Elena did not know when Michael had returned. As soon as she heard the news that his grandmother was seriously ill, she immediately dashed toward the school gate.
The old madam had been unwell, and she was admitted to the emergency room. Everyone from the Mu family had rushed to the hospital. After she got into the car, she clutched her palms tightly.
She was so tense, so inexpressibly tensed!
In her past life, the old madam lived for half a year after her marriage, but that was then. Elena’s life trajectory had completely deviated in her new life. Elena did not know the real situation with the old madam or whether she would be able to pull through!
Michael had a long sullen look. He looked like he was tired from a long journey. He had rushed back from abroad after he received the bad news. Elena had not seen him for a couple of days, and he seemed to have grown even colder. For some reason, he seemed even more unapproachable than before that.
Elena was worried sick about the old madam, so she did not pay any attention to the man next to her. The two of them did not speak much along the journey to the hospital. They were both in an anxious mood.
Finally, they arrived at the hospital’s car park. As soon as they got out of the car, Michael took Elena’s hand and walked quickly toward the elevator. Everyone was on the 17th floor, where they waited outside the operation theater. They looked solemn, and none of them said a word to each other.
When he saw Elena, Old Master WilliamsWilliams stood up suddenly and commanded in a deep voice, “You, come with me.”
Elena thought he was speaking to Michael, so she immediately released his hand and stepped aside. However, she did not expect Old Master Williams to walk directly to her, and when he saw her lack of reaction, he grabbed her by the wrist.
“Grandfather…” Even Michael was puzzled. He did not know what the old man wanted with her.
“Your grandmother wants to see her.” Old Master Williams said nothing more as he took Elena to the operation room.
Everyone was stunned. They watched as the old man knocked on the door to the theater. When the nurse came out and heard that she was ‘Elena,’ they took her into the room immediately. Even the old man was left outside the door.
“What’s the matter?” Michael frowned. His long legs paced around the entrance to the operation theater.
Old Master Williams glanced at him. His solemn and grim expression remained unchanged.
After a while, he said, “The doctor said that she has been calling Elena’s name repeatedly.”
The old man could not recall who she had meant. He thought that Michael had only agreed to the engagement to please the old madam. The old man was not satisfied with Elena at all. How could such an ugly woman deserve to be his most outstanding grandson’s significant other? However, the old lady had been persistent, and she insisted that Michael and Third Young Miss GarciaGarcia be engaged. What more could he say? He could only agree with her wishes. As for the future, after the old madam… He had made other plans for then. He would never accept an ugly woman as Young Madam Williams. After all, it was essential for the family’s facade. He did not want to be ridiculed in public. That was why he never remembered the name of the Garcia family’s Third Young Miss, who was to be married into his family.
Who was the ‘Elena’ that the old madam had been calling for? He did not have the faintest idea. He thought that the old madam had been babbling about some nonsense. He was only reminded of the name when he saw Elena with Michael. When the old lady saw Elena at the Williams family’s gathering, she had called her Elena too!
Out of the many juniors in the Williams family, no one knew why the old madam had only wanted to see Elena. Old Master Williams also wondered why his wife would favor the girl who had only just gotten engaged to their eldest grandson. She had loved Elena ever since she became part of their family. Old Madam Williams had even asked the girl to sit next to her during the banquet. None of the young misses from the Williams family had ever enjoyed such special treatment.
Elena was confused as to why the old madam would want to see her so badly at such a critical time. After she went through several rounds of disinfection and sterilization procedures, she stood utterly shocked and speechless. The frail old madam had been intubated to receive life support to keep her alive. She had tubes attached to many places on her body.
She looked horribly thin and fragile as if she would be blown away if the wind was a little stronger. Tears puddled in her eyes, and her nose felt sour as she almost burst into tears.
“Grandmother…” She crouched next to the bed and took the old madam’s hand in her palms. She turned to look at the doctor.
The doctor shook his head. “I have tried my best. Now, we could only hope for her to wake up on her own.”
There had been no problem with the operation, but the old lady was too weak. Even if they took her out of the operation room, she would be transferred to the intensive care unit.
In short, they did not know if she would survive. It all depended on the old madam’s will to live
“Grandmother, it’s me. It’s Elena, and I’m here.”
She did not know why the old madam needed her, but at that moment, she realized that she needed the old madam too. Amongst the people from the Williams family, the old madam had treated her the best!
“Grandmother…”
“Elena…” the old madam’s cracked lips murmured.
Elena was startled and looked up at the doctor for help. The doctor nodded and signaled her to continue talking to the old madam.
Elena took a deep breath and softly said, “Grandmother, I’m Elena. Elena is here. Grandmother, do you have something to tell Elena?”
“Elena…” The old lady was a little more alert, and she seemed excited to hear her voice. Her eyelids trembled, but she did not open her eyes.
The doctor and the medical assistants immediately went to examine the old madam and studied the data displayed on the life support machine carefully. The data showed signs of gradual improvement. Even though they did not yet show a good vital sign, they were much better than before that. The doctor looked at Elena and nodded his encouragement.
Elena squeezed the old madam’s hand as she continued to speak with a trembling but softer voice.
“Grandmother, I am here. I am Elena. Grandmother, can you hear me? Grandmother…”
“Elena…”
The old madam’s fingers moved, and very slowly, she squeezed Elena’s hands. Her voice was hoarse and intermittent; even the doctor could hardly hear her.
“Elena, my… granddaughter. Elena, Elena…”
“Grandmother, I am here. I am here!”
It seemed like the grandmother had seen her as her granddaughter! Even though Elena did not know why she treated her so well, she could feel the warmth and love that Grandmother showered upon her. She had never even felt that way with anyone from the Garcia family.
“Grandmother…”
“Only Michael… can protect you. Elena, only Michael…”
Elena was perplexed because she could not understand why Grandmother had always insisted that only Eldest Young Master Williams could keep her safe. Was she not safer away from Michael? Out of all the dangerous situations that she had been embroiled in, at least half of those people had targeted her because of her connection with Michael. Why did his grandmother think that Elena would only be safe with him by her side?
“Grandmother…”
“Only Michael. Elena, must… be with Michaeli.”
Suddenly, the old lady tightened her fingers to hold her hand in a tight grip.
Elena was shocked, so she called for the doctor. “Is Grandmother about to wake up? Doctor, please, take a look. Is she waking up?”