voice, "Mommy, it hurts."
Immediately, his eyes travelled down to see his arm, covered with a plaster "Your arm was broken and
the effect of the anesthetic has worn off, so it will hurt a little.Honey, just bear a little more,"
Rachel said softly as she gently stroked Joey’s face.
Seeing his injured arm, Joey’s memory before the coma became clearer and clearer.He gradually
remembered what had happened.
"Mommy, where is Daddy?"
He remembered jumping down from the window with Victor and just as they jumped, he heard an ear-
splitting explosion.He barely had time to look before he felt a strong force, then he blacked out.
Rachel stopped stroking his face and said, "He…"
Not missing the awkward look on Rachel’s face, Joey asked anxiously, "Mommy, what happened to
Daddy? Where is he?"
Rachel met Joey’s gaze, her eyes blinked involuntarily.She quickly looked away and said in a feigned
relaxed tone, "He’s fine.He was injured, just like you.He’s in another ward now."
"Really?" Joey asked in doubt.
"Is Daddy truly okay?"
He remembered Victor holding him tightly in his arms when the explosion happened.
Even with Victor’s protection, he was still injured.Wouldn’t Victor’s injury be worse then?
"Yeah," Rachel said, almost in a whisper.
"That’s good."
With that, Joey heaved a sigh of relief.
"Mommy, can I go see Daddy later?"
"No, you just woke up.You can’t move about."
"I’m fine."
After a pause, Joey added, "Or you can go see him and take a video of him for me.I want to confirm
that he’s fine."
Rachel only looked at him with no words coming from her.
As if remembering something, Joey added, "By the way, Mommy, it seems that Daddy has known my
identity…"
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