Chapter 223

Chapter 223

After coming back from his trip to Harmony City, he had smiled gently and said to her, “Next time, I’ll handle everything and bring you and Henry to the Silver River, so you can finally see its night view like you’ve always dreamed."

But Christina never got to wait for that next time he promised.

And this time, with Ethan's promise, she wasn't sure if it could be fulfilled either.

Her future remained uncertain.

Christina heard Ethan’s soft whispers but didn’t react, lying still as if she had already fallen asleep.

As the surgery date approached, Christina’s emotions settled, shifting from early nerves into a quiet calm.

The doctor came specially to comfort her. "We have a comprehensive plan developed by the world's most authoritative medical team, plus the chief surgeon will perform the operation personally. Combined with the excellent compatibility of the family kidney donor, the chances of success are very high. You need to be confident."

Ethan stayed by Christina's side the entire twenty-four hours of the day, just to give that reassurance to her and make her more relaxed. Anything he absolutely couldn’t avoid, he simply brought home to deal with.

Emerald City had entered early winter, and the temperature had dropped several degrees Fahrenheit.

By the floor-to-ceiling window in the corner, Christina painted in silence, while Ethan sat on the sofa nearby, absorbed in his computer, drifting between meetings and work..

They shared the same space, each absorbed in their own tasks, yet quietly keeping each other company.

Occasionally, during breaks, he would stand behind her and quietly watch her paint. She had even been caught secretly sketching his portrait.

The peace of those days was so complete that Christina sometimes forgot she was still recovering, still a patient.

When a person has someone to lean on, courage quietly takes root, and she no longer feared the surgery ahead.

Two days after returning to Garden Vista Estates, Henry spotted a scruffy little dog nestled among the rose bushes outside the yard.

The little boy frowned and said "the poor little doggy," so Ethan took him and the dog to a nearby pet hospital for a thorough checkup, got it vaccinated, and completed the official adoption procedures.

After being cleaned up, the dog was pure white all over, so Henry gave it a lovely name—Snowball.

Snowball became a new member of their family just like that.

Henry grew especially fond of the little dog. Whenever he wasn’t at school, he would lead it across the yard, the two of them running freely over the lawn.

The best thing about a detached villa was having a spacious yard, perfect for children and pets to play.

After his morning run, Henry didn’t slow down—he was already racing Snowball across the lawn in a playful dash. The boy’s laughter and the dog’s playful energy echoed through the yard until they finally collapsed together onto the soft lawn, rolling into a tangled heap.

Ethan, wearing a hooded athletic outfit, stood gently on the nearby path watching them, his eyes full of love.

Uma came out carrying breakfast and couldn't help but sigh to Ethan. "Having children truly is a wonderful thing. Our home has never been this lively. Don't you think so, Mr. Carter?"

Ethan understood Uma's thoughts. He glanced at her and said with a smile, "In the future, it will get even livelier here. We might have to trouble you then."

Uma laughed softly. “Mr. Carter and Christina should really have more children. This house is so spacious—even three to five wouldn’t be too much.”

At that moment, Ethan's gaze fell on Christina, who was standing inside by the glass, using her phone to take photos of Henry. The smile on his lips grew deeper.

"Daddy..."

Just as he was staring at Christina, lost in thought, a soft voice suddenly called out.

Ethan turned his head to see Henry standing not far away on the lawn, his face smeared with dirt, holding an equally dirty Snowball as he called out to him, "Daddy."

The little boy waved his small hand at him: "Daddy, can you play with me and Snowball for a while?"

Hearing these repeated calls of "Daddy," Ethan's heart warmed, and he quickly walked toward the little boy: "Of course."

"Play a little longer, then come in for breakfast," Uma said with a smile, turning to walk into the house.

Christina was admitted to the hospital two days earlier .

“Brice is coming tomorrow—he’ll be here in the evening. Uma will look after Henry," Ethan said in the hospital room while helping Christina organize her things.

Henry was there too, sitting by Christina's bed, his small hand holding hers: "Mommy, Daddy said you're sick, but you'll get better after the surgery. I’ll be good and obedient. Mommy must also listen to the doctors and recover quickly."

Looking at her thoughtful son, Christina felt warm inside.

Uncertain of what lay ahead, she still refused to show fear before Henry, nodding to him with a reassuring smile: "Okay, I'll do what Henry says. I'll definitely cooperate with the treatment and get better soon."

Henry looked up at her with a serious little face. “The surgery will hurt a bit. Mommy has to be strong—but it’s okay to cry if it hurts.”

Through tearful eyes, Christina gave a gentle, affectionate smile. “Okay.”

Ethan stood nearby, observing the tender scene between mother and son, and couldn’t help but smile as well.

But no one knew that at this moment, the unease in his heart was growing stronger.

For a man who had always controlled everything, this was the first time he felt fate slipping beyond his grasp.

In the afternoon, Ethan suddenly received a call from the Carter Manor.

“Did something happen?” Christina asked worriedly as she noticed his face stiffen the moment he hung up the phone.

Ethan hung up and told her the truth without hesitation: "Grandma suddenly lost consciousness. She's already on her way to the hospital for emergency treatment."

"Then hurry over and check on her," Christina urged without hesitation.

Seeing Ethan standing still, she added: "What are you waiting for? Go quickly. I'm fine here. The surgery is still two days away, and besides, Uma and Henry are with me. My brother will come over tonight too. Your grandmother's condition is unclear right now, you should go be with her."

After a few seconds of silent eye contact, Ethan picked up his coat and gently stroked her face: "Then take care of yourself. I'll be back soon."

Before leaving, he instructed Uma: "Take good care of Christina and Henry."

Hearing about Elizabeth's collapse, Uma was also very worried: "You go ahead, I'll handle things here."

"I'm leaving, Christina."

"Okay."

Ethan left in a hurry. Christina felt uneasy too. She said to Uma: "Uma, Grandma was in good health just a few days ago. How could she suddenly lose consciousness?"

When Ethan arrived at the hospital where Elizabeth was, she was being resuscitated in the emergency room.

James and Amelia, along with Andrew, Alice, and Rachel were all there. Elizabeth's butler and family doctor were also present. The air was filled with a oppressive atmosphere and faint sounds of sobbing.

Seeing Ethan arrive, everyone felt reassured.

"Ethan, you're finally here!" Alice wiped her tears and said softly.

"What exactly happened? Grandma's heart has never had any major problems. How could she suddenly have heart failure?" Ethan stepped forward quickly and asked.

The family doctor answered: "Mr. Carter, we'll need to wait for the surgeon to come out to find out Mrs. Carter's specific condition. Mrs. Carter hasn't been feeling well these past few days, so I prescribed her usual medications. The dosages were all strictly adjusted according to her physical indicators. The heart failure was truly a sudden occurrence."

"When this happened, who was with Grandma?"