A Call That Changed Her Entire Life

Chapter 1538 Woke Up

When one of Bill's henchmen that his boss's face was stained with blood and his left arm was bleeding profusely, he got up immediately and asked in a concerned tone, “Boss, are you okay?“

It would have been better if he had just kept quiet, because Bill was already in a bad mood. Extremely exasperated and humiliated, Bill couldn't help but harshly push him away. “Get out my way!“ he hissed. The sudden movement caused Bill to wince in pain. The corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably as he let out a groan.

After much effort, Bill managed to sit up and straightened his back. However, he still wasn't able to stand up on his feet due to how serious his injury was. He ripped a piece of cloth from his shirt and started to clumsily bandage his wound. Despite how it looked, the wound was nothing compared to his past injuries. Bill had lived dangerously for most of his life. He was a veteran when it came to getting out of dangerous situations. Surviving was the most important part. Everything would be okay as long as he made it out alive.

When he glanced at the direction of the door, Bill felt his body heat up with rage. The men who once left him dared to come back to his place and even point their knives at him!

“Ethan, you little brat!“ Bill seethed with anger and gritted his teeth. “Damn it! If I'd known that you were going to do this, then I wouldn't have taught you anything! The dog that I trained and kept as a pet came back to bite the very hand that once fed him. How ironic!“ Bill cursed out.

After he said those words, he suddenly burst into a fit of laughter, which sounded sinister and full of self-loathing.

The men decided to keep their mouths shut and said nothing. They were terrified that their boss would be displeased if they made any comments. Instead, they just respectfully bowed their heads.

After coming out of Bill's place, Ethan glanced at his men behind him and waved his hand to dismiss them. It was not good for them to be seen together as a group while they walked out of the place. Only Shane and Marc stayed by his side.

For a while, they walked in reflective silence. Then, Ethan suddenly came to a halt, raised his head, and looked at the two of them. His face looked thoughtful as he said, “You two can leave me alone now if you want.“

“But what about you? Where are you going?“ Shane asked Ethan and anxiously looked at him with raised eyebrows.

Ethan was amused by Shane's expression but he didn't have the energy to even chuckle. Instead, he answered, “I am going to the hospital to see Estelle.“

“Then, let us go with you!“ Shane suggested excitedly and stepped forward. They had beaten up Bill just a few hours ago. Anyone who got beaten up like that would surely hold a grudge. Someone like Bill would never let it go. Shane and Marc were worried that Bill would try and seek revenge as soon as he got the chance.

Ethan neither agreed nor refused Shane's eager suggestion. So, Marc put his hand on Shane's chest to stop him and shook his head slightly. With a creased forehead, Shane turned to look at Marc. The latter gave a warning look as if he was saying, 'They are lovers. Why would we go to the hospital with them and interrupt their quality time?' Knowing Ethan, Marc knew that he would probably feel embarrassed if they came along.

Once Shane realized that he was being intrusive, Shane gave Marc an understanding nod. He no longer insisted that they should tag along. Marc looked at Ethan and offered calmly, “At least let us drive you there though.“

“Sure.“ Without saying any else, Ethan nodded firmly and the three of them got into the car and drove to the hospital.

In the hospital, everything seemed peaceful and under control. As soon as Ethan reached the ward, he recognized the back of Philo's head from afar. Standing by the door, Ethan did his best to make as little noise as possible. He didn't want to disturb Estelle's sad father. Philo was sitting by the bed and seemed to be in a daze while staring at the window. His eyes were full of sadness. Ethan quietly sighed as he noticed that Philo looked much older than his real age. Estelle, who was lying on the bed, was unfortunately still unconscious.

Ethan walked in silently, but Estelle's father still sensed his entrance. He slowly turned around and limped to sit on the other side of the bed.

The guilt that Ethan felt came back as he looked at the old man. Softly, he murmured, “Philo, how are you? Why don't you go get some rest first? I promise I will call you as soon as Estelle wakes up.“

There was no answer from Philo; only silence. The old man closed his eyes slowly and seemed to be deep in thought. He didn't bother to answer him at all. Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

“Alas…“

Just as Ethan thought that Estelle's father wouldn't say anything else, Philo suddenly let out a heavy sigh. Then, he slowly stood up and gave him a blank stare. To Ethan's surprise, Philo even asked him to take good care of Estelle. After giving him a short speech about how to look after Estelle, he limped out of the room and left the couple alone.

As he watched the old man's figure walk farther and farther away, Ethan pressed his lips in a thin line. He couldn't get rid of the intense guilt he felt and blamed himself for what had happened. He was ashamed of himself. Sighing, he turned around and headed to the bed. He felt a lump in his throat as he looked at the lifeless state Estelle was in.

The night lasted forever in the quiet room. Ethan couldn't see much in the dim light and he spent every second in agony. It was painful for him to see Estelle like this. He should have protected her. It was all his fault.

Eventually, he passed out due to fatigue. He was lying on the edge of the bed when something suddenly moved. At first, he thought he was dreaming but he felt something lightly brush against his hand.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked at the woman on the bed. His heart jumped for joy at the sight and he suddenly sat up. His eyes turned as wide as his grin. Estelle was finally awake! Her eyes fluttered sleepily as she looked up at him.

“Hey… You're finally awake!“ Ethan was so ecstatic that he couldn't find the words to say. His voice was still a little hoarse from having just woken up. Estelle just smiled softly at him and lightly pinched his hand.

With a silly grin, he also responded with a soft pinch. He held her hand happily to his chest. He was so overjoyed that he could cry. Then, he suddenly gasped as if he HAD just realized something. He let go of her hand and ran over to the table. “I bet you're hungry. I will find you something to eat,“ he told her.

The table was filled with different kinds of food, snacks, and some water bottles.

Estelle didn't respond to his excitement. Instead, she faintly murmured, “It hurts.“

Hearing her soft voice, Ethan immediately ran back to her side. He looked at her bandaged left arm with a small frown. “How about I call for a nurse so they can give you something to relieve the pain?“ he asked worriedly.

Estelle shook her head slightly, indicating that she didn't want that. She looked down to see her left arm. Every inch of her arm had been bandaged carefully.

Something about her left arm felt a little strange to her. With furrowed brows, she tried to move her left hand but she didn't have any strength at all. When she tried to move her right hand, it seemed to work fine. As she continued to inspect her arm, a frown slowly grew on her face.

When Ethan saw the growing displeasure on Estelle's face, he instantly figured out what was on her mind. He opened his mouth to explain but he suddenly found himself unable to find the words. He looked at her with a pained expression. Estelle was still staring at her arm with a confused expression. There was no easy way of breaking the news to her. Ethan didn't know where to start. 'No matter how hard I try to delay it, she will surely find out about it sooner or later, ' he told himself with a sigh.

“Estelle,“ Ethan called out to her in a gentle voice. It was just a soft murmur but it got her attention. Estelle looked up at him curiously and waited for him to speak.

“The doctor said that...“ was all he managed to say before his voice cracked. Ethan wasn't the type to stutter nervously in front of anyone. So, he took a deep breath before continuing, “The doctor said that your left arm is seriously injured, so you may not be able to use it for a while.“

After he finished informing Estelle of her situation, Ethan quickly turned his head away. The guilt was eating him up. He didn't dare to look at her. He was afraid to see the disappointed expression on her face.

“It's okay,“ Estelle finally replied after a few seconds of agonizing silence. Her tone was indifferent, as if she had already expected this outcome.

When she told him that, Ethan let out a relieved sigh. It felt freeing to hear her say those words. It was as if he had been drowning in shame this whole time and she was the only one who saved him.

Ethan raised his head and looked into her eyes. Her big beautiful eyes shined so brightly and were full of hope. He felt overwhelmed by her fond gaze.

The two of them stared at each for a long time. Finally, the corners of Ethan's mouth rose imperceptibly into a grin. A small tear slowly rolled down his cheek. Estelle believed that her arm would be fine eventually. It was not an amputation or anything like that. She also knew that Ethan would take good care of her. One day, her arm would heal and would be just as good as before.

Two days passed. It was Monday once again. The first workday of the week was always stressful and busy.

As soon as Emily arrived at the office, she noticed something different. She pressed her lips in a thin line, confused. She pondered upon it as she sat down. Then, she looked around the office and waved to a secretary.

“Where is Estelle? How come I don't see her here in the office?“ Emily asked with a raised eyebrow and an unpleasant tone. It had been two hours since the normal work hours had started. If Estelle didn't arrive at the office soon, she would have to be punished for her tardiness.

The secretary was a little shaken up by the question. She shyly murmured, “Well, I don't know why Estelle isn't here yet. I don't recall seeing her this morning either.“

Emily cast a quick glance at the office door and asked, “Did she at least ask for a leave?“

The secretary shook her head as she replied, “I don't think so. It seems that she didn't. I didn't hear anything about Estelle asking for a leave today.“

“Ah, I see,“ Emily whispered and nodded. After thinking for a while, Emily waved her hand to dismiss the secretary and said, “Okay, thank you. Go ahead and continue with your work then.“