Chapter 266
What a touching scene of mother-daughter affection. It was so warm that it almost felt painful to witness. What a touching scene of mother-daughter af
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The surgery was completed quicker than expected. Both Thea and Emmalie were pushed out of the operating room at theProperty © 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.
time.
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The entire Rowland family rushed to Emmalie's side immediately. As the anesthesia wore off in Thea's body, she struggled to keep her eyes open, only hearing the family's warm inquiries surrounding Emmalie. Thea had no idea what had happened, but the pain enveloping her body was almost overwhelming. Even her heart felt like it was in agony. She felt forever alone...
She wished she could slip back into unconsciousness. Just as her consciousness began to fragment, she suddenly felt hands gripping both sides of hers.
"Thea, I'm here." Nicolas's cool tone held a unique gentleness just for her.
On the other side, Joyce's voice was laced with urgency and tears. "Thea, are you in pain?"
"This is nice, Thea thought, tears slipping down her cheeks from the pain, yet she still managed to force a smile. 'So, I'm not alone after all.'
**
After the surgery, Thea's injuries hadn't fully healed. She remained in a coma for three whole days before finally regaining consciousness. Struggling to open her eyes, she felt someone holding her palm. Nicolas was slumped in the chair, his grip on her unyielding even in his light sleep. His jaw bore a hint of stubble, a disheveled look Thea had never seen on him before.
Just a light touch on his fingertips made Nicolas snap awake. "Thea?"
Her bright, shining eyes made it clear to Nicolas that this was no illusion. "Can you hear me?"
Joyce had been sent away. For these three days, Nicolas had been right by Thea's side, even finding it a luxury to close his
eyes.
"Mr. Hendrix, I had airbags during the accident. My ears and brain weren't hurt," Thea said.
It was her limbs and lungs that ached. The pain sharpened Thea's clarity of mind. Nicolas's gaze burned with intensity, making her want to look away. "Should you call a doctor to check on me?" As they waited for the doctor, Thea learned from Nicolas about her time in a coma. He rarely talked, but his chatter was endless, driven by the fear that she might fall back unconscious. Thea instinctively frowned. "Who saved me? Emmalie?"
Her skepticism hung heavily in the air. Thea admitted that such an idea was not good, yet she still couldn't believe Emmalie would have such goodwill. Her words reached Ivy outside the door.
It was only after Emmalie's condition stabilized that Ivy finally had the leisure to address Thea, who was now in a coma with multiple fractures from the accident.
But upon hearing Thea's words, Ivy immediately tossed the gift she was holding. "That's right. It was Emmalie. You know how poorly you treat her, and you're fully aware of why Emmalie has suffered in the poverty-stricken area for so long. She saved you out of kindness, and you're still ungrateful. Thea, are you really that heartless? How did I end up with such an ungrateful child?"
Ivy's words were harsh, showing no regard for Nicolas's presence, each word stabbing deep into Thea's heart.
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Thea had thought she would never again feel sad because of the Rowland family. Yet those sharp accusations left her confused if it was her wounds acting up or it was because she felt terrible. 'In my mother's heart, I must be so unbearable...' Thea thought.
"Mrs. Rowland, did your son not make things clear enough for you?" Nicolas, tall and imposing, stood in front of Thea to block the harsh gaze. "This surgery was essentially just a resource exchange.
"The benefits you received are no less than donating bone marrow. So please, stop morally blackmailing my wife. She doesn't owe you anything, nor does she owe Emmalie."
The value Nicolas offered far exceeded this match.
Ivy was momentarily taken aback. She could berate Thea, but couldn't muster a single negative word against Nicolas. In the end, she could only leave in silence.
Before departing, Ivy expressed her frustration. "Thank goodness our mother-child relationship ended early. Otherwise, with your personality, I wouldn't be surprised if you pulled my oxygen tube out while I was sick." Thea wanted to say she wouldn't. After all, Ivy would always be her mother. But despite her best efforts, she still couldn't get the words out.
When the doctor arrived, Thea's emotions hadn't fully settled, so she could only cooperate with a few simple checks.
"The patient's recovery looks good," said the doctor, who was a close friend of Nicolas's from Key Biskane, and a renowned orthopedic surgeon, Cameron Brooks.
"I've seen quite a few cases over the years of complications arising from bone marrow transplants. It's nearly unheard of for a non-direct relative like Thea to experience no complications at all," he explained.
Thea doubted she had heard correctly. "Non-direct relative? Doctor, what does that mean?"
"Thea, isn't this a private donation? Don't you know what her relationship is to you?" Cameron asked.
Thea had known, but at that moment, Cameron's words left her bewildered.
In their exclusive circle of Key Biskane, the affairs of the Rowland family weren't exactly a secret, and Cameron quickly pieced together the key details. "I heard the donor was Emmalie? Thea, didn't you ever question her background?"
Of course, Thea had questioned it. Both her grandfather's diary and Emmalie's fragile appearance pointed to one truth. Among the Rowland family's younger generation, Thea and Duncan resembled each other the most, both vibrant and captivating, having inherited traits from their late father. Max, on the other hand, had taken after Ivy.
But about Emmalie, there wasn't a hint of resemblance to anyone else in the Rowland family, no matching brows, no similar lips.
Thea hadn't just questioned it. She had been too afraid to do so. She knew that if she voiced her doubts, she would be branded as envious of her sister.
"Is Emmalie still in the hospital? Dr. Brooks, could you get me a strand of her hair?" Thea said.
If anyone else had asked, it would have been impossible, as Cameron would never violate medical ethics. But this was the woman Nicolas had cared about deeply for years.
"Do as Thea says," Nicolas said firmly, and Cameron had no choice but to comply.
While waiting for the results, Thea trembled all over. She couldn't count how many injustices she had suffered since Emmalie returned to the Rowland family. But now, someone was telling Thea that all of it was a lie. GTO.
'So, what were all those grievances I endured? A joke?' Thea thought.
"Thea, don't be afraid." Nicolas could feel her tension and trembling. The warmth of their clasped hands was his way of offering comfort. "No matter what the outcome is, I'll face it with you."
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Getting the hair sample was easy for Cameron. He provided a one-stop service, bringing back a blood test report for Thea. "Thea, I've double-checked this. I swear that Emmalie is absolutely not related to you by blood."
It felt like a thunderclap. Thea didn't even know whether to feel happy or sad. She had previously struggled with doubts about why her sister had grown distant since returning home, even trying multiple times to harm her. But now that the truth was out, Thea felt a strange relief. Emmalie wasn't really her sister after all. 'So where is my sister now?' Thea wondered.