Zephyr held Cordelia’s hands to coax her and calmly took her to the street.
The ambulance had stopped just two junctions away from them.
Zephyr and Cordelia hastened their pace and saw that plenty of people had already formed a crowd around the
cafe. The paramedics acted quickly with serious faces.
It was to their surprise that Janine was the one hurrying after the stretcher!
“Mom!?” Zephyr could not help shouting.
Janine’s head snapped up to see the both of them and was shocked.
Cordelia was anxious. “Aunt Baker, is it my mom—”
Before she finished her sentence, she saw Xyla walking out of the cafe in one piece.
Cordelia hurried to her to hold her by the arm and scanned her from head to toe, relieved to see that her mother’s
gaze was not blank. This meant that her illness had not relapsed.
Despite that, she looked pale and weak, like a sheet that would break with one poke.
“Mom, what’s wrong?” Cordelia’s voice was trembling. “D-Don’t… scare me!”
“I’m fine.” Xyla forced a smile and looked at Janine farther away with a discreet shake of her head.
Janine understood instantly. She knew that Xyla did not want Cordelia to find out about her birth for the time being.
Hence, she moved forward to pat Cordelia on the shoulder with a smile. “Cordelia, we’re both fine… That’s… Mr.
Irwin.”
“Huh?” Cordelia’s eyes widened even more.
“Well… it’s a coincidence.” Janine racked her brains with a scratch to make something up. “Your mom and I were
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇthaving afternoon tea here and ran into Mr. Irwin. It’s a coincidence that… he had a heart attack!”
Xyla glanced at her best friend helplessly with a frown.
“Mr. Irwin has a heart problem? Why didn’t I know?”
“Oh well, it’s a common disease among old people. It’s normal!” Janine was in a hurry to send them off. “Alright,
stop staying around! Cordelia, your mom, and I will send Mr. Irwin to the hospital now. Get us something to eat!”
…
Xyla sat by Rowan’s bed sullenly in the hospital. The past replayed in her mind, scene after scene. If it had to be
described in a color, their past must definitely be romantic violet.
She liked peach blossoms, so Rowan had planted them all over the garden and taken care of them personally
regardless that Southeast Aciatic did not have the suitable climate for the plant.
She did not like hiking, so Rowan opened up a path specifically for her to have a comfortable walk, allowing her to
enjoy the scenery as she went up the hill.
She loved diving, but Rowan was worried for her safety, so someone so scared of water like him had pushed himself
to get a diving certification within a year and went diving with her…
Later, though, the man who loved her and indulged her disappeared. The romantic violet turned into stormy black
and tore her into pieces.
The last time they had met seemed to be so long ago. At that time, they had promised each other in tears that they
would never meet again and would leave each other in their past.
It was unexpected that their sudden meeting would turn out to be this…
Xyla took in a staggering breath as tears fell on the back of her hands.
Rowan, who was on the bed and hooked to IV, had a sound sleep. It was just that he was swollen all over with red
patches on his skin—a typical allergy reaction.
The doctor had said that he was fine. He had passed out because of his coffee allergy and lack of oxygen from
staying too long in the closed-up space.
Xyla looked at his swollen face and left the hospital ward with a sigh.
“Xyla…” Janine had been waiting outside. Her expression dimmed a little, and she lowered her head apologetically
when she saw Xyla.
“I’m so sorry…” she said slowly. “I mean, I shouldn’t have made the decision to let Rowan meet you.
“I had really forgotten that he is severely allergic to coffee!”
Janine was anxious and helpless. For someone who was usually calm and collected, she was currently stomping her
foot in distress as she spoke.
Xyla chuckled. What else could Janine remember aside from making money? It was already a marvel that she could
remember this old friend.
“Never mind. I don’t blame you,” replied Xyla. “It’s kind of strange. I’ve been feeling palpitations and dazing off
previously. Maybe it’s because of this. I really didn’t expect that we could meet again…”
Janine took a deep breath and said, “Xyla, don’t be upset with what I’m going to say. I still want to say that even
though Rowan’s a j*rk, his feelings for you are genuine. You living alone is worrying, and I can’t keep you company
every day! It’s necessary that you have a partner!”
“Why do you sound so much like Cordelia!?”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
“Really?” Janine arched her brow. “Heh, my daughter-in-law and I think alike!”
“Right.” Xyla turned serious. “Cordelia was there when we called for the ambulance. She wouldn’t have found out
anything, would she?”
“You mean her relationship with Rowan?”
Xyla fell quiet for some time. “I don’t want the kids to find out for now. Cordelia’s my daughter. I know her. If she
finds out that her father hasn’t done his duty for over 20 years, she might not be as nice to Rowan, and she’ll be
caught in torment herself.”
Janine could understand Xyla’s feelings and said seriously, holding the latter’s hand, “I won’t tell Cordelia one
word.”
“Mm, thank you.” Xyla put her other hand on Janine’s hands as well.
They heard noises from the other end of the hallway as they spoke.
“Mom, Aunt Baker!” Cordelia had food in her hands. “I got you all something to eat!”
Zephyr was behind her, both of them placing the takeout on the table outside of the hospital ward.
“Mom, Aunt Baker, how’s Uncle Irwin doing?”
“Don’t worry about him!” Janine said with a smile. “You know how people say that kind souls never live long while
the bad guys outlive them? He’s that bad guy!”
Cordelia smiled awkwardly.
“Mom, you must have gotten a scare today?”
“Silly girl, you’re thinking too weakly of your mother!”
“Right.” Cordelia looked up at them. “I heard you two chatting when we came over. What were you talking about?
You seemed happy!”
Janine and Xyla exchanged a look and kept quiet in unison. Janine then eyed Zephyr to silence him.