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Chapter 558 This World, So Warm
Antwan finally fell asleep, a faint smile lingering on his lips, peaceful and sweet. He regarded Shirley as
his strong backing.
He thought, "With Shirley around, the sky is clear, the wind is gentle, and even the air tastes sweet.
Without her, it would be the end of the world, the apocalypse. I wouldn't even have the desire to live.
Although it's sick to think this way, I’ve gradually become addicted and can't break free."
Silently, Shirley watched the sleeping man, sighing softly. Is she tired? Of course, she is. How could
she not be? It's not just physical exhaustion but also mental fatigue. Antwan has always been a fanatic,
extreme in his actions. He used to proclaim the value of "if one dies, we die together," always disrupting
orderly situations and turning them into chaos.
Now, he had become a well-behaved child, restraining all his aggression, arrogance, and madness. He
treated her as his world as if he had become a different person. But the more he changed, the greater
the psychological burden on Shirley. She felt he was too pitiful, and his cautiousness under
suppression was heart-wrenching.
And all of this was caused by her!
Thoughts of encountering Braden during the day resurfaced in her mind, causing her to feel
inexplicably irritated.
She thought, "Why did someone who shouldn't have crossed paths with me intrude upon my peaceful
life and disturb the calm lake of my heart?
Ultimately, it's because I didn't sever my attachment completely... It's truly shameful, truly pathetic!"
Shirley stepped out of the hospital room and entered the dimly lit corridor, lighting a cigarette. The
flickering flame and thin smoke scattered in the darkness. The taste of nicotine provided some
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtrelaxation to her mind.
In these past six months, perhaps due to the immense psychological pressure, she had started
smoking. She knew it wasn't a good habit and would harm her health, but she couldn't resist it. It was
like some emotions -knowing they shouldn't exist, but once they do, they become a disaster, impossible
to control.
At that moment, two nurses arrived, each lighting a cigarette and engaging in casual conversation.
"Hey, have you heard? The woman who was just admitted is Alina, the heiress of the Gilmore Group.
And the man who carried her into the hospital is none other than the famous president of the Stewart
Group, Braden!"
"Oh my God, that's the legendary Braden? He's so handsome, and his boyfriend material is off the
charts!"
"No kidding. I heard Ms. Gilmore got hit by a car while trying to pick up a cup..."
"Tsk tsk, what kind of cup is so precious that the heiress risks her life to pick it up?"
"Who knows, maybe it was a gift from her lover, holding special meaning!"
Shirley stood a little below the corridor, clearly overhearing the conversation between the two nurses.
Her heart tightened, filled with curiosity, and she asked, "How is the patient now? Is she okay?"
The sudden voice startled the two nurses. They couldn't quite make out Shirley's appearance, but one
of the nurses honestly replied, "We... we don't know yet. Do you know Ms. Gilmore?"
"I... I don't know her, I was just curious," Shirley quickly denied.
"You're confused. This is Shirley, everyone in our hospital knows her. She has been taking care of
Antwan all the time. There's no way she knows Ms.
Gilmore." The other nurse reminded.
"Oh, right, now I see clearly. You're Shirley, our old friend!" Both nurses became particularly friendly
and enthusiastic toward Shirley. Almost everyone in the hospital knew Shirley because she had
frequently brought Antwan for treatment in the past six months. She was a familiar face to everyone.
Shirley exchanged a few more words with them. Now, not only did she know where Alina's operating
room was, but she also knew which hotel Alina and Braden were staying at in the town.
"You two continue chatting. I'll go check on Antwan," Shirley said after finishing her cigarette. She
nodded at the two nurses and left the corridor.
She had originally intended to go to the floor where Antwan was, but somehow, as if compelled by an
unknown force, she found herself on the floor where Alina's operation was taking place. She hid at the
corner of the corridor, cautiously peering out, and immediately spotted Braden standing guard outside
the operating room.
He was wearing the casual white shirt she had seen him in during their encounter earlier in the day.
The shirt was now stained with spotty bloodstains, and his hands were also stained with blood. It was
evident that he had been standing there without a chance to clean up. It was clear that he was
extremely worried about Alina, pacing back and forth anxiously with a tense expression on his face.
Calculating the time, it had been five to six hours since he brought Alina to the hospital. In other words,
he hadn't rested or eaten anything for five to six hours... This guy, who had only just recovered a little
over half a year ago, was now neglecting his health again. Shirley couldn't help but feel anxious for
him.
Biting her lip in contemplation, Shirley went downstairs and hurried to the nearby Chinese restaurant
she often frequented. She packed a portion of seafood wontons. If she remembered correctly, although
he didn't enjoy Chinese food, he had a special fondness for wontons, especially the seafood flavor. She
believed that as soon as he caught a whiff of it, his appetite would return.
Braden was anxious at the entrance of the operating room. Time passed second by second, from dusk
until dawn, but there was still no movement inside.
He thought, "Damn it, it's all my fault, all my fault! If I hadn't brought Alina that cup, she wouldn't have
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmbeen hit by a car while trying to pick it up."
"It was supposed to be a sweet honeymoon trip, where they had agreed to choose the most romantic
city for a century-long wedding."
"But who would have thought that they would encounter trouble on the very first stop?"
"I can't imagine what would happen if something happened to Alina. How would I face the Gilmore
family, my parents?"
"Alina has been by his side, enduring so many difficult years. He can't be without Alina!"
At that moment, a nurse approached and gently patted Braden's shoulder.
"Mr. Stewart, the surgery is still going on. You must be hungry after waiting for so long. Take this bowl
of wontons and fill your stomach."
Braden turned around, staring at the steaming bowl of wontons, feeling an inexplicable warmth.
The encounter with hometown food in a foreign land, especially in such a desperate moment, held a
special significance.
"Thank you, is this from you?" Braden, who was usually cold and indifferent, couldn't maintain his icy
demeanor in the face of this bowl of kind-hearted wontons.
"Well..." The nurse's gaze was somewhat awkward, stuttering, "It's, it's a special offering for our North
American friends in the hospital, to let you taste the flavor of home and relax."
"Thank you." Braden took the wontons.
He was indeed feeling a bit hungry. Without hesitation, he opened the lid of the container and started
eating.
"It's delicious." The man nodded; his throat slightly choked up.
This bowl of wontons hit the most vulnerable spot in his heart.
He had never revealed to anyone that his only favorite Chinese dish was wontons, especially the
seafood flavor. The fact that the hospital provided this specific food, his favorite, could only mean... that
this world was so warm.
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