Chapter 18

Mom... Mom...Vivian, who was in a coma, dreamed about her children.The next moment, she woke up with a start and stared blankly at the white wall of the ward.She looked around slowly and then realized that she was still in the hospital."Miss Walker, you are finally awake," the nurse in the ward said and breathed a sigh of relief. "You have been in a coma for four days. The doctor said that if you still don't wake up in three days, you will..."Vivian struggled to sit up and asked, "Where are my children? They...""Don't worry. Their operation was a success. The two children are in a better condition now," the nurse said."I want to see them," Vivian said."Miss Walker, you've just had an operation four days ago and the incision is big. You can't get out of bed."Operation? Vivian was confused. It was not until then that she found that her chest was wrapped in thick gauze. And she felt a dull pain.The nurse explained to her, "You fainted in the hospital all of a sudden and almost died. The doctor did surgery for you and cut off the diseased part of your lung. Don't do any energetic exercise these days.""Cut off the diseased part? Will I live longer?" Vivian asked.The nurse thought for a while and said, "It's hard to say. It depends on whether your cancer will relapse in the future. But if you can undergo chemotherapy regularly, It shouldn't be a problem to extend your life.""How long can I live?""I don't know," the nurse said and shook her head. "But the doctors will try their best to save you."Vivian nodded. Death was not as scary to her as before. And she thought that she was lucky enough to be able to live longer. Maybe God pities me so he let me live longer.When Vivian was lost in thought, someone knocked on the door.The nurse looked at the man at the door and asked, "Sir, are you Miss Walker's family?"The man was dressed in a white shirt and suit pants, and his hair was neatly arranged. His glasses with gold wire frames made him look noble and handsome."Yes," the man said gently."Miss Walker, I'm going out. If you need anything, just ring the bell," the nurse said, then walked out and closed the door.When Vivian saw the man in front of her, she smiled and said, "What brings you here from the other side of the earth?""Do you still take me as your friend? Why didn’t you tell me that you were seriously ill?" Eric said with a helpless look.When he spoke, he was always very gentle, making people feel comfortable.Vivian was a little embarrassed and said, "Having cancer is not a good thing. And I don't want you to worry about me.""So you decided to die lonely after giving birth to the baby? You didn't even want to see me for the last time? Vivian, even if you don't want to be my girlfriend, we are still friends, right?"Hearing that, Vivian didn't know what to say.Eric then sighed and sat down on the chair beside her bed. With a worried look on his face, he said, "Vivian, go back to Ameris with me. I'll take care of your children.""I... I can't go back now," Vivian said."Why? Are you still unwilling to give up on Cirrus?" Eric said and smiled bitterly. "Why don't you love me? I can't compare with him in your heart, right?"Vivian felt a little guilty when hearing this.Back then, a series of changes has happened in the Williams family and Cirrus broke up with her. When she was in despair, it was Eric who accompanied her all the time.Although Eric knew that she still loved Cirrus and was pregnant with Cirrus' child, he still treated her well and took good care of her. And once he even said to her, "I won't force you to accept me. If you want to get Cirrus back, I respect your decision and sincerely wish that you can live a happy life. Vivian, I just hope that you can remember that you are not alone. I'll be with you no matter what happens in the future."Later, Aelius was born and diagnosed with septicemia. Vivian had no choice but to come back to Hadale alone, hoping that Cirrus could save their child. And in the past years, it was Eric who had taken care of Aelius abroad.Thinking about what Eric had done for her, Vivian asked, "Mr. Harris, why me?""What?" Eric didn't understand what she meant."Why did you fall in love with me?" Vivian asked. "As a rich and powerful man, you can marry a woman who is younger and more beautiful than me. At least, you can marry a woman without a seriously ill child."Eric seemed to think about her words seriously and then replied to her, "... Maybe it's fate. Fate threw us together and made me fall in love with you. I don't know the end of our story but I'm thankful that fate let us meet."Then he added gently, "I'm not forcing you to accept me. You don't have to accept me because of what I have done for you.""I have cancer," Vivian said. "Maybe I will die at any time.""I don't care. And you can rest assured. I will take care of your two children no matter what happens," Eric said as he stood up, caressed her soft hair, and sighed. "Vivian, you don't have to push yourself too hard. You're only in your twenties and don't have to pretend to be so strong. You can cry when you're sad and speak it out when you're afraid."Vivian looked up at him and said, "No one has said such words to me.""The first time I saw you, you were like a helpless little girl, walking on the street lonely and absently. It was raining heavily that day. If I hadn't stopped you, you might have walked into the river," Eric said.When Vivian thought of what she was like when she was twenty years old, she sighed with emotion.Six years had passed and almost everything in her life had changed a lot. But what didn't change was that Cirrus still disliked her very much.Back then, she felt heartbroken and depressed when Cirrus broke up with her. But after six years, when facing Cirrus' indifference, she was numb.Fortunately, she had two children now and was not alone anymore. And the children were the most important people in her life."Mr. Harris, my children..." Vivian thought of her children and wanted to ask Eric about their conditions.Before she could finish her words, Eric knew what she was thinking and said, "Don't worry. I just came from the operating room. The operation was a success. You may have a rest first. I'll go to see them now."Vivian was grateful to him and said, "Thank you, Mr. Harris.""Vivian, do you know how many times you have said thank you to me in the past few years?" Eric asked helplessly.Vivian shook her head."Counting the "Thank you" you said just now, you've thanked me 5276 times in total. We have known each other for six years, which is 2192 days. On average, you thanked me 2.5 times every day. Do you know what it means?" Eric said."What does it mean?" Vivian asked."It means that you still don't regard me as your friend.""No. I just..." When Vivian wanted to say something to explain, Eric said, "If you really treat me as your friend, you wouldn't be so polite to me. Have you ever said thank you to Cirrus before?" Vivian was speechless. Indeed, she had never been so polite to Cirrus.When Cirrus and she were passionately in love, Cirrus spoiled her so much and satisfied her no matter what she wanted. And she would take what he had done for her for granted and never said thank you to him.Thinking of the past days, she felt bitter.Then she smiled helplessly and said, "All right. All right. You are right. Alas, it's so hard to win the partner of the best law firm in Ameris in terms of arguing."Eric couldn't help smiling and said, "It's so good that you finally smile. Smile more in the future. You look beautiful when you are smiling.""Mr. Harris…" Vivian blushed."Well, let's stop joking. I'm going to see the children first. See you later," Eric said gently."Okay. See you later."Eric then stood up and walked out. When he opened the door, he bumped into a person.

