Chapter 84: Chapter 84



The doctor attributed it to a side effect of the brain tumor. Adrian’s expression remained stern and unreadable, yet his presence was overwhelmingly intense. “Do you really not remember?” he asked.

Rebecca glanced around nervously, then shook her head. “No, I don’t remember anything.” Abruptly, she stood, looped her arm through Adrian’s, and flashed a bright smile. “Oh, I remember now! Adie, are you here for dinner? Let’s go!”

Adrian checked his phone and found that it was the middle of the night. It was clearly not the time for dinner. It appeared that Rebecca’s memory had slipped back several hours. Thus, he slowly pulled his arm away from her. “You should rest.”

“Adie, wait. Didn’t you come here to see me?” Adrian decided against mentioning Erick’s emergency surgery at the moment. Sometimes, forgetting about things could be a mercy. There were things better left unremembered.

“I did come here to see you,” said Adrian. Rebecca smiled brightly and said, “I knew you’d never leave me, Adie.”

Adrian remained silent. He stood up, turned off the lights in the room, and walked over to the sofa. “Now, get some rest. I’ll stay here and watch over you.” He felt obligated to stay. If Erick didn’t survive the night, he needed to be there to manage the situation immediately.

“Okay!” Rebecca responded cheerfully as she lay back down. Before long, the sound of her steady breathing filled the room.

When the hospital director arrived, Adrian was sitting on the sofa, looking at his phone. The director knocked gently on the door, prompting Adrian to stand and step outside.

“Mr. Miller, Erick Lloyd is out of danger now.” Adrian nodded. “How serious are his injuries?”

The director replied gravely, “His left leg is broken, four of his ribs are fractured, and there’s internal organ damage.” Adrian’s brow furrowed. He hadn’t expected Erick’s injuries to be so severe. “Is he awake?”

“Yes, he’s conscious, and he’s in the room next door. Would you like to see him?”

Adrian entered Erick’s room. Seeing Adrian, Erick, wrapped in bandages, tried to sit up, clearly distressed. “Mr. Miller…”

“Don’t try to get up.” Adrian pulled a chair over and sat beside Erick’s bed. “‘What were you doing working at a construction site?”

Erick sighed, his smile tinged with bitterness. “I didn’t want to keep depending on you. If Rebecca and I could stand on our own, it would take some of the weight off your shoulders.”

Adrian’s expression hardened. “I never saw you and Rebecca as a burden. Your parents aren’t here to care for you anymore; it’s my responsibility to look after both of you.”

Erick’s eyes welled up with tears. “‘But we can’t lean on you forever!”

“And why not?” Adrian countered. He might have felt some frustration with Erick before, but now that feeling had completely vanished. Even though Erick wasn’t always dependable, his heart was in the right place.

Adrian handed him a check for a million dollars. “You don’t need to work for the next three years. Your only responsibility is to take care of Rebecca and yourself.” Overwhelmed with gratitude, Erick almost let his tears fall on the check.

Adrian gave his shoulder a gentle pat. “You’re a good brother.”

“Mr. Miller, hearing you say that, I can finally be at peace. Even if I were to die, I’d have no regrets when facing my father and brother!”

When Erick mentioned his father and brother, Adrian felt a pang in his chest. He pulled his hand away and said, “Get some rest. I’m heading out.”

“Thank you for visiting me.”

With Joelle on his mind, Adrian quickly drove back home at three in the morning. When he arrived, the bedroom was dark, confirming that Joelle was already asleep. He felt a twinge of disappointment but was too tired to dwell on it.

Upon hearing the noise, Leah came out of her room. “Mr. Miller, why aren’t you asleep yet?”

Adrian waved her off and went to the study instead. Leah glanced at the closed bedroom door, shook her head, and muttered, “If only he had realized this sooner.”

The next morning, Joelle woke up. Leah brought her breakfast and said, “Mr. Miller returned late last night.”

Joelle was surprised by this. “He actually came back?” In the past, whenever Rebecca called him away at night, Adrian never returned. It seemed unbelievable to her.

Leah nodded and said, “Yes, but since you were already asleep, he went to the study to rest. He left early this morning for a company meeting.”

Joelle found herself distracted, feeling a twinge of guilt. Leah noticed Joelle’s expression and said gently, “Mrs. Miller, there’s no need to feel guilty. If Mr. Miller is exhausted, that’s on him.”

“I understand that,” Joelle said, but guilt still weighed on her.

“Before he left, he asked if you could bring him lunch again today. If you’re too busy, I can deliver it for you.” Joelle regretted going to bed early after promising to wait for him. Not wanting to feel indebted to Adrian, she relented.

“No, I’ll go.”

“Okay.”

At noon, she went to Miller Group. This time, the receptionist recognized her. There was a noticeable shift in her attitude, showing newfound respect. Yesterday, Joelle had stayed upstairs for two whole hours, setting a new record.

.

.

.