Chapter<i>535</i>IAmWithYou
Uponseeingthatthepatientwasstillthere,thenurseimmediatelyleftagain.
JosiahledHowardintotheroom,greetingtheelderswiththeutmost-respect,“Mr.Maverick,Mrs.Thorne,howareyou?”
Lysander’sbreathhitchedwhenshesawthatJosiahhadnotonlyfollowedhertherebutalsobroughtHowardalong.
Thesituationthatdayseemedevenmorechaoticthanusual.
Maverickwasstillseethingwithanger.Unabletocontainhisrage,hestoodupandpointedatJosiah,demanding,“Getoutofhere!”
Maverickdidn’tknowHoward,butseeinghimwithJosiah,hewasonlyslightlypolitewhenheasked,“Whoareyou?Ifyou’rewithhim,youbetternotstickaroundhere!”
AftertheincidentwhereLysannehaeknockingonthedoortostir.uptrouble,Maverickbecamehighlywaryofanyoutsiderswhoapproachedhim.
Onherbed,Michellewasutterlybewildered.
Lysandergentlypattedherhand.Then,beforeLauracouldspeak,shesteppedforwardtostopMaverick.“Dad,we’reinahospital.Pleaseloweryourvoice.”
OnlythendidMavericklowerhisvoice,givingJosiahadirectshove.
Josiahremainedunflinching,takingonhisrage.
UponhearingLysander’saddresstowardMaverick,Howardfeltapangofdifortwashedoverhim.However,heknewhecouldn’treimthelosttime.Nheless,heapproachedgentlyandsaid,“YoumustbeMr.Maverick,right?Allowmetointroducemyself.IamHowardThorne<b>.</b><b>”</b>
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RecallingthewordsoncespokenbyLysanne,Maverickwasnearlystunnedonthespot.“You’rethatmistress‘father?”
“Yes…”Howardresponded,abitterexpressioncrossinghisfaceasheheardthementionofLysanne.“However,IamLysander’sbiologicalfather.Overtheyears,mywifeandIhaveowedheragreatdeal.Itrulyappreciateyourallfortakingcareofher.”
Maverickhadn’texpectedLysander’sbiologicalfathertoshowupsosoon.ThinkingaboutLysanne’sactionstowardhisfamily,hecouldn’thelpbutscoff.“Well,you’vecertainlyraisedafinedaughter,wreckingotherpeople’shomes!Myfamilymightbepoor,butwe’vealwaystaughtLysatobeupright,kind–hearted,andresponsible.Shewouldneverstooptosuchdespicableacts!”
TherewasnowayforHowardtojustifyLysanne’sactions.“It’smyfaultfornot guidingmydaughterproperly.Itrulyapologize.”
“You’venotwrongedme,butLysa!Youfailedtocareforherproperlywhenshewasyoung,almostlettingherdrownatsuchatenderage.Nowthatshe’sgrownup,youwanttostepinandytheroleofaready–madefather?What’sthematter?Areyoureapingtherewardsofanother’seffort?”Maverickwasseeingred.
ThecolorofHoward’sfacekeptfluctuatingasMaverickberatedhim.
Yet,everythingMavericksaidwasthetruth,soHowardcouldn’tutterasinglewordof rebuttal.
Howardsigheddeeplyforawhilebeforehemanagedtposehimself.Hethensolemnlypromised,“Pleaserestassured,Ididnoehere.todaytotakeLysaaway.Ijustwantedtomeetyouall.Ifpossible,Ihopeourtwofamiliescanuniteasone.Inthefuture,wewilltreatLysa’ssisterasourowndaughter,cherishingandcaringforher.”
WhenMichellewasborn,Lysanderwasalreadyheroldersister.ShelistenedtoHoward’swords,utterlyatalossforwords.
Meanwhile,LauraandMaverickappearedtobefilledwithsorrow.
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seeminglyunderstandingthesituationathand.
“Dad,Mom,whatishetalkingabout?Whatonearthisgoingon?Whatisthismanreallysaying?”MichellelookedatLysanderindisbelief,hereyesfilledwithconfusion.
Lysandergentlyheldherhand.“Focusonyourrecovery.Don’tworryaboutthesemattersfornow.”
MichellencedbetweenJosiahandHoward,butnomatterwhat,shejustcouldn’tputhermindatease.
Intheend,itwasMaverickwho utteredwithaseriousexpression,“Mich,yoursisterisright.This matterhasnothingtodowithyou,sostopinvolvingyourself.”
Michellenoddedsilently,notdaringtoutteranotherword.Shesimplycastaworriedncetowardherfamily.
Lauraremainedsilent,subtlywipingawayhertearsontheside.
Theatmospherewithinthewardhadreachedapointofoverwhelming
tension.
Josiah’sgazeneverleftLysander,whowashangingherheadlow,hiseyes.filledwithconcern.
Maverickwasannoyedwheneverhesawhim.Heletoutahuffandsaid,“Enough.Everyone,stopcrowdingaroundhere.Laura,takegoodcareofMich.Iwilltakethemoutsidetotalk.Thisisahospital,not amarketce.Lysaisadoctor.Asherparents,we mustfollowthehospital’srules.”
Lauranodded,butshestillexpressedherconcernbysaying,“Becarefulwithyourwords.Afterall,heisLysa’sbiologicalfather.Thebondofbloodisunbreakable.Don’tputLysainadifficultpositionbymakingherchoosesides.”
