Chapter 345. Wait for Me

Chapter 345. Wait for Me
Even so, Helena’s face had clearly relaxed. James watched her laugh, and a smile appeared in his eyes as well. He knew Helena was not truly happy. He also knew the things he said could not erase the fear inside her. But as long as he could make her laugh, even just a little, then everything he had sold was worth it.

Only after Helena stopped coughing did she look at James and ask, “Do you really not regret it?”

James shook his head. “No.”

Helena looked at him, and her eyes slowly began to turn red.

In the end, Helena lowered her head and quietly let out one word.

“Fine.”

James froze at once. Then, as if he had suddenly gone crazy with joy, he shouted, “You agreed? You’re really letting me go with you?”

Helena looked at his excited face, and the corners of her lips curved up again.

Richard stood nearby and watched James. In the past, he had never truly taken this man seriously. He had always thought James was someone who lived too easily and had never needed to carry any real burden. But at this moment, Richard slowly raised his hand and patted James on the shoulder.

“Take good care of my sister.”

James’s expression immediately became serious. “I will. I’ll take good care of her.”

Three days later, Helena left the hospital. Dr. Lion had arranged a private medical plane to take her and James to Ruby Island.

Ellie kept holding Helena’s hand tightly all the way until Helena was taken onto the plane.

“You have to come back. Both you and the baby have to come back safely.”

Helena looked at her and nodded. “I’ll try. I also hope Galvin’s surgery will be successful.”

Galvin’s second surgery had already been scheduled for the next morning. His condition no longer allowed them to delay it any further.

The next day, Galvin was wheeled into the operating room. Ellie walked beside the bed, her hand still holding his tightly and refusing to let go.

Only when they reached the doors did the nurse gently remind her that she had to release him.

Ellie did not want to. Her fingers tightened around his hand even more.

“Gal…”

Galvin turned his head and looked at her. He wanted to smile so she would feel less afraid, but the medicine had already begun to take effect, making his eyelids heavy.

“Wait for me.”

Ellie choked back her tears. “Ansel and I will wait for you outside.”

Galvin gave a slight nod. The doors of the operating room slowly closed in front of them.

Ellie stood there without moving for a very long time. Ansel reached out and held her hand. The little boy already understood that his father was about to go through a very dangerous operation, so his small face no longer had its usual lively expression.

“Mommy.”

Ellie lowered her head. Ansel looked up at her and asked, “Daddy will wake up, right?”

Ellie pulled her son into her arms and kissed his cheek. “He will. He definitely will.”

The operation lasted for more than ten hours. At first, all of Galvin’s readings remained stable. But when the surgery reached its most important and dangerous stage, his heart suddenly stopped beating.

Warning alarms rang throughout the operating room, and the doctors immediately began trying to save him.

An electric shock ran through Galvin’s body. His heart started beating again for a few seconds, but then it stopped once more.

Galvin’s consciousness sank deeper and deeper into an endless darkness. He could no longer feel any pain, and he could no longer hear the sounds of the machines around him.

Everything was quiet. His body felt so light that it seemed as though it could disappear at any moment.

Galvin felt exhausted, more exhausted than he had ever been, because he had held on for far too long. Ever since the first operation, ever since he had learned there was almost no hope left for his illness, he had still kept forcing himself to continue.

He wanted to protect Ellie. Before he died, he wanted to clear away every danger that might threaten her.

Now Andrea had already been dealt with. Ellie and Ansel were safe as well. Perhaps that meant he could finally stop struggling and allow himself to rest.

Galvin slowly let his consciousness loosen. The darkness around him grew heavier, deeper, and quieter.

But just then, he suddenly heard someone crying in a voice filled with such pain that it seemed to tear straight through him.

“Gal…”

It was Ellie’s voice.

Was she crying?

Galvin wanted to open his eyes, but he could not move them. Then he heard Ansel crying loudly as well.

“Daddy, don’t leave me…”

A sharp pain went through Galvin’s heart. Ansel rarely cried.

The little boy always tried hard to act grown-up. Even when he missed his mother more than anything, he would only secretly hold Ellie’s photograph in his arms when no one was looking.

But now Ansel was crying so badly. Galvin truly wanted to hold him, wipe away his tears, and tell him not to be afraid. And Ellie—she must be terrified right now too.

He did not want to leave Ellie and Ansel behind. He had already lost Ellie once before, and after that, he had lived with regret for so many years.

Now that she had finally come back to his side, he still owed her a wedding. He also owed Ansel all those years when the boy should have had both his father and mother beside him.

So... he could not die.

His consciousness, which had been sinking deeper and deeper, suddenly began to struggle.

Galvin tried to move toward the sound of the crying. But the darkness seemed to be pulling him back. His body felt unbearably heavy, and every step he tried to take was difficult.

The voices of Ellie and Ansel sometimes sounded close and sometimes far away. At times, they almost disappeared completely. That frightened Galvin. He had never been as afraid of death as he was at that moment.

Before, he had believed that as long as he arranged everything properly, he would be able to leave without fear. He thought he could accept death calmly. But now that he was truly standing at the edge of it, Galvin finally understood that he could not let go.

He wanted to live. He wanted to see Ellie every morning when he opened his eyes. He wanted to hear Ansel call him Daddy. He wanted to grow old beside the two of them and stay with them for many more years.

Galvin used every bit of will he had left to fight against the exhaustion dragging him down.

Inside the operating room, the line showing his heartbeat had almost become completely flat. Then it suddenly moved.

The doctors saw it and immediately continued trying to save him. At last, Galvin’s heart began beating again.

The operation continued.