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Novel Catalog
Chapter 178
Rooney, seeing the tension in her daughter’s face, wisely kept quiet, her mouth sealing shut in silent understanding.
Meanwhile, Nash entered the ICU ward with careful, measured steps. The two chief doctors attending to Herman had just left, leaving the old man in a fragile state.
Herman lay motionless in the bed, his once-strong form now barely recognizable. Two oxygen tubes ran from his nose, snaking their way to his throat, while the heart rate monitor displayed a dangerously weak pulse. His eyes were glazed, seemingly unable to see anything at all.
Hearing the faint sound of footsteps, Herman stirred slightly, his voice raspy and weak. “Is… Is that you, Nashy?” His words were barely audible, but to Nash’s sharp ears, they were clear.
Nash moved quickly to the side of the bed, dragging over a chair and sitting down beside him. He gently took Herman’s dry, frail hand into his own, his voice soft yet steady. “It’s me…”
Herman’s eyes seemed to sharpen at the sound of Nash’s voice, a flicker of recognition in his dim eyes. “Nashy… I remember… I remember everything…”
The excitement in Herman’s voice was tinged with pain, as his body, ravaged by burns, reacted sharply. His face twisted in agony. “It hurts… it hurts… Can you help me with the pain?” he pleaded, his breath shallow.
Nash’s heart tightened, the sorrow in his chest almost unbearable as he watched the man who had been like a father to him suffer. There was no hesitation in Nash’s movements. On the tray beside Herman’s bed, he spotted a syringe filled with painkillers. He reached for it, trying to push aside his own discomfort as he injected two doses into Herman’s veins.
The effect was nearly immediate. Herman’s body eased, his features slowly relaxing as the painkiller took hold.
After several minutes of silence, Herman’s voice broke through again, a strained rasp. “I thought, apart from Master Calcraft, no one knew that people had escaped from Young Family Village… I didn’t expect that, twenty-two years later, the Kleins would still find us…”
Herman’s eyes closed briefly, as if trying to collect his thoughts before continuing, “The reason your master sent you to the Lewis household… was to let me tell you about your origins… I intended to wait until you and Hera were married… but… but I can’t hold on until then!”
His voice faltered with regret. It was clear that, in his mind, the marriage between Nash and Hera had been the culmination of years of hope and expectation. The wedding had been something he had looked forward to, but now it seemed he would never live to see it.
Nash squeezed his hand, trying to offer comfort. “Grandpa, you’ll live to witness it…” he said firmly, even though the situation seemed impossible.
Determined, he pulled out his phone and immediately dialed Olivia’s number.
Outside, Olivia and Joseph were in the lounge, waiting for word on Herman’s condition. Olivia answered the call almost instantly. “Nash…”
“I’m getting married!” Nash’s voice was urgent, tinged with a mix of emotions.
“Huh? N-Now?” Olivia stammered, taken aback.
“Yes, now!” Nash replied without hesitation.
Olivia could sense the gravity of the situation. It wasn’t just about a wedding; it was about fulfilling the promise made to Herman, and it couldn’t wait. “Okay, I’ll arrange it right away!” she said, already moving into action.
Despite the late hour, Olivia’s connections were far-reaching. Within minutes, a team from the wedding company was mobilized. In less than ten minutes—no, less than eight—they arrived at Jonford People’s Hospital, ready to assist.
Olivia quickly made her way to Hera. When she explained Nash’s decision to get married right away, Hera’s face twisted in disbelief. “At a time like this, how could I be in the mood to get married?” she exclaimed, her voice laced with upset.
Lauren, hearing the exchange, stepped forward and gently grasped Hera’s hand, her voice heavy with understanding. “Your grandpa has regained his memory. He must want to fulfill his agreement with Master Calcraft before he dies…”
The weight of those words hit Hera hard. She wiped away her tears, nodding slowly as the truth of the situation settled in. Her grandfather, who had been a guiding force in her life, was clinging to the final threads of his memory—and his final wish was to see the promise fulfilled.
As Olivia waved her hand, a makeup artist from the wedding company stepped forward, a large kit in tow. Without hesitation, she began applying makeup to Hera, transforming her in preparation for the ceremony.
A stylist entered, followed by an assistant carrying a selection of wedding dresses. As the assistant yawned and muttered under his breath, “Calling us over at four in the morning… the boss has to give us a raise tomorrow!” the stylist quickly swatted him on the back of the head.
“Why are you talking so much nonsense? Do you know who Ms. Olivia is?” the stylist snapped, clearly not appreciating the assistant’s casual attitude.
The tension in the air was palpable as the preparations moved forward, the team working quickly, efficiently, and without question. They were used to high-pressure situations, but the urgency in the room today was something more personal, more emotional.
As the early morning hours passed by, the rush to fulfill a final wish seemed like the only thing that mattered.