Chapter 308


    "Dominic, you''ve got to pull through."


    Evelyn''s voice was so low only she could hear herself.


    Everyone was gathered outside the OR, watching as Dominic was wheeled inside.


    Except for Evelyn. Fearing Dominic would find her presence bothersome, concerned it might upset him


    before surgery, she stood at a distance, not daring toe closer.


    In her solitary corner, she suddenly felt as if the world had abandoned her.


    Until Harrison approached.


    "Dominic''s in surgery. Why didn''t you go in and say a few words?" Harrison asked.


    Evelyn''s heart ached. "I didn''t want to upset him before the procedure. You said it yourself, Harrison,


    matters of the heart can wait. Let''s talk after he recovers."


    Truth be told, Evelyn wished she and Dominic were legally married.


    That way, she''d have the right to sign on his behalf.


    To care for him, legitimately and openly.


    But Dominic had entrusted Roxanne with the power to sign the consent forms.


    To Dominic, she, Evelyn, was just an outsider.


    So she refrained from bothering him.


    After all, this wasn''t a minor surgery; they were operating on his brain.


    She''d rather bear the cold shoulder than risk Dominic feeling an ounce of unhappiness before surgery.


    This love, which had transformed from exuberance to restraint, was something Harrison understood


    well.


    He tried tofort Evelyn, "Don''t worry too much. The specialist operating on Dominic is his chief


    physician from back home. Flew in just for this. He knows Dominic''s condition inside out. Dominic will


    be fine."


    Evelyn''s hands were sped tightly together, her fingers ice cold.


    "I guess I''m a little nervous," she admitted.


    The thought of anything happening to Dominic was unbearable.


    She had researched the surgery. No procedure was without risks, and it was that minuscule chance of


    Not wanting to burden Harrison, she quickly added, "Harrison, I''m okay. I have faith in Dominic. He''s


    strong-willed. He''ll pull through."


    "Of course," Harrison replied.


    Evelyn continued, "Harrison, Roxanne seems pretty worried. You should gofort her. I''m really fine."


    He always found his little cousin to be the brightest, most capable, and considerate among all his


    siblings—a truefort to the family.


    Harrison nodded warmly and nced over at Roxanne but kept his distance.


    After Dominic had recounted the harrowing birth of their child and Roxanne''s brush with death,


    Harrison could empathize with her even more.


    The guilt and self-reproach Harrison felt were beyond words.


    The heart he had broken, that had died within Roxanne, he vowed to nurture back to life, bit by bit.


    Ang clung to Roxanne''s neck, her eyes as worried as Roxanne''s, fixed on the sealed doors of the


    OR.


    "Mommy, will Uncle feel pain when they cut into his head?" she asked innocently.


    "He''s under anesthesia, sweetie. He won''t feel a thing," Roxanne assured her.


    "Needles are scary, though."


    Roxanne''s mind was too preupied with Dominic''s surgery to engage in child''s y.


    But Ang, hugging her neck, bravely asked, "Mommy, when Uncle gets better, can he be my daddy?"


    "Uncle is uncle, honey. He can''t be your daddy," Roxanne said, tickling Ang''s nose.


    "But why can''t I have two daddies? A big daddy and a little daddy. Wouldn''t that be nice?" Ang''s


    greedy wish made Roxanne smile despite herself.


    Ang''s innocence somehow eased Roxanne''s tension.


    Ang puckered her lips and added, "Daddy says if you agree to let me have two daddies, he agrees


    too."


    "Did Daddy really say that?"


    "Why don''t you ask him?"


    Roxanne''s gaze met Harrison''s.


    In his eyes, a deep emotion stirred, revealingyers of deep affection and indescribable sorrow.


    With a heavy heart, Roxanne sighed internally, regretting the sadness she had caused him.


    She walked over with Ang in her arms and said to Harrison, "Harrison, thank you. You''ve gone to


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    great lengths for Dominic''s surgery."


    "Dominic is my best friend. It''s the least I could do," he replied.


    Roxanne frowned. Since when had these two men be such good friends? How did she not know


    that?


    The tumor in Dominic''s brain was small and the surgery to remove it went well.


    Post-op swelling was a minorplication, not life-threatening but pressing on his optic nerve.


    For a brief time, Dominic was blind.


    The doctors assured that once the swelling subsided, Dominic’s vision would return to normal.


    This could take three days, five, perhaps a week, but certainly no longer than ten days.


    Evelyn pleaded with Roxanne to let her take care of Dominic.


    "Evelyn, you''d certainly be the most attentive caretaker for Dominic," Roxanne considered. "But


    wouldn''t this affect your job? You''re the head of the Miller Group, after all."


    Evelyn insisted, "I have my team, my trusted shareholders, and executives. They can manage without


    me. I want to care for Dominic myself."


    "Roxanne, please let me stay and take care of him."


    Evelyn sped Roxanne''s hands, her plea heartfelt.


    "Dominic''s vision ispromised; he needs someone by his side around the clock. I just can''t trust this


    to a nurse."


    "If that''s the case, then it''s the best possible solution," Roxanne mused, sharing the hope that Dominic


    and Evelyn would soon be together.


    Evelyn was so ted she practically felt like she was soaring, "Then it''s settled! But, Roxanne, don''t tell


    Dominic I''m the one taking care of him."


    "Why not?" Roxanne asked, puzzled.


    Evelyn had thought it through. "Dominic is annoyed with me. I''m afraid if I cling to him, it''ll affect his


    mood and slow down his recovery. Besides, he can''t see anyway."


    "But Dominic will recognize your voice, you know," Roxanne pointed out.


    "It''s okay, I''ll just lower my voice and pretend to be all gruff. Just tell Dominic you hired a 24-hour male


    nurse for him," Evelyn plotted.


    Her determination to win over Dominic was evident.


    Roxanne suddenly felt that Evelyn was incredibly brave.


    She had been that brave too once.


    Night fell.


    It was Evelyn’s first day officially taking care of Dominic.


    After dinner, she walked him around the hospital corridor a few times for exercise.


    Back in the room, she tenderly helped him with his bath and even made sure his feet were cleaned


    before bed.


    Before sleep, Dominic asked politely, "Eve, I need to use the restroom. Could you help me there?"


    His vision was impaired due to pressure on the optic nerve, rendering himpletely dependent on


    others.


    This ''Eve'' was the male nurse Roxanne had found for Dominic. Dominic didn''t know his real name, only


    that he was called Eve and that he was supposedly a couple of years younger.


    So Dominic addressed him simply as "Eve."


    Evelyn, disguising her voice, replied with a rough tone, "Sure, Dominic, let me help you up. Be careful,


    okay?"


    Once they reached the bathroom, Dominic tapped around with his foot until he found the toilet, "Eve,


    could you step out for a moment?"


    "What''s there to be shy about? We''re all guys here," Evelyn said with a forced lower pitch. "But you''ve


    just had surgery, and I’d hate to see you take a spill. That''d be a real hassle."


    Dominic was hesitant.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not into dudes. I''ll turn my back until you''re done, alright?" Evelyn continued in her


    gruff voice.


    Then she deliberately made a noise to prove she had turned away.


    But as soon as she heard the sound from the toilet, Evelyn couldn''t help but sneak a peek.


    After all, she wasn''t going to let an opportunity pass by.


    Dominic would be hers, sooner orter, so why not exercise her privileges a bit early?