Mom... Mom...

Vivian, who was in a coma, dreamed about her children.

The next moment, she woke up with a start and stared blankly at the white wall of the ward.

She looked around slowly and then realized that she was still in the hospital.

"Miss Walker, you are finally awake," the nurse in the ward said and breathed a sigh of relief. "You have been in a coma for four days. The doctor said that if you still don't wake up in three days, you will..."

Vivian struggled to sit up and asked, "Where are my children? They..."

"Don't worry. Their operation was a success. The two children are in a better condition now," the nurse said.

"I want to see them," Vivian said.

"Miss Walker, you've just had an operation four days ago and the incision is big. You can't get out of bed."

Operation? Vivian was confused. 

It was not until then that she found that her chest was wrapped in thick gauze. And she felt a dull pain.

The nurse explained to her, "You fainted in the hospital all of a sudden and almost died. The doctor did surgery for you and cut off the diseased part of your lung. Don't do any energetic exercise these days."

"Cut off the diseased part? Will I live longer?" Vivian asked.

The nurse thought for a while and said, "It's hard to say. It depends on whether your cancer will relapse in the future. But if you can undergo chemotherapy regularly, It shouldn't be a problem to extend your life."

"How long can I live?"

"I don't know," the nurse said and shook her head. "But the doctors will try their best to save you."

Vivian nodded. Death was not as scary to her as before. And she thought that she was lucky enough to be able to live longer. 

Maybe God pities me so he let me live longer.

When Vivian was lost in thought, someone knocked on the door.

The nurse looked at the man at the door and asked, "Sir, are you Miss Walker's family?"

The man was dressed in a white shirt and suit pants, and his hair was neatly arranged. His glasses with gold wire frames made him look noble and handsome.

"Yes," the man said gently.

"Miss Walker, I'm going out. If you need anything, just ring the bell," the nurse said, then walked out and closed the door.

When Vivian saw the man in front of her, she smiled and said, "What brings you here from the other side of the earth?"

"Do you still take me as your friend? Why didn’t you tell me that you were seriously ill?" Eric said with a helpless look.

When he spoke, he was always very gentle, making people feel comfortable.

Vivian was a little embarrassed and said, "Having cancer is not a good thing. And I don't want you to worry about me."

"So you decided to die lonely after giving birth to the baby? You didn't even want to see me for the last time? Vivian, even if you don't want to be my girlfriend, we are still friends, right?"

