Chapter 247: Kissed the Man’s Lips

Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Kissed the Man’s Lips

Keith Sterling’s face was flushed with excitement. "I just saw Julian’s finger move! It really moved! I already called the doctors to come take a look!"

A jolt of joy shot through Sienna Everett. Without even taking the time to reply, she immediately ran into the hospital room.

But in the next second, she saw Julian Forrester still unconscious, his eyes closed, showing no sign of awareness as several doctors examined him.

Sienna Everett’s elation instantly vanished.

Master Forrester beckoned to Sienna Everett.

Sienna Everett walked over, her steps heavy.

"Sienna, don’t be anxious. Any reaction is a good thing," Master Forrester comforted her softly.

"He’s right, Sierra!" Keith Sterling reasoned earnestly. "Julian isn’t just lying there completely unresponsive anymore. He finally had a reaction, which means he’ll be waking up soon!"

Sienna Everett nodded. She understood the logic, but she couldn’t help being anxious. She just wanted to see Julian Forrester wake up as soon as possible.

It was the first time Keith Sterling had ever seen Sierra so worried sick about Julian. For a moment, he wasn’t sure if he should be happy or sad.

’I really hope Julian wakes up soon and sees how much his wife is aching for him.’

After the doctors finished their examination, their tone was a bit more optimistic. "After our careful tests, while Mr. Forrester doesn’t have a significant reaction to external stimuli, he is showing some awareness. This is a precursor to waking up. We’ll continue to observe him closely for a while."

Master Forrester breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Thank you, doctors."

The lead doctor quickly replied, "Of course. It’s our job."

By evening, Sienna Everett had persuaded Master Forrester and Mr. and Mrs. Sterling to go home. People their age didn’t have the stamina of the young. After keeping vigil at the hospital all day, they were surely exhausted and had to rest.

Before Master Forrester left, he had a maid from Veridian Gardens pack a change of clothes for Sienna Everett and had the chef prepare a rich, nutritious meal with soup, all of which was delivered to the hospital.

It was a VIP room with its own shower and a place to rest, making things fairly convenient.

After Master Forrester and Mr. and Mrs. Sterling left, Keith Sterling wanted to stay and keep vigil with Sienna Everett in the room.

Sienna Everett noticed his bloodshot eyes and couldn’t help but urge him, "You haven’t slept in two days and a night. Go home and get some rest tonight."

"No, I’m not leaving!" Keith Sterling refused, pointing to the same bloodshot state of Sienna Everett’s eyes. "You’re one to talk! You’re exactly the same! You haven’t slept in two days and a night either. If I stay, at least I can help you out a little!"

Sienna Everett gestured to the cot on the side. "It’s fine. I’ll just sleep here for a bit if I get tired. You should go home and get a good rest today. You can come back tomorrow."

Keith Sterling looked like he was about to argue, but Sienna Everett pressed him again.

Keith Sterling had no choice. Besides, he thought, having Sierra watch over Julian was more reassuring than anyone else. There were doctors on duty outside, and the Forrester family’s bodyguards were guarding the hallway in shifts. There was no need to worry about any incidents.

’Besides,’ he reasoned, ’today is the first anniversary of Julian and Sierra’s marriage registration. I should have the tact to give them some time alone.’

After giving Sienna Everett a few more reluctant instructions, Keith Sterling finally left the room, glancing back every few steps.

The vast hospital room fell cold and quiet.

On the table sat the nutritious meal prepared by the chef from Veridian Gardens, including a fish soup that had been simmered until it was a creamy white. The faint aroma of food wafted through the air.

Sienna Everett, however, had no appetite. She just took her change of clothes and went to the bathroom for a quick shower.

After her shower, Sienna Everett walked to the bedside, a white towel soaked in warm water in her hand, and began to gently wipe Julian Forrester’s face.

The man lay with his eyes quietly closed. The soft light from overhead cast faint shadows from his long lashes onto his cheeks. His already pale skin now had a sickly pallor, like cold white jade. His lips, the color of cherry blossoms, were the only touch of color on his face.

Sienna Everett knew he wouldn’t react, but she was still afraid she might hurt him if she pressed too hard. Her movements were feather-light as she wiped from his brow down to his jawline.

Her slender fingertips couldn’t resist touching his lips, but the man just lay there, utterly still.

Sienna Everett’s eyelashes trembled, and her eyes began to sting with unshed tears.

She turned her face away, got a fresh towel, soaked it in warm water, and wrung it out. Then, she unbuttoned Julian Forrester’s hospital gown and gently began to sponge-bathe him.

Sienna Everett was meticulous, carefully avoiding his injuries.

’The doctors had said they couldn’t get wet.’

When she was finished, she gently buttoned his gown back up.

Sienna Everett sat on the stool by the bed and instinctively took his hand, her thumb gently stroking his long, elegant knuckles.

’Please wake up soon...’

’In another hour, our first wedding anniversary will be over...’

Sienna Everett stared at him without blinking, terrified of missing the slightest physical reaction.

But the minutes ticked by, and Julian Forrester remained deep in his coma. Not even a finger twitched.

The moment midnight struck, a pang of sorrow hit her. As their anniversary slipped away, gone forever, she suddenly stood and leaned down to press a kiss to his cool lips.

’We didn’t get to spend this one together. But for our second anniversary, and our third... we have to celebrate them together, okay...?’

There was a cot for visitors nearby, but Sienna Everett didn’t use it. She kept her vigil at Julian Forrester’s bedside, only succumbing to exhaustion and falling asleep with her head resting on the edge of his mattress.

When she woke up the next day, the sky outside was bright.

She had been in the same position all night, and her shoulder was completely numb. Ignoring the ache, her first instinct was to look at Julian Forrester. He was still lying there, unconscious, with no sign of waking.

’He moved his finger yesterday, but today there’s been nothing at all.’

Three days passed slowly, but Julian Forrester still had not woken up.

The doctors checked on him with increasing frequency, but none could say for sure when he might regain consciousness.

The worry etched on Sienna Everett’s face deepened, and a heavy atmosphere settled over everyone in the room...

...

「Outside the film studio.」

Inside a black car parked on the roadside.

Ian Prescott handed a photo to the middle-aged man beside him and instructed calmly, "Take this photo, go find Ophelia Warren, and tell her she looks like your daughter who went missing as a child. Say you want to do a paternity test."

The middle-aged man’s name was Raymond Jarvis. He took the photo. The woman in the picture had been photoshopped; her mouth and face shape were remarkably similar to Ophelia Warren’s.

"Yes, I understand, sir."

A smirk played on Ian Prescott’s lips. "Put on a good show. Make it convincing."

"Right, I got it!" Raymond Jarvis said before taking the photo and getting out of the car.

「Inside the film studio.」

Ophelia Warren was on set, playing a minor supporting role. Just as she finished a scene, a crew member approached her. "Ophelia, there’s a middle-aged man outside looking for you!"

Ophelia Warren asked with a puzzled smile, "A middle-aged man?"

Someone nearby teased, "Wow, looks like our Ophelia is really popular! You even have fans of that age!"

The crew member quickly clarified, "No, no, he’s not a fan. He said he’s here to find a long-lost relative! He says Ophelia looks like his daughter who went missing when she was little!"

’A long-lost relative?’

’A daughter who went missing as a child?’

Ophelia Warren’s expression darkened. ’How is that possible? I don’t have any long-lost family!’

However, it was no secret online that Ophelia Warren had grown up in an orphanage. Everyone on set knew. So when they heard someone had come looking for a long-lost relative, the kindhearted crew members had already brought Raymond Jarvis over.