“Don’tworry.Ihaveeverythingundercontrol.”
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theward.
Naturally,Howardfollowedalongwithhiseasy–goingtemperament.
JosiahwatchedasLysanderspokeafewwordstoLauraandMichelle..Onceshefinished,hequietlyasked,“Areyoingalong?”
Lysandernodded,butshewasn’tquiteatcase.
“Don’tbescared.I’mwithyou.”
Standinginthehallwaywaitingforhisdaughter,MavericksawJosiahconstantlyfollowingbehindLysander.Heimmediatelyredat<b>Josiah</b>fiercely,thenprotectivelymovedLysanderahead,putting<b>as</b>muchdistancebetweenherandJosiahaspossible.
Withahelplesssigh,Josiahsuggested,“Sirs,it’snotconvenienttotalkhereinthehospital.Iknowofarather tranquilcafénearby.Itoffersprivacyandgoodservice.Whydon’twegothereandtalkatourleisure?”
Howardimmediatelynodded.“Sure.”
JosiahsoughtMaverick’sopiniononceagainbyasking,“Mr.Maverick,whatdoyouthink?”
Maverickgaveacoldhuff,ignoringhipletely.
Lysanderdidn’treallyobjecttothis,butshefoundithardtopersuadeMaverick.Shesimplysaidinagentlevoice,“Dad,it’snotquiteappropriatetodiscussmattersinthehallway.”
Maverickfrowned.“Areyouactuallydefendinghim?”
“No,notatall.Howcouldyoueventhinkthat?Sincethemomentwelefttheresort,Ihaven’texchangedasinglewordwithhim,justasyouasked.”
Uponhearingherwords,Maverickeasedupabit.“Allright,Ithinkthe
courtuseddownstairs<b>is</b>prettyenariouston”
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AsMaverickspoke,hetookthelead,pushingthedooropenandleavingtheward.
Naturally,Howardfollowedalongwithhiseasy–goingtemperament.
JosiahwatchedasLysanderspokeafewwordstoLauraandMichelle..Onceshefinished,hequietlyasked,“Areyoingalong?”
Lysandernodded,butshewasn’tquiteatcase.
“Don’tbescared.I’mwithyou.”
Standinginthehallwaywaitingforhisdaughter,MavericksawJosiahconstantlyfollowingbehindLysander.HeimmediatelyredatJosiahfiercely,thenprotectivelymovedLysanderahead,puttingasmuchdistancebetweenherandJosiahaspossible.
Withahelplesssigh,Josiahsuggested,“Sirs,it’snotconvenienttotalkhereinthehospital.Iknowofarathertranquil cafénearby.Itoffersprivacyandgoodservice.Whydon’twegothereandtalkatourleisure?”
Howardimmediatelynodded.“Sure.”
JosiahsoughtMaverick’sopiniononceagainbyasking,“Mr.Maverick,whatdoyouthink?”
Maverickgaveacoldhuff,ignoringhipletely.
Lysanderdidn’t reallyobjecttothis,butshefoundithardtopersuadeMaverick.Shesimplysaidinagentlevoice,“Dad,it’snotquiteappropriatetodiscussmattersinthehallway.”
Maverickfrowned.“Areyouactuallydefendinghim?”
“No,notatall.Howcouldyoueventhinkthat?Sincethemomentwelefttheresort,Ihaven’texchangedasinglewordwithhim,justasyouasked.”
Uponhearingherwords,Maverickeasedupabit.“Allright,Ithinkthe
courtyarddownstaireisprettyenacioustoo”
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Thegroupthenwentdownstairs.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.
Atthattime,itwasstiwhilebeforenoon.Thesunwasn’tparticrlystrong,andawindhadstartedtoblow.Standinginanopen,unprotectedarea,onewouldbehitbyawaveofchill.
MaverickquicklyguidedLysanderawayfromthedraftyarea,fearinghisdaughtermightcatchachigain.“You’vejustrecoveredfromacold.Avoidthedraft.”
“Allright.”
Uponseeingthesituation,Howardgentlyintervenedbysaying,“Consideringthecrowdhere,there’shardlyanyroomtostandorsit,letalhebitingcold.Whydon’tweheadtothecaféinstead?”
MaverickncedbackatLysander.Hehadbroughtherdirectlyfromtheresort,andshewasdressedratherthinly.
Moreover,theweatherwasratherunpredictable.Thewindwasunusuallystrong.Shehadn’tbeenoutsideforlong,butherhairwasalreadyamessfromthewind.
JosiahwasabouttodrapehiscoatoverLysanderwhenMaverickstopped.himandsaid,“No.Don’tbother.Saveitforotherwomen.”
Ashespoke,Mavericktookoffhisowncoat andhandedittoLysander,saying,“Wearmine.”
Lysanderdidn’ttakeit.“Dad,it’scoldout.Youmightcatchachill.”
“I’dratherfreezetodeaththanletyouwearhisclothes!Rightnow,Mr.Guerraisengaged.Whyshouldyou<b>be</b>wearinghisclothes?”Maverickuttered.
Upon hearingthis,Josiahimmediatelymadeaphonecall.“Carol,releasetheannouncementofthecanceledengagement.”