Hearing that, Vivian didn't know what to say.

Eric then sighed and sat down on the chair beside her bed. 

With a worried look on his face, he said, "Vivian, go back to Ameris with me. I'll take care of your children."

"I... I can't go back now," Vivian said.

"Why? Are you still unwilling to give up on Cirrus?" Eric said and smiled bitterly. "Why don't you love me? I can't compare with him in your heart, right?"

Vivian felt a little guilty when hearing this.

Back then, a series of changes has happened in the Williams family and Cirrus broke up with her. 

When she was in despair, it was Eric who accompanied her all the time.

Although Eric knew that she still loved Cirrus and was pregnant with Cirrus' child, he still treated her well and took good care of her. 

And once he even said to her, "I won't force you to accept me. If you want to get Cirrus back, I respect your decision and sincerely wish that you can live a happy life. Vivian, I just hope that you can remember that you are not alone. I'll be with you no matter what happens in the future."

Later, Aelius was born and diagnosed with septicemia. Vivian had no choice but to come back to Hadale alone, hoping that Cirrus could save their child. And in the past years, it was Eric who had taken care of Aelius abroad.

Thinking about what Eric had done for her, Vivian asked, "Mr. Harris, why me?"

"What?" Eric didn't understand what she meant.

"Why did you fall in love with me?" Vivian asked. "As a rich and powerful man, you can marry a woman who is younger and more beautiful than me. At least, you can marry a woman without a seriously ill child."

Eric seemed to think about her words seriously and then replied to her, "... Maybe it's fate. Fate threw us together and made me fall in love with you. I don't know the end of our story but I'm thankful that fate let us meet."

Then he added gently, "I'm not forcing you to accept me. You don't have to accept me because of what I have done for you."

"I have cancer," Vivian said. "Maybe I will die at any time."

"I don't care. And you can rest assured. I will take care of your two children no matter what happens," Eric said as he stood up, caressed her soft hair, and sighed. "Vivian, you don't have to push yourself too hard. You're only in your twenties and don't have to pretend to be so strong. You can cry when you're sad and speak it out when you're afraid."

Vivian looked up at him and said, "No one has said such words to me."

"The first time I saw you, you were like a helpless little girl, walking on the street lonely and absently. It was raining heavily that day. If I hadn't stopped you, you might have walked into the river," Eric said.

When Vivian thought of what she was like when she was twenty years old, she sighed with emotion.

Six years had passed and almost everything in her life had changed a lot. But what didn't change was that Cirrus still disliked her very much.

Back then, she felt heartbroken and depressed when Cirrus broke up with her. 

But after six years, when facing Cirrus' indifference, she was numb.

Fortunately, she had two children now and was not alone anymore. And the children were the most important people in her life.

"Mr. Harris, my children..." Vivian thought of her children and wanted to ask Eric about their conditions.

Before she could finish her words, Eric knew what she was thinking and said, "Don't worry. I just came from the operating room. The operation was a success. You may have a rest first. I'll go to see them now."

Vivian was grateful to him and said, "Thank you, Mr. Harris."

"Vivian, do you know how many times you have said thank you to me in the past few years?" Eric asked helplessly.

Vivian shook her head.

"Counting the "Thank you" you said just now, you've thanked me 5276 times in total. We have known each other for six years, which is 2192 days. On average, you thanked me 2.5 times every day. Do you know what it means?" Eric said.

"What does it mean?" Vivian asked.

"It means that you still don't regard me as your friend."

"No. I just..." 

When Vivian wanted to say something to explain, Eric said, "If you really treat me as your friend, you wouldn't be so polite to me. Have you ever said thank you to Cirrus before?"

 

Vivian was speechless. Indeed, she had never been so polite to Cirrus.

When Cirrus and she were passionately in love, Cirrus spoiled her so much and satisfied her no matter what she wanted. And she would take what he had done for her for granted and never said thank you to him.

Thinking of the past days, she felt bitter.

Then she smiled helplessly and said, "All right. All right. You are right. Alas, it's so hard to win the partner of the best law firm in Ameris in terms of arguing."

Eric couldn't help smiling and said, "It's so good that you finally smile. Smile more in the future. You look beautiful when you are smiling."

"Mr. Harris…" Vivian blushed.

"Well, let's stop joking. I'm going to see the children first. See you later," Eric said gently.

"Okay. See you later."

Eric then stood up and walked out. When he opened the door, he bumped into a person.