<b>Chapter </b><b>482 </b>
<b>Seeing </b><b>Gilbert’s </b><b>pallor</b><b>, </b><b>Francis </b><b>swiftly </b><b>chimed </b><b>in</b><b>, </b><b>attempting </b><b>to smooth </b><b>things </b><b>over</b><b>. </b>
<b>“</b><b>Caroline </b><b>got </b><b>a </b><b>bit </b><b>carried </b><b>away </b><b>with </b><b>her </b><b>words</b><b>. </b><b>Sherilyn </b><b>rushed </b><b>to </b><b>the hospital </b><b>as </b><b>soon </b><b>as </b><b>she </b><b>heard </b><b>about </b><b>your </b><b>ident</b><b>. </b><b>She </b><b>was </b><b>right </b><b>outside </b><b>the </b><b>OR</b><b>, </b><b>glued </b><b>to </b><b>that spot </b><b>the </b><b>entire </b><b>time </b><b>you </b><b>were </b><b>in </b><b>surgery</b><b>. </b><b>She </b><b>probably </b><b>couldn’t </b><b>get </b><b>the </b><b>time off </b><b>work </b><b>on </b><b>such </b><b>short </b><b>notice</b><b>.” </b>
<b>At </b><b>this</b><b>, </b><b>Gilbert’s </b><b>tense </b><b>expression </b><b>eased </b><b>into </b><b>a </b><b>relieved</b><b>, </b><b>squinty</b><b>–</b><b>eyed </b><b>smile</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>I </b><b>know</b><b>, </b><b>Sherilyn’s </b><b>always </b><b>been </b><b>the </b><b>cautious </b><b>type</b><b>. </b><b>She’s </b><b>the </b><b>kind </b><b>who </b><b>wouldn’t </b><b>dream </b><b>of </b><b>missing </b><b>a day </b><b>at </b><b>the </b><b>office</b><b>, </b><b>let </b><b>alone </b><b>clocking </b><b>in </b><bte</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>“</b><b>That’s </b><b>good </b><b>to </b><b>hear</b><b>.” </b>
<b>Francis </b><b>felt </b><b>a </b><b>wave </b><b>of </b><b>relief </b><b>wash </b><b>over </b><b>him</b><b>. </b><b>The </b><b>whole </b><b>ordeal </b><b>had started </b><b>because </b><b>of </b><b>him</b><b>, </b><b>and </b><b>the </b><bst </b><b>thing </b><b>he </b><b>wanted </b><b>was for </b><b>it </b><b>to </b><b>strain </b><b>the </b><b>rtionship between </b><b>his </b><b>brother </b><b>and </b><b>Sherilyn</b><b>. </b>
<b>Francis </b><b>added</b><b>, </b><b>“</b><b>I </b><b>should’ve </b><b>been </b><b>more </b><b>considerate</b><b>. </b><b>You </b><b>just </b><b>focus </b><b>on </b><b>getting </b><b>better</b><b>. </b><b>Given </b><b>Sherilyn’s </b><b>cautious </b><b>nature</b><b>, </b><b>I’ll </b><b>have </b><b>someone </b><b>arrange </b><b>for </b><b>her time </b><b>off </b><b>so </b><b>she </b><b>can </b><b>be </b><b>here </b><b>with </b><b>you</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>“</b><b>Sounds </b><b>great</b><b>.</b><b>” </b><b>Gilbert’s </b><b>grin </b><b>widened</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>Thanks</b><b>, </b><b>bro</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>“</b><b>What </b><b>are </b><b>brothers </b><b>for</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>
<b>Off </b><b>to </b><b>the </b><b>side</b><b>, </b><b>Caroline </b><b>scoffed </b><b>and </b><b>turned </b><b>her </b><b>attention </b><b>away</b><b>, </b><b>clearly </b><b>uninterested in </b><b>the </b><b>brotherly </b><b>exchange</b><b>. </b>
<b>It </b><b>was </b><b>Charles </b><b>who </b><b>had </b><b>gone </b><b>to </b><b>the </b><b>dance </b><bpany</b><b>. </b>
<b>He </b><b>also </b><b>took </b><b>care </b><b>of </b><b>the </b><b>leave </b><b>request </b><b>before </b><b>heading </b><b>to </b><b>the </b><b>rehearsal </b><b>studio </b><b>to </b><b>find </b><b>Sherilyn</b><b>. </b>
<b>Charles </b><b>approached her </b><b>with </b><b>a </b><b>serious </b><b>demeanor</b><b>, </b><b>“</b><b>Sherilyn</b><b>, </b><b>Mr. </b><b>Gilbert’s </b><b>awake</b><b>. </b><b>I’ve </b><b>already </b><b>sorted </b><b>your </b><b>leave</b><b>. </b><b>I’m </b><b>here </b><b>to </b><b>take </b><b>you to the </b><b>hospital</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.
