Love at First Sight? Mr. Harrison Has Been Scheming All Along-Chapter 268: "Mom, how long will we stay here?

Chapter 268: Chapter 268: "Mom, how long will we stay here?

Sean Harrison did all this purely on instinct.

By the time he realized what he was doing, they were already close enough to feel each other’s breath.

"Sorry."

Sean Harrison only let go once he was sure she was steady on her feet.

Rory Linden took a step back, her cheeks flushing slightly.

"Mommy..."

Leo Linden’s appearance broke the awkward tension in the room.

"What’s wrong?"

Rory Linden quickly walked to Leo Linden’s side.

The little boy didn’t notice the change in atmosphere. He just let out a big yawn. "I’m a little sleepy..."

Sean Harrison spoke up. "There are toiletries for Leo in the bathroom."

"Thank you."

Rory Linden took Leo into the bathroom.

’The little one wouldn’t notice anything, but her own heart was still pounding.’

’Perhaps it was because his scent, when they were so close, was too familiar, stirring the memories she had so carefully sealed away for five years.’

After Rory Linden helped Leo Linden wash up and change into his pajamas, she accompanied him back to the room.

They hadn’t brought any picture books with them.

Rory Linden made up a story on the spot for Leo.

Halfway through the story, Leo couldn’t help but ask, "Mommy, how long are we going to stay here?"

"Do you not like it here?"

Rory Linden asked for Leo Linden’s opinion first.

The little boy shook his head gently. "No, I like it here."

Rory Linden had already guessed why the little boy was asking.

’He liked it here and wanted to stay longer, but he was afraid they would have to leave soon.’

She gently patted her son’s chest and said softly,

"Then we’ll stay for a while longer. If you like this room, I can redecorate your room to look just like it, okay?"

"Okay."

The little boy nodded happily.

-

「The next morning.」

When Rory Linden got up and brought Leo downstairs, the dining table was already laden with a full breakfast spread.

The mother and son hadn’t even sat down yet...

"Rory Linden," Sean Harrison’s voice drifted down from upstairs. "Could you please help me pick out a tie? I have a very important meeting."

Rory Linden looked up toward the sound.

The man stood by the second-floor railing, dressed in a black shirt. He held a tie in each hand, and they swayed slightly with his movements.

’It had been a long time since she’d done something like this.’

She thought for a moment. "For an important meeting, you should probably go with the blue one."

"Alright."

Sean Harrison put both ties away.

When he came downstairs again, the blue tie was already knotted around his neck.

Rory Linden looked at the man and couldn’t help but ask, "If you have a meeting today, will it be inconvenient to have Leo with you?"

Sean Harrison had previously said he was taking Leo Linden to the factory that produces Bianca today.

Sean Harrison replied, "It won’t be. The meeting is in the morning. We’ll go in the afternoon."

Rory Linden was still a little worried. "While you’re in the meeting..."

"Don’t worry, I’ll arrange for someone to watch Leo. When you get off work, I’ll bring him to the hospital to pick you up."

’Sean Harrison had planned it all out long ago.’

’This wasn’t something he had planned in the last few days; it was a scene he had imagined countless times.’

’If they had a child, and he wasn’t busy with work, he would take the child to pick her up after her shift.’

"You don’t have to..."

"I want to go!"

Before Rory Linden could refuse, Leo Linden raised his hand in agreement!

Rory Linden said helplessly, "I have several surgeries scheduled for tomorrow, so I’m not sure what time I’ll get off. How about you come pick me up in a few days when I have my clinic hours instead?"

Sean Harrison looked at Leo Linden and asked him, "Is that okay?"

Leo Linden knew his mother’s work was demanding, so he could only nod and compromise.

-

「Wednesday was Rory Linden’s clinic day.」

There were 35 appointments scheduled for the afternoon, and after those, there were still a few walk-ins to see.

Rory Linden had the nurse call in the patient with the last appointment number.

The first person to enter was a familiar face.

"Ryan Sterling?"

Rory Linden glanced at Ryan Sterling, who had just entered, then looked down at the file for the patient she had just called.

’The name didn’t match. The gender didn’t match.’

’Her first reaction was that Ryan Sterling had barged in unannounced.’

Just as she was about to speak, a girl followed him in.

The girl had short hair and was about the same height as Ryan Sterling.

"Ms. Rory, this is the classmate I told you about before. Could you please take a look at her?"

Ryan Sterling could see that Rory Linden was not pleased and immediately explained the situation.

He spoke very quickly, as if afraid that Rory Linden was about to throw him out.

As a cardiac surgeon, Rory Linden could tell at a glance that the girl had Marfan syndrome.

The girl was wearing a jacket, and Rory needed her to take it off for the auscultation.

To protect the girl’s privacy, Rory Linden asked Ryan Sterling, "What is your relationship to her?"

Ryan Sterling clearly misunderstood her meaning and immediately blurted out, "Ms. Rory, she’s my classmate. It’s just... she has this condition, so I convinced her to come get it checked out, and then I..."

"You don’t need to explain all that. Since you’re just classmates, please step outside."

Rory Linden cut him off directly.

A hint of embarrassment appeared on Ryan Sterling’s face, but he still stepped out.

Rory Linden first listened to the girl’s heart, then reviewed the cardiac ultrasound she’d recently had done at another hospital. She offered her advice, "Your condition is currently stable. Just avoid strenuous exercise. You don’t need surgery for now, but come in for regular cardiac ultrasounds."

"What kind of activities count as strenuous exercise?"

the girl asked in a small voice.

Rory Linden understood what the girl was implying and explained, "Things like sprinting, or sports that put a heavy load on the heart like volleyball, basketball, or tennis. If you have a boyfriend, just be mindful during sexual activity. As long as it’s not too frequent, it should be fine."

"Thank you."

"You should keep some necessary medications at home. If you don’t have any, I can write you a prescription."

"Thank you."

The girl clearly had an introverted personality and didn’t know what else to say to Rory Linden.

Rory Linden guessed that Ryan Sterling must have pushed her into coming, so she said, "If you feel unwell in the future, just come and register for an appointment yourself. You can see any doctor; you don’t need a classmate to refer you. We’ll take good care of you."

After the girl left, Rory Linden packed up her things, preparing to head back to the inpatient department.

As she finished packing and walked out of her office, she saw Ryan Sterling and the girl talking in the distance