Chapter 1563
Jamie was stubborn, fixating on the idea that the current Ben Lucas somehow "belonged" to Winnie.
Ben let out a laugh, more out of exasperation than amusement. "You say I'm hers, but have you ever asked me what I think, Jamie? Or are you pretending not to see or hear anything?" He grabbed her hand and pressed it firmly against his chest.
The steady thumping of his strong heartbeat was unmistakable.
Jamie struggled to pull away. "Let go of me, Ben. I've already told you, we're done."
"And what about Charlie? Are you done with him too?" Ben's words landed precisely where he knew it would hurt.
Jamie froze.
Sensing her hesitation, Ben softened, his tone losing its edge. "Jamie, don't do this. Stop pushing me away."
There had never been anything between him and Winnie, a fact that pained him even more now that she was gone. His regret for her was real, but his heart ached far more for Jamie.
At the end of the day, Ben was only human, with desires and love that he couldn't hide. All he wanted was to hold on to the person he truly loved.
"I'll say it again, Ben, we ended things a long time ago. Thank you for taking care of me, but I'm leaving."
"Jamie," Ben's voice grew sharp, "does staying here with me really make you that uncomfortable?"
The tension between them hung heavy in the air.
Seeing her unyielding stance, Ben tried another approach, his tone gentler this time. "You just recovered. If you want to leave, at least wait until tomorrow. Where could you possibly go in this condition?" Jamie stayed silent, knowing he was right.
She had been here long enough, and there was no need to make a dramatic exit just yet. Leaving in haste would only make her look overly emotional.
After a moment of reflection, Jamie stopped arguing.
Her silence, however, left Ben feeling stifled.
"Stay and rest. If you don't want to see me, I'll make sure you don't," he said before stepping out of the room. He called for a helper, instructing her to look after Jamie.
Jamie lay in bed, unable to sleep, her mind consumed with thoughts of Winnie. A tear slipped down her cheek.
Outside, Ben was restless too.
Separated by a single door, they endured the long night in silence.
*
The next morning, Jamie prepared to visit the hospital.
She had packed Charlie's favorite donuts, imagining the joy on his face when he saw them.
But as she approached the hospital ward, she saw a nurse rushing out, clearly flustered.
"Patient is critical-under ten years old, congenital heart condition. We need to operate immediately," the nurse called out.
The bag of donuts slipped from Jamie's hand, landing with a soft thud.
Panic overtook her as she stepped forward and grabbed the nurse's arm. "Which patient?"
The nurse gave her a strange look before pointing toward Charlie's room. "That one. Now please let go. I need to get to him." Jamie's grip loosened, and she stumbled back, unsteady on her feet.
Ben appeared behind her just in time, steadying her. "What's wrong?"
"It's Charlie. He's having an episode. How could this happen? He was fine just a little while ago," Jamie said, her face ashen.
Ben's jaw tightened. He was just as
worried, though he tried to remain composed for Jamie's sake. "It's okay. The surgery was already planned, and they've found a
vel
suitable heart donor. The operation will be successful."
It took a while, but Jamie's emotions eventually settled.
At that moment, Mrs. Lucas arrived, her expression fraught with concern.
Seeing her Jamie stepped out of Ben's hold. "Mrs. Lucas, you've been with Charlie these past few days. How could this have happened?"
Mrs. Lucas was just as shaken. "I... I don't know. He was playing, and then all of a sudden... Ben, is he going to be okay?"
Since discovering Charlie's
existence, Mrs. Lucas had grown
deeply attached to him. The time
she had spent with him over the past few days had only solidified her affection.
To her, Charlie had become the apple of her eye.