Chapter 1564
Charlie was now in the operating room.
Mrs. Lucas was just as anxious as Jamie, if not more.
Seeing Mrs. Lucas's unconcealed worry, Jamie felt ashamed of the fleeting suspicion she'd had earlier. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Lucas. I thought..."
"It's understandable that you'd feel that way," Mrs. Lucas said, giving Jamie a complicated look.
She hadn't forgotten how harshly she had treated Jamie in the past. If not for Charlie, she might still be holding onto her prejudice against Jamie, unwilling to see things clearly.
"Let's not dwell on it," Ben interjected, cutting the conversation short. "The lead surgeon is here."
He stepped forward to speak with the doctor, his usual calm demeanor overshadowed by a hint of urgency. Though Ben tried to appear confident, his concern was evident, no less intense than Jamie's. He just wasn't the type to openly express it. Jamie observed him, her emotions complicated.
Soon, the surgery began.
Heart transplants were lengthy procedures, and they waited from noon until evening, their eyes sore from staring at the glowing "In Surgery" sign that refused to dim.
Jamie, having just recovered from her own illness, was physically drained. Her pale complexion didn't escape Ben's notice.
"You should go rest. I'll stay here," he said, frowning.
"No, I can't leave. If Charlie wakes up after surgery and doesn't see me, he'll cry."
"He won't wake up right away, even after the surgery," Ben countered.
But Jamie was stubborn, and Ben knew it. He changed tactics. "Do you want Charlie to worry about you? Is that what you want?"
Charlie was her weak spot, and Ben used it to his advantage. Seeing her hesitation, he pressed further. "If you don't want to leave entirely, at least let Caleb arrange a place for you to rest nearby." Jamie finally relented.
Caleb wasn't around, but a nurse
noticed Jamie's poor condition and arranged a resting room for her. Despite her earlier refusal to leave,
Jamie fell asleep almost as soon as
her head hit the pillow.
Ben watched her for a moment, smoothing out the creases in her brow. Even in her sleep, she seemed tense, and he couldn't bear to see her like that.
After staying with her for a while, he returned to the operating room, moving back and forth between the two until Charlie was finally wheeled out.
By then, Jamie had woken up and rushed to the doctor. "Doctor, how did my Charlie's surgery go?"
The doctor faced the three worried family members and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, the surgery was a success. Now we just have to monitor for any signs of rejection from the transplanted heart."
While rare, rejection was still a possibility.
Even so, the news was overwhelmingly positive.
Jamie let out a long breath, her tension dissolving as tears threatened to fall.
"That's such a relief. Thank you, Doctor," she said, her voice trembling.
"You don't need to thank me," the doctor replied with a small smile. "If anyone deserves thanks, it's Mr. Lucas and all of you for waiting so patiently." He cast a meaningful glance at Ben but didn't elaborate before leaving.
Jamie knew exactly what the doctor meant. She was well aware of the effort Ben had put into everything. The doctor's unspoken acknowledgment only highlighted it further. Jamie turned to look at Ben, but he avoided her gaze, his tone casual. "Weren't you worried about Charlie? Go check on him."
Pushing aside her thoughts, Jamie nodded and headed toward the recovery room.
She didn't dare go inside, afraid of disturbing Charlie, so she stood outside the door, peering through the glass.
On the bed, she could see his body rising and falling steadily with each breath. The sight steadied her own heart.
Mrs. Lucas, standing nearby, also exhaled in relief. As long as Charlie was okay, nothing else mattered.