Chapter 275: Don’t Keep Harping on It

Chapter 275: Don’t Keep Harping on It

Tyler thought that since James had always been in good health, the coma the doctor mentioned should last at most one night, two nights tops. He figured James would wake up and immediately ask where Emily was. He didn't think much of it.

But what he never expected was that from the moment Emily boarded the private jet to Lumaria and completely left Emerald City, James seemed like his soul had been sucked out—he kept his eyes closed with not a single sign of waking up.

Even stranger was that as soon as Emily left, Emerald City was hit with endless wind and rain, not a single clear day.

The wind wrapped around the rain and slammed against the hospital windows, sometimes howling like a wild beast, sometimes pattering softly and persistently,

soaking the entire city in cold, stuffy dampness.

Even the corridor outside James's room was constantly filled with the sounds of wind and rain, so oppressive it was hard to breathe.

Tyler just sat there by the bedside, propping his arms on his knees, hands clasped under his chin, eyes fixed on James's face without blinking.

He'd been keeping watch like this for four days.

The person on the bed was pale as paper. His usually sharp, intimidating eyes were now soft, but his brows were tightly knitted, as if even in his dreams he was holding onto something stubbornly.

The doctors had already panicked and activated emergency protocols, inserting a feeding tube to give James nutrition, afraid his body would give out.

Aunt Elizabeth, far away at the Frank royal court, was also frantic, sending top doctors for consultations one after another.

But a whole group of people examined him over and over around the bed, and the conclusion was always the same...

All of James's vital signs were completely normal—heartbeat, blood pressure, brain waves all fine—but he just wouldn't wake up. No one could explain why.

Tyler's fingers unconsciously rubbed his knee, and gradually he began to understand.

He'd been with James for so many years—he knew James's obsessions too well.

Whether it was business dealings or royal court disputes, once James set his mind on someone or something, he'd see it through to the end.

This abnormal deep sleep wasn't a physical problem at all—it was clearly his inner obsession at work.

He was fairly certain that James was waiting for someone, waiting for the one person who could tug at his heart and call his consciousness back.

But that one and only person who could wake him was now safely staying in Lumaria's prince's mansion, separated from Emerald City by mountains and seas, with no way to even send word.

When Emily left the prince's mansion last time, she left in such a rush and mess, her mind full of Emerald City's troubles, without even saying a proper goodbye.

This time when she actively contacted her father and decided to return to Lumaria, her heart was still pounding, afraid Kumb would blame her for her past willfulness.

But the moment she stepped through the prince's mansion gates, all her anxiety vanished.

The way Kumb looked at her was full of the tenderness of someone who'd lost and found something precious again, without a single harsh word.

Even Arian, who used to always keep some distance from her, became especially warm and attentive, thinking of everything for her.

Emily didn't know that after she left last time, Kumb had fallen seriously ill.

The illness came suddenly and severely—high fever that wouldn't break, his whole body wasting away, barely surviving, and his body never recovering to what it was before.

The old Kumb loved excitement and knew how to enjoy life. In his free time, he'd always take Arian mountain climbing, talking while enjoying the wind at the summit,

or spend lazy afternoons in his private pool, occasionally inviting a few friends for a round of golf, his high spirits impossible to hide when swinging the club.

The mansion's garden was his pride and joy—he personally tended to all kinds of flowers and plants, especially the irises he planted himself, which bloomed year-round.

But after Emily left, he became like an iris drained of life—still with his noble status and elegant appearance, but his eyes were dim and lifeless.

He'd just sit on the garden bench in a daze all day, too listless to even touch his beloved flowers and plants.

Arian deeply loved Kumb, and seeing him sink into depression day by day broke her heart.

She made several special trips home to ask Zulu for help,

but Zulu understood clearly.

Each time she'd circle around and bring the topic back to Emily, hinting directly or indirectly that Emily was the only one who could cure Kumb's heartache.

At first Arian felt a bit resentful—who wouldn't want their lover's undivided attention?

But watching Kumb waste away day by day, she eventually gave in.

She knew clearly that in Kumb's heart, Emily, this lost and found daughter, held a place no one else could match.

Once she understood this, she let go of those petty feelings, and even secretly hoped Emily would come back soon, hoped Kumb would get better.

This hope didn't have to wait long. In just about a month, Emily called Kumb on her own.

On the other end of the phone, her voice was soft, with unhideable grievance, and a faint sob in her tone.

The moment Kumb got the call, he lit up completely. The gloom that had built up for days vanished, and all his discomfort seemed washed away by holy water, instantly better.

He immediately had people arrange a private jet, wishing he could bring Emily to his side right away, afraid that if he waited even a moment, Emily would suffer more.

So this time when Emily came back, Arian wanted to give her the very best of everything.

The bedroom with the best lighting and most elegant decor in the prince's mansion was cleaned out for Emily, with furniture and decorations chosen according to her preferences.

Sixteen dedicated maids were specially assigned, with clear divisions of labor, taking care of everything from meals and daily life to clothing.

Even the cooks in the kitchen were top chefs Kumb had used all his connections to recruit from around the world.

Not to mention those limited edition designer clothes and precious jewelry—

box after box sent to Emily's room,

piling up until the walk-in closet could barely hold them all.

This treatment was even more lavish than that of Lumaria's royal princesses.

At first Emily felt overwhelmed, even somewhat frightened, feeling she couldn't bear such heavy affection.

But Kumb and Arian would eat and chat with her every day. Kumb would patiently ask about her days in Emerald City, but never pressed about the unpleasant things.

Arian would take her to stroll through the mansion's gardens, teach her to tend flowers and plants, and tell her about Lumaria's customs and culture.

As time went on, the unease in Emily's heart gradually faded.

Emily could clearly feel that Arian's attitude toward her was genuinely accepting, no longer carrying that probing distance from before.

Besides, Arian had already been married to her father for 15 years. After all these years together through thick and thin, there was really no need for her to hold onto the past...