Ranita had always been strong, but whether it was Ayaan or Brendon, they were the most important people in her heart and now they were both lying in the emergency room together. She couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to either of them.
Ranita tried to swallow her food, but her throat was too dry and she began coughing violently. She didn’t know if it was from choking or just feeling overwhelmed, but tears streamed down her face.
“Ranita…” Jedidiah and Alexia both felt for her.
Ranita lived the first fifteen years of her life with the Bowman family like a princess. She had everything she wanted, loving parents, and an indulgent older brother. She had never shed a tear. But after Chole returned, Ranita intentionally distanced herself from the Bowman family to prove that she could live independently, no matter how hard or exhausting it was, without shedding a tear.
But now…
Jedidiah’s heart ached with dull pain.
“Don’t worry, Ayaan and Brendon will be fine!” Jedidiah reassured, and Alexia followed, saying, “Yes, yes, they will be safe. Before I came, I prayed for their safety. They will be fine.”
Ranita remained silent, wiping away her tears and continuing to eat.
After some time, the doctor finally came out. “The child’s condition has improved slightly, but he is currently running a high fever, and his situation is still critical.”
“As for the adult, his drowning situation is more severe. We have performed emergency procedures, but we cannot estimate the extent of nerve damage, and we cannot predict when he will regain consciousness.”
“Both of them will need to be observed in the intensive care unit tonight. Prepare yourselves, family members.”
Ranita felt like there was cotton stuck in her chest.
“What does that mean? What do you mean by not knowing when he will wake up?” Ranita opened her mouth but felt as if she was drowning in water, unable to breathe.
The doctor explained helplessly, “Mr. Stuart’s drowning was quite severe, and we have done our best.”
Ranita felt her surroundings darken.
The voices around her became distant, and the world spun. Ranita fainted.
In the quiet night, when Ranita woke up, she saw a gentle white light. She turned her head and found Jedidiah sleeping at the bedside.
Ranita blinked her eyes and her mind started to clear, remembering Ayaan and Brendon.
As soon as Ranita moved, Jedidiah woke up. “Ranita, take it easy!”
“Brother, how are Ayaan and Brendon?” Ranita asked anxiously, getting out of bed. Jedidiah held her back and shook his head, “They are still under observation, we can’t go in.”
“I want to see them!” Ranita couldn’t give up.
Jedidiah knew she was worried, so he reluctantly accompanied her to the intensive care unit. When Ranita saw Ayaan and Brendon’s condition, her heart shattered.
“Brother… it’s all my fault!” Ranita felt immense regret. Why did she have to go to the bathroom? If she hadn’t walked away, Ayaan wouldn’t have been taken, and Brendon wouldn’t have jumped off the bridge to save him…
“Ranita! Don’t blame yourself! No one could have predicted this!” Jedidiah had been busy even after Ranita fainted. The coast guard found Sophia, but she was already gone. The police found her ex-husband, who immediately distanced himself when he heard that she had snatched someone else’s child and jumped into the river. He didn’t even help retrieve the body.
“The police investigated Sophia and found she had a history of mental illness, and now she’s dead.”
Now, they couldn’t hold anyone accountable for what happened.
Jedidiah felt frustrated.