Harry’s family wasn’t exactly a happy one. His father passed away when he was very young, and his mother also fell seriously ill and left him early.
The time his parents spent with him was never as long as the time Hattie has been by his side.
He has always struggled to understand what feelings he truly harbors for Hattie. Is it a long-planned revenge, hatred, a deep-rooted habit, or perhaps even a gradual affection?
Harry never imagined that he would fall in love with Hattie.
Or perhaps, he never believed he would fall in love with anyone, not even Fiona.
He thought that his life was meant to be as it was-no desires, no requests, able to control everything around him freely without being influenced by anyone.
He truly believed this… believed it for so long…
But when did everything change?
Suddenly, someone appeared in his life who could subtly seep into it like air, catching him off guard, shattering his initial perceptions, and disrupting his grand plans for life. She would bind his body and mind, restricting his freedom, trapping him willingly within her grasp.
He used to think that freedom was about not being controlled by anyone.
But now, he understands freedom as wherever Hattie is, that is where his freedom lies.
As he stepped out of the elevator, he heard the butler say,
-Hattie is being treated in the emergency room for food poisoning.
This was the outcome Harry feared the most, and he felt an unprecedented and palpable fear.
He had anticipated this child, but he feared for Hattie even more.
The butler wanted to comfort Harry, but at this moment, any words of solace would fall on deaf ears. Given Harry’s temperament, he would rather hear the outcome directly than receive false comfort.
The butler said, “Mr. Harry, Miss Mason may not be able to keep this child…”
He personally brought Hattie to the hospital, and he knew exactly how much blood she had lost, how cold her body had become, how weak her breathing was.
She was brought directly to the ICU for treatment as soon as she arrived at the hospital. Being in this place, it was not just a matter of the child’s well-being… it was now endangering Hattie’s life.
Perhaps, losing the child might be considered a relatively good outcome. What’s more feared is losing two lives.
Harry knew well how weak Hattie’s body was. It was not easy for her to conceive, and now that she was in the emergency room, he feared that she might not make it.
Trembling, Harry made his way over, his steps faltering, as if a heavy burden pressed on his shoulders, bearing immense pressure.
He stood outside the ICU, but eventually, his legs gave out, and he knelt on the ground.
Harry was a materialist. More than believing in gods or Buddhas, he believed in himself. But this time, he could not even believe in himself.
All he could do was entrust his faint hope to the heavens and pray while kneeling on the ground.
In this situation, he was not praying for the safety of the child in Hattie’s womb, but rather, he prayed for Hattie to be safe.
There is a saying that hospital walls listen to more prayers than churches.
Hospitals are the closest places to the door of life and death. Joy, sorrow, parting, and regret are all common occurrences, and tears have stained every corner-be it the stairs next to the operating room, the hallway, or the restroom.
Harry did not know how long he knelt. His entire being felt detached, and despite the butler’s attempts to coax him up, Harry was listless.
At this moment, Hattie was still being treated inside, and Harry knelt outside with his shirt wrinkled, looking exhausted and dejected.
After about forty minutes, the doctor emerged. “Are the patient’s family members here?”
“Right here,” the butler replied promptly. He went to help Harry up, who did not refuse the assistance and rose shakily with the help of the butler.
“The patient’s life has been saved, but the child did not make it. She ingested abortifacient food, and you brought her here too late.”
This was the outcome Harry had anticipated. Despite being prepared beforehand, the news of losing the child still evoked an indescribable sorrow within him.
When people are in extreme grief, they are silent. Tears refuse to flow.
Going from happiness in one moment to plunging into hell the next, Harry experienced this for the first time.
It is often said that the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.
“Can I go in to see her?”
“She will be transferred to the hospital room immediately.”
Harry stood at the doorway, watching as Hattie was wheeled out by medical staff. His gaze never wavered from her face.
Hattie had IV lines on the back of her hand. Harry sat by her bed as the doctor explained her treatment plan, and the butler diligently took note.
Harry’s gaze remained fixed on Hattie, as if he wanted to imprint her image in his mind.
After Hattie became pregnant, their relationship had grown tender. Now that the child was gone… Harry didn’t know how to face Hattie.
How would she look at him when she woke up? What would she say to him? Every moment felt like an eternity, yet time seemed to slip through his fingers.
Once the doctor left, the butler called out to Harry, “Mr. Harry.”
“Have the people at the villa been investigated? Who did it?”
“The investigation results are not out yet, but I noticed something off about a person, Mrs. Thompson.”