<b>Sherilyn </b><b>was </b><b>taken </b><b>aback</b><b>. </b><b>She </b><b>wondered </b><b>why </b><b>he </b><b>insisted </b><b>on </b><b>taking </b><b>her </b><b>to </b><b>the </b><b>hospital</b><b>. </b><b>It </b><b>wasn’t </b><b>as </b><b>if </b><b>the </b><b>hospitalcked </b><b>nurses</b><b>. </b>
<b>Was </b><b>she </b><b>supposed </b><b>to </b><b>be </b><b>better </b><b>at </b><b>caring </b><b>for </b><b>someone than </b><b>a </b><b>professional </b><b>nurse? </b>
<b>Charles </b><b>didn’t </b><b>leave </b><b>any </b><b>room </b><b>for </b><b>argument</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>Mr. </b><b>Gilbert </b><b>wants </b><b>to see </b><b>you</b><b>. </b><b>I’m </b><b>here </b><b>to </b><b>make </b><b>sure </b><b>you </b><be </b><b>with </b><b>me</b><b>! </b><b>Excuse </b><b>the </b><b>intrusion</b><b>!</b><b>” </b>
<b>With </b><b>that</b><b>, </b><b>he </b><b>took her </b><b>by </b><b>the </b><b>wrist</b><b>, </b><b>led </b><b>her </b><b>to </b><b>his </b><b>car</b><b>, </b><b>and </b><b>drove </b><b>her </b><b>to </b><b>the </b><b>hospital</b><b>. </b>
<b>At </b><b>the </b><b>hospital </b><b>room </b><b>door</b><b>, </b><b>Charles </b><b>knocked</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>Mr. </b><b>Gilbert</b><b>, </b><b>Sherilyn’s </b><b>here</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>With </b><b>a </b><b>resigned sigh</b><b>, </b><b>Sherilyn </b><b>pushed the </b><b>door </b><b>open </b><b>and </b><b>entered</b><b>. </b>
<b>Inside</b><b>, </b><b>Gilbert </b><b>wasn’t </b><b>alone</b><b>. </b>
<b>Caroline </b><b>had </b><b>changed </b><b>into </b><b>her </b><b>own </b><b>clothes </b><b>after </b><b>being </b><b>given </b><b>the </b><b>all</b><b>–</b><b>clear </b><b>to </b><b>leave </b><b>the </b><b>hospital</b><b>. </b>
<b>Before </b><b>heading </b><b>out</b><b>, </b><b>she </b><b>decided </b><b>to </b><b>drop </b><b>by </b><b>Gilbert’s </b><b>room </b><b>and </b><b>wait </b><b>for </b><b>Francis </b><b>to pick </b><b>her </b><b>up</b><b>. </b>
<b>The </b><b>room </b><b>fell </b><b>silent </b><b>as </b><b>Sherilyn </b><b>entered</b><b>, </b><b>catching </b><b>the </b><b>tail </b><b>end </b><b>of </b><b>Caroline’s </b><b>soft sobs</b><b>. </b>
<b>???? </b>
<b>Gilbert </b><b>offered </b><b>Caroline </b><b>a </b><b>tissue</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>You </b><b>should </b><b>really </b><b>talk </b><b>things </b><b>through </b><b>with </b><b>my </b><b>brother</b><b>. </b><b>He </b><b>made </b><b>a </b><b>mistake</b><b>, </b><b>but</b><b>…</b><b>” </b>
<b>He </b><b>trailed </b><b>off </b><b>as </b><b>his </b><b>gaze </b><bnded </b><b>on </b><b>Sherilyn</b><b>. </b>
<b>“</b><b>Sherilyn</b><b>.</b><b>” </b><b>Gilbert’s face </b><b>lit </b><b>up </b><b>with </b><b>a </b><b>warm </b><b>smile</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>You’re </b><b>here</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>14:18 </b>
<b>Chapter </b><b>482 </b>
<b>“</b><b>Yeah</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>Sherilyn </b><b>nced </b><b>between </b><b>him </b><b>and </b><b>Caroline</b><b>, </b><b>concern </b><b>in </b><b>her </b><b>voice</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>Gilbert </b><b>was </b><b>looking </b><b>for </b><b>you </b><b>all </b><b>night </b><b>and </b><b>ended </b><b>up </b><b>getting </b><b>hurt</b><b>. </b><b>Are </b><b>you </b><b>okay</b><b>, </b><b>though</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>
<b>“</b><b>I’m </b><b>fine</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>Caroline </b><b>paused</b><b>, </b><b>surprised </b><b>by </b><b>Sherilyn’s </b><b>unexpected </b><b>concern</b><b>. </b>
<b>Still </b><b>grappling </b><b>with </b><b>her </b><b>emotions</b><b>, </b><b>Caroline </b><b>dabbed </b><b>at her </b><b>tears and </b><b>stood </b><b>up</b><b>. </b>
<b>“</b><b>Francis </b><b>should </b><b>be </b><b>here </b><b>soon</b><b>. </b><b>I’ll </b><b>wait </b><b>for </b><b>him </b><b>outside</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>“</b><b>Sure</b><b>.</b><b>” </b><b>Sherilyn </b><b>smiled</b><b>, </b><b>walking </b><b>her </b><b>to </b><b>the </b><b>door</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>Take </b><b>care</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>“</b><b>Yeah</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>Caroline </b><b>left </b><b>with </b><b>an </b><b>awkward </b><b>smile</b><b>, </b><b>clearly </b><b>feeling </b><b>out </b><b>of </b><b>ce</b><b>. </b>
<b>“</b><b>Sherilyn</b><b>.</b><b>” </b><b>Gilbert</b><b>, </b><b>still in </b><b>bed</b><b>, </b><b>reached </b><b>out </b><b>to </b><b>her</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>Come </b><b>here</b><b>, </b><b>next </b><b>to </b><b>me</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>Sherilyn </b><b>closed </b><b>the </b><b>door </b><b>and </b><b>approached</b><b>, </b><b>choosing </b><b>to </b><b>sit </b><b>in </b><b>the </b><b>chair </b><b>Caroline </b><b>had </b><b>just </b><b>vacated </b><b>rather </b><b>than </b><b>responding </b><b>to </b><b>his </b><b>gesture</b><b>. </b>
<b>“</b><b>How </b><b>are </b><b>you feeling</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>
<b>Gilbert </b><b>tried </b><b>to </b><b>hide </b><b>his disappointment</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>Don’t </b><b>sit </b><b>over </b><b>there</b><b>. </b><b>Come </b><b>closer</b><b>. </b><b>Let </b><b>me </b><b>hold </b><b>you</b><b>.” </b>
<b>Sherilyn </b><b>nced at </b><b>the </b><b>bandages </b><b>wrapping </b><b>his </b><b>body and </b><b>offered </b><b>a </b><b>gentle </b><b>smile</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>Stop </b><b>it</b><b>. </b><b>With </b><b>all </b><b>those </b><b>injuries</b><b>, </b><b>you </b><b>should </b><b>be </b><b>resting</b><b>. </b><b>You </b><b>wouldn’t </b><b>want </b><b>to </b><b>aggravate </b><b>them</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>Gilbert’s </b><b>smile </b><b>persisted</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>Worried </b><b>about me</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>
<b>“</b><b>What</b><b>?</b><b>” </b><b>Sherilyn </b><b>was taken </b><b>aback</b><b>, </b><b>baffled </b><b>by </b><b>his </b><b>leap </b><b>in </b><b>logic</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>Why </b><b>would </b><b>I </b><b>worry</b><b>? </b><b>You </b><b>didn’t </b><b>get </b><b>hurt </b><b>because </b><b>of </b><b>me</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
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