Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
“Bella is still inside.” Louisa said listlessly.
“I know.” Romeo looked at them and knew they hadn’t slept all night. He brought out the breakfast, “Eat something first.”
He patted Clark’s shoulder and said gently, “Clark, have some.”
Hearing Romeo’s voice, Alger and Celeste, who were sobbing, looked over.
“Alger, Celeste, you guys should eat too, the people inside will need you later.”
Romeo’s words brought tears to the eyes of Alger and Celeste once again.
“Romeo.” Alger’s voice choked before he could finish his sentence, hot with emotion.
Celeste was also crying behind her hands, “Our daughter’s fate is still uncertain.”
“That’s why you need to stay strong,’ Romeo said. “You don’t know how long the surgery will last, or what will be required of you afterwards. If you collapse now, who will take care of your daughter?”
Alger found the logic in Romeo’s words. Fighting back his grief, he said to his tearful wife, “Let’s get something to eat.”
“I’ll eat too.”
Alger had previously worked with Romeo and knew him to be a man of his word. However, this was the first time he had seen Romeo’s compassionate side.
Serena, having finished rinsing her mouth, spotted the breakfast that Romeo had bought and her eyes lit up.
Finally, she had the chance to eat a breakfast that Romeo had personally picked out.
At that moment, Romeo received a call and strode away, “Yes, go ahead.”
Serena watched his slender, gentlemanly figure retreat and couldn’t help but feel that he far surpassed Martin!
Whether in height, looks, demeanor, wealth, or power, Romeo was leagues better than Martin.If it wasn’t for Martha filtering out Martin from the list of wealthy bachelors, Serena wouldn’t have settled for him. She certainly didn’t want to compromise herself!
Thinking of the breakfast that Romeo had bought, which probably included a portion for Mirabella, Serena rushed to finish her meal. Her stomach was close to bursting!
As Romeo finished his call, Serena said, “The breakfast was delicious. Thank you for thinking of everyone and bringing us all these tasty treats.”
She paused and then exclaimed, “Oh no, I forgot to save some for Bella”
The elevator doors opened and Carl arrived carrying a breakfast tray.
“Mr. Romeo, I got caught in rush hour traffic on my way from your place,” he explained. “Your chef mentioned that Ms. Bella hasn’t had his cooking for a while, so he made extra today. He hopes Ms.
Bella enjoys it.”
Romeo remarked calmly, “Serena said the breakfast you bought was delicious.”
“What?” Carl looked surprised, then turned to Serena. “Thank you for the compliment, Serena. Your breakfasts are all from the Denny’s, if you like it, I’ll buy from there again next time.”
Serena was shocked. She had nearly burst her stomach eating what she thought was breakfast personally bought by Romeo!
Romeo had his personal chef prepare a special breakfast for Mirabella, and even had Carl drive to pick it up.
And all they got was from Denny’s.
Two hours later, the operating room doors opened, and Mirabella and several doctors emerged.Everyone rushed up to them.
Louisa was the first to ask, “Bella, how’s Crystal?”
“Did she make it?” Alger seemed worried.
“Why did only you doctors come out? Where’s Crystal?” Celeste craned her neck to look inside but didn’t see her daughter. She burst into tears and slumped to the floor, “Crystal, my girl.”
“Celeste, try to stay calm.” Louisa tried to help her up, but she was too heavy to lift.
“I don’t wanna live without Crystal.” Celeste was on the verge of a breakdown, sobbing uncontrollably.
Alger mourned as well, quoting an old saying, “The grief of the old burying the young.”
“Everyone, please calm down.” Mirabella finally managed to get a word in.
Before, they were all talking at once, not giving her a chance to speak.
“Listen to me. Crystal’s condition is extremely critical. She’s being moved to the ICU now.”
Celeste’s tears halted in her eyes, “Are you saying that she’s still alive?”
“Yes.” Mirabella confirmed gently, “But her situation is serious. You need to prepare yourselves.”
“No, I beg you, Bella, you must save her. She can’t die, she’s the only daughter of the Temple family.
I’m begging you.” Celeste fell to her knees in front of Mirabella, bowing her head in a desperate plea.
“Aunt Celeste, please, get up.” Mirabella quickly reached out to help her.
