Chapter 383: Finally a Reaction

The next day, after finishing breakfast and getting ready at home, Wren Sutton walked over to the cribs to say a special goodbye to her two children.

She had decided to go to the hospital during the day and come home to rest at night. That way, she wouldn’t neglect the children too much, and her parents could also get some proper rest.

"Owen, Nina, Mommy is going to the hospital to see Daddy. I’ll be back to play with you tonight, okay?"

"Be good at home, and listen to Grandma and Grandpa."

She kissed each of her children’s warm cheeks, her eyes filled with reluctance and guilt.

"Mommy will buy you some nice little toys when I come back."

With that, Wren Sutton left reluctantly and headed for the hospital.

The hallway outside the intensive care unit was always filled with a repressive silence.

When Wren Sutton arrived, Claire Sterling had also just gotten there a short while ago. After the two met, they sat down together on a bench.

In truth, there was nothing to do at the hospital but sit in the hallway and wait, just passing the time.

But if they didn’t come, they would feel uneasy, as if something wasn’t right.

Claire Sterling asked about Owen and Nina, and only relaxed after hearing the children were doing well.

"We agreed yesterday that you should rest at home for a couple more days and spend time with the children. You didn’t need to rush to the hospital, but you just won’t listen." Her chiding tone was filled with concern for Wren Sutton.

Wren Sutton understood her mother-in-law’s intentions and said gently, "I’ll go home tonight instead of sleeping at the hotel. That way, I can take care of both sides."

Claire Sterling sighed, both pained and helpless. "That’s good too. It’s just hard on you, running back and forth."

Wren Sutton shook her head gently, her gaze deep as she looked toward the doors of the ICU.

"It’s not hard."

’Compared to what Adrian Lancaster is suffering, this is nothing.’

A while later, a doctor came to do a routine check on the patients in the ICU and update the families on their conditions.

The good news was that Adrian Lancaster’s vital signs remained stable.

The bad news was that he still hadn’t woken up.

Given Adrian Lancaster’s condition, the doctor agreed to let family members visit.

’She wanted to go in more than anyone. She wanted to be closer to Adrian, to talk to him, hoping she could wake him up sooner.’

She knew very well that the ICU had a limited number of visitation slots each day, with restrictions on frequency, duration, and the number of visitors—only one person at a time.

Adrian Lancaster wasn’t just her husband; he was also Claire Sterling’s son.

Wren Sutton looked at her mother-in-law’s heart-wrenching, weary, and worried expression, seeing the agony she endured as a mother. This chance to see him up close was more precious than anything.

Wren Sutton took a soft breath, suppressing the surging desire in her heart, and decided to give today’s visitation opportunity to her mother-in-law.

She looked up at Claire Sterling, her tone calm and understanding. "Mom, you should go in and see Adrian."

It wasn’t that Wren Sutton didn’t want to see Adrian Lancaster; she just wanted to give this precious opportunity to her mother-in-law, who was just as anxious and sleepless as she was.

’A mother’s love is powerful. It’s a bond of flesh and blood, thicker than water. Perhaps a mother’s voice can be the one to awaken her son.’

Claire Sterling was visibly stunned. Amid her surprise, a complex and indescribable emotion flickered in her eyes. She never expected her daughter-in-law to give the visitation slot to her.

Her eyes immediately reddened, and she gripped Wren Sutton’s hand.

"Wren, thank you."

Wren Sutton squeezed Claire Sterling’s hand in return, her gaze gentle yet firm.

"Mom, there’s no need to thank me. It’s the right thing to do."

"Adrian Lancaster doesn’t belong only to me. He’s also a son of the Lancaster family. I can’t hog all the visitation opportunities."

"You should go in and talk to him. Let him feel that the whole family is thinking of him and waiting for him to wake up."

"Right now, he needs his family’s encouragement."

Claire Sterling nodded, moved. "Alright. I’ll be sure to tell Adrian how thoughtful you’ve been."

With that, she stood up to get ready.

A brief silence returned to the hallway, with only the faint, distant beeping of the monitors echoing.

Wren Sutton sat alone on the bench, staring blankly at the closed doors.

She had given the precious opportunity to family, leaving the deepest longing and worry for herself, for the long wait ahead.

...

Guided by a nurse, Claire Sterling changed into a sterile visitation gown, put on a mask, cap, and shoe covers, and entered the ICU with a heart full of both excitement and trepidation.

The regular, cold beeping of the monitoring equipment was a constant sound in her ears.

Her gaze swept past rows of beds before finally landing on Adrian Lancaster.

A ventilator rose and fell slowly, helping him breathe. Countless IV lines and monitoring tubes were connected to his body, each one tugging at Claire Sterling’s heart.

She shuffled to the bedside, her steps unsteady. She reached out to touch her son, but her hand froze mid-air, afraid that she might press too hard and hurt him.

After a long moment, she tremblingly took Adrian Lancaster’s hand.

Tears instantly welled up and streamed down her cheeks, soaking her mask. She bit her lip to keep from crying out.

"Adrian, Mom’s here to see you."

Claire Sterling spoke through sobs. Looking at her unconscious son, her heart felt like it was being twisted by a knife, and she wished she could be the one lying in that hospital bed instead of him.

"Open your eyes and look at Mom, won’t you?"

Adrian Lancaster remained silent, giving no response.

Tears blurred Claire Sterling’s vision.

"The whole family is waiting for you to wake up. Wren stays at the hospital every day, refusing to rest. Owen and Nina are waiting for their daddy to come home."

"Your father and Julian are busy investigating the car accident. They’ve sworn to find the real culprit and get revenge for you."

"Lucia, Sean, and Caleb also come to the hospital every day. They wait outside the doors for news that you’ve woken up."

"And your father-in-law and mother-in-law are also worried about when you’ll wake up. They’re constantly thinking of you."

Claire Sterling rambled on, every word filled with a mother’s deepest pleas.

She looked at the stable vital signs on the monitor, her heart torn between relief and agony.

Relieved that her son’s condition wasn’t worsening, but tormented by the fact that he showed no signs of waking up.

"Oh, Adrian, you have no idea what’s been happening outside. Someone is maliciously spreading rumors online, slandering Wren, saying she orchestrated the car accident. They’re even saying she doesn’t really love you. The whole family is furious..."

"Those people don’t know the first thing about the truth! They deserve to die. Wren is here at the hospital with you every day, never leaving your side. We’ve all seen how devoted she is to you. Why should she have to suffer this kind of slander!"

"Son, you have to wake up and get justice for your wife! Otherwise, this is just too unfair to her..."

The moment her words fell, the man on the bed suddenly stirred.

The left hand, which had been completely unresponsive, suddenly quivered at the fingertips. Then, the knuckles curled slightly, as if suppressing rage or instinctively protecting something.

The steady line on the monitor suddenly jumped a few times.

Claire Sterling froze on the spot, her breath catching in her throat as her eyes widened in disbelief.

Her son, at the very moment he heard Wren Sutton being slandered, had finally reacted.

An enormous wave of ecstasy instantly overwhelmed her senses. Claire Sterling’s voice trembled as she practically screamed.

"Doctor! Nurse! Come quickly! My son’s hand moved! His fingers curled up...!"