Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

Jewel came through safely, and the baby was saved. She returned to her hospital room looking pale and miserable, her eyes red from crying. Combined with her delicate appearance, she looked truly fragile and pitiful.

"Don't worry too much. The baby is fine." Chris reassured her.

"Chris, I'm so scared," Jewel cried.

Chris handed her a tissue, and she took it. She held onto his hand, with her tear-streaked face resting on the back of his hand.

Sure, she looked pitiful, but that didn't mean she could just treat someone else's fiancé like her husband.

I walked over to them. "Mrs. Goodwin, the doctor said that intense emotions aren't good for the baby. You've managed to save your child. It would be a problem if something were to happen because you cried." I gently pulled her away from Chris without making a fuss.

But seeing the tears on Chris' hand back, I couldn't help feeling uncomfortable as if something of mine had been dirtied by someone else.

I was a bit of a clean freak, both in daily life and in relationships.

Jewel seemed surprised when I addressed her as Mrs. Goodwin. Her face visibly stiffened, but she quickly adjusted her emotions.

"Chris, I'm sorry. What am I doing?" She reached for a tissue to wipe Chris' hand, only for me to stop her.

"Mrs. Goodwin, you shouldn't move around right now."

Jewel's face froze, her tearful eyes looked at Chris with obvious admiration.

"Does Jewel like you?" I asked Chris directly as we came out of the ward.

"No," Chris denied it.

"What about you? Do you like her?"

If I was going to ask, I wanted a clear answer. I didn't want to be strung along.

Chris' expression visibly stiffened. After a few seconds, he uttered softly, "We're just friends."

Just friends?

he died, he held my hand and asked me to take care of

he always seemed emotional. This wasn't the first time

way. "I didn't mean anything else. I just

the future." With him putting it this way, what more could I say? But I still reminded him, "Even if you're taking care of her for lan's sake, you should know that men and women

what I witnessed just now happen again. I didn't want

"Okay, I understand."

heard the urgent sound of wheels squeaking

pushing a stretcher toward us in haste. Just as I was about to move aside, I heard Chris utter in a low voice, "Watch out." He then pulled me aside. The group rushed past us

his embrace, the pounding of his heart echoed loudly in my ears. This sound reminded me of the time shortly after I had arrived at the Gildon estate, when I had

then reassured me and carried me to

had truly fallen

still racing, and it was because of

eyes, unwilling to think about anything else, and nuzzled my

just tell Jewel," Chris said as he released me,

of going into the ward, I waited outside the door. I didn't hear what Chris said to Jewel,

returned home, his parents were still awake, sitting on the couch watching TV without speaking

asked Bree Foster, Chris' mother, about it, and she said that after being married for so long

parents used to be passionately in love when they were young. Alas, their love settled

was what

"Mom, Dad."

"Bree, Zack."

I greeted

If not, there's still

me. "Are you hungry? Would you like something

hardly eaten dinner, but at this

and rest? The household staff will bring you some milk

dwelling on it, I went upstairs. But as soon as I

upstairs. "Maddie, I forgot to mention earlier. We need to clear out Chris' room to make it

get married. Why

you won't stay here sometimes, like during the holidays or when it gets too late," Bree scolded him, then took him