Alger also knelt down, pleading, “I beg you too, whatever you want, I will give it to you, just save her!”
“Please, don’t.” a female doctor nearby interjected helplessly, “Dr. Bella has done everything she can.
It’s just that Crystal’s injuries are too severe. You’re making this harder for her.”
“Bella, aren’t you a miracle worker?” Celeste looked up at Mirabella through her tears, “You saved Phillip when his condition was so complicated. You can save my daughter too, right? Whatever it takes to cure Crystal, even if it costs my life, I will pay it willingly.”
“Bella, I’m begging you. Save Crystal.” Alger banged his head on the floor, his forehead turning red.“Alger” Mirabella quickly crouched down and tried to stop them, “Celeste, please listen to me.”
Her eyes were sincere as if she could feel their pain, “Crystal has multiple fractures, and her nerves, tendons, and blood vessels are severely damaged. Her organs have suffered varying degrees of damage. Her situation is very critical.”
Celeste’s tears burst forth once more.
She remembered when Crystal was little, how she would cry for hours if she accidentally cut her finger on a glass.
How much pain must she be in now with such severe injuries?
“I’ve done everything I can. It’s up to her now.” Mirabella gently explained, “But you need to be prepared. Even if she makes it, she will need care for the rest of her life.“ “That’s okay, that’s okay. As long as she’s alive, I can take care of her for the rest of my life!”
Celeste seemed to see a glimmer of hope and clung tightly to Mirabella’s hand, “As long as she can call me ‘Mom’ one more time, I’ll be satisfied. Bella, you just need to keep her alive! As long as she’s in this world, we have something to look forward to.”
“That’s right. Even if it takes years to hear her call me ‘Dad’, it’s okay, as long as her life is saved.”
Alger’s tears surged as well, “Even if I have to care for her until I die, and even when I can no longer do so, I’ll make arrangements for her, to ensure someone else can take care of her!”
“When I say ‘care’, it might not be the same kind of care you’re thinking about.”
Mirabella was reluctant to break their hearts, but she chose to tell them the truth.
“Even if she survives this, she won’t be able to control her arms and legs. If her condition worsens, amputation might be necessary. Considering her current condition, there’s a high chance that she’llneed to use a urine bag for life. She won’t be able to go anywhere without a wheelchair, and she’ll need help eating and drinking. This will be a huge blow to her.”
Alger and Celeste were stunned. They hadn’t realized the challenges their daughter would face even if she survived.
“Will she never fully recover?” Celeste asked, her voice trembling.
“Indeed,” Mirabella responded assertively. “Given the current state of medical science, that seems to be the case.
But who knows what advancements the next few decades might bring.”
Tears once again streamed down Celeste’s face. Without hands, without legs, how would her daughter play the piano or dance? How could she walk to her loved one or embrace the world?
If her daughter had to be fed water and spend the rest of her life with a catheter, knowing her stubbornness, she would rather die than live like this.
At that moment, Crystal was wheeled out of the operating room by a nurse. Seeing their daughter motionless, lying there on the stretcher with a ghostly complexion, Celeste and Alger’s brains went blank, and their tears flowed unceasingly.
Mirabella watched their departing figures, noticing Romeo’s arrival. She moved toward him, whispering, “I’m going to change my clothes first.”
“You’re pale,” Romeo said, concern evident in his voice. This stubborn girl had stood in the operating room for a solid eleven hours.
Without a break, without even a sip of water.
“Dr. Bella.” The female doctor in charge of Carol hurried over. “There’s another patient in critical condition that needs your attention.”
Romeo’s eyes darkened. When did his girl become responsible for every patient in this hospital? Was she receiving their salary? Had she done them a favor?Did she not need food, water, or rest?
The female doctor was taken aback by Romeo’s imposing demeanor and quickly explained, “It’s a patient that Ms. Bella knows.”
Clark quickly interjected, “Is Carol’s condition worsening?”
“Let’s let Dr. Bella decide first”
After all, their hospital had formed a team of experts, but none of them had a better idea. In the case of Carol’s condition, it was unprecedented not just in their hospital, but globally.
Only then did Mirabella remember, due to the amount of time needed to save Crystal, she had missed Carol’s optimal treatment window.
“I’ll go take a look,” she said, striding towards the ICU at the end of the hallway.