The border hospital's inpatient department got half-destroyed in the bombing, and most of the casualties were medical staff. This made medical resources even scarcer.
Josephine had planned to leave, but seeing the long line of patients needing surgery, she couldn't walk away. She was relieved to hear Liam had safely returned home. Despite the danger, she wasn't scared anymore.
Surprisingly, Stuart didn't push her to leave either. Instead, he stayed. When Josephine was busy with surgeries, Stuart was nowhere to be found. But as soon as she stopped, he'd show up, making her eat or take a break.
With fewer doctors, everyone worked non-stop, catching sleep in the duty room when they could. Stuart noticed Josephine losing weight. Ten days after Liam left, the government finally sent more medical staff, easing the crisis.
Stuart realized how strong and supportive his country was. There was no war at home, and the army always responded quickly to natural disasters. Unlike here, where help took ten days to arrive.
With the government and military taking over, Stuart didn't give Josephine a chance to argue. He carried her to the car and left the border. In the car, Josephine didn't resist. She just asked, "Did you buy the supplies that arrived at the hospital recently?"
Stuart, usually low-key about his charity work, admitted it. "From a humanitarian standpoint, you save lives. As your family, I can't hold you back."
Josephine said, "Then on behalf of the people here, thank you, Mr. Haustia."
Stuart raised an eyebrow. "If you say that, I'll take it seriously."
Josephine was puzzled. "Take what seriously?"
"Just saying thank you isn't very sincere," Stuart said. "How about something more practical?"
Josephine glanced at him, said nothing, and looked out the window. Stuart chuckled, leaving it for another time.
He noticed Josephine had fallen asleep against the car door. Seeing how exhausted she was, he gently moved her to a more comfortable position in his arms.
His phone rang, and he answered quietly, "What's up?"
Robin asked, "You're still at the border? What's the situation?"
Stuart replied, "I'm heading back now."
Robin asked, "What about Josephine?"
Stuart's voice softened. "She's with me, asleep."
Robin said, "When are you coming back to the country?"
"Not anytime soon," Stuart said. "If there's nothing else, I'll hang up. She's exhausted."
Robin, interpreting this in many ways, gritted his teeth and said, "You know, my company has a project at her research institute, so I can't go back either. How about dinner tonight?"
Stuart said, "Tomorrow. Let her rest tonight."
Robin hung up, nearly crushing his phone in frustration. He'd planned and prepared for so long, even enduring immense pressure from other shareholders to set up a company abroad, just to have an excuse to be near Josephine. But Stuart was always around, and it seemed he wasn't leaving anytime soon.
If Stuart stayed, Robin wouldn't have a reason to stick around either. Stuart wasn't dumb; he knew this project wasn't very profitable. Even if Robin convinced the other shareholders, he couldn't fool Stuart. Why would Robin risk project failure and financial loss to come to this small, broken country? The answer was obvious. With Stuart staying, Robin had no chance.
Meanwhile, William also got the news. Learning about everything that happened at the border, his eyes sharpened. Why didn't Stuart die in that collapsed building? If he had, all problems would be solved. If Stuart died in this chaotic country, even the Haustia family might be helpless. William's pupils contracted sharply. Stuart didn't die at the border, but what if he died in this small city? Although this city was safer than the border, occasional riots made it normal for one or two people to die. If Stuart really died, both the Haustia family and Josephine would be at his mercy.
Since Stuart wasn't leaving, William had enough time to maneuver. While Josephine was busy saving lives, Stuart was gathering supplies and had a house set up next to the research institute. Determined to win her back, he made many preparations.
When Josephine woke up, she found herself in a soft, comfortable bed. It was so comfortable that for a moment, she thought she was back home. She instinctively rubbed her face against the silk pillow, stretched out her hand and leg, but was immediately pulled into a familiar embrace. Stuart's firm yet gentle chest and his cool scent brought her back to reality. She pushed him away and grabbed the blanket to cover herself.
"Isn't it a bit late?" Stuart leaned in, seeing her wide-eyed. "You've been sleeping with me all night; it's too late to be cautious now."
Josephine thought, 'All night? I've slept so long?' She had been so busy and exhausted these past few days that once she could relax, her body couldn't take it anymore. She looked down and saw she was wearing neatly arranged loungewear.
"What are you looking at?" Stuart said, "I'm not the kind of person who takes advantage of others."
She thought, 'Of course, you are.' Josephine couldn't be bothered to respond and got out of bed. "Where is this?"
"Next to the research institute, very close to your work." Stuart also got out of bed. "Hungry? I had food delivered."
Josephine was indeed hungry; she felt like she could eat a whole cow! Stuart led her. "The bathroom is this way; you can freshen up first."
When she came out after freshening up, she saw a table full of delicious food. Stuart said, "I don't know what you like to eat, but with so many options, there should be a few things you like, right?"