Chapter 258

258
Seconds ticked by , yet the pain she had braced herself for never came .
Giana cautiously opened her eyes , only to be met with Aria’s face – so pale that it was almost ghostly , completely drained of color , her forehead covered in a sheen of sweat .
Giana’s nursing experience made her acutely sensitive to subtle changes in expression . She immediately spotted the trauma in Aria’s eyes .
She couldn’t bring herself to do it .
Giana reached out and grasped Aria’s trembling hand , forcing a weak but determined smile . Whispering hoarsely , she said , “ Aria , I trust you . ”
With these words , Giana released Aria’s hand and closed her eyes peacefully .
The treatment session lasted a full two hours .
Sweat poured off Aria uncontrollably , quickly soaking through her thermal shirt . A chill washed over her .
She slumped back in the chair , head thrown back , surrendering to the blinding light .
Her vision swam with spots of light , her mind utterly blank . All she wanted was to stay like that , still , letting herself drift in this empty tranquility .
Giana had fallen asleep .
Aria took a moment to collect herself , then picked up the pen nearby and , with trembling hands , laboriously wrote out the prescription on the paper .
Her handwriting was a shaky scrawl , the strokes twisting across the page like worms – just barely legible .
Outside , Owen stood statue – still , rooted to the spot , his posture unchanged .
He clutched the thermos , his gaze fixed intently on the hospital curtain .
Giana’s two friends paced anxiously back and forth nearby , their faces etched with worry .
“ It’s been so long . Why isn’t it over yet ? Can Giana’s baby even be sayed ? ” one of them blurted out , her voice thick with worry .
The other answered , “ At just three months along , the fetus is still fragile . After such severe shock and physical trauma , the chances of survival should be … very slim . ”
The two friends exchanged a glance and sighed heavily .
Just then , the hospital room curtain slowly parted , and Aria emerged .
“ Get the medicines prescribed as soon as possible . Go to Jamelan Elementary School and find the person in charge . They’ll assist you . ”
Her voice came out slightly hoarse from exhaustion .
The two women froze momentarily at those words , their eyes widening in astonishment .
They asked , “ Is the baby safe ? ”
Aria gave a slight nod . “ Tell Giana the baby is safe . Ask her to stay calm and maintain a positive mood . I’ll check in again tonight . ”
‘ The baby’s really safe ? ‘ Stunned and overjoyed , the two women quickly snatched the prescription from Aria’s hand .
Aria looked calm , but her face was ghostly pale , and her bloodless lips were slightly chapped .
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Owen’s heart clenched with worry . Acting on pure instinct , he strode forward in an instant , unscrewed the cap , and pressed it to Aria’s lips . Drink some water first , ” he urged .
Aria was indeed parched , her throat burning as if scorched by fire . The moment she opened her mouth , she grabbed the bottle and gulped down more than half its contents in one go .
The water was at just the right temperature , with a subtle hint of saltiness .
Seeing this , the two girls shared a guilty look , a flicker of remorse crossing their eyes .
It hadn’t even occurred to them to bring Aria water or anything to drink .
So that was why Owen disappeared for half an hour . He’d gone to get a bottle of water specially for Aria .
Owen appeared stern and aloof , yet he was incredibly attentive and considerate toward Aria .
Damn ! They were just so ship – worthy .
But there was no time for shipping in an emergency .
One of them rushed into the ward to tend to Giana .
The other woman shot off like an arrow toward Jamelan Elementary School .
In the blink of an eye , only Aria and Owen were left in the hallway .
Aria’s hand trembled slightly as she held the bottle . The moment she finished drinking , Owen immediately reached out and took it from her .
The instant their fingertips touched , he was struck by an icy chill from her skin .
His heart plummeted . “ Let’s get you back , ” he said tersely .
Giana’s caretaker passed the medical kit to Owen .
They walked side by side , while Owen kept a discreet eye on her .
Aria’s steps faltered . A metallic taste of blood rose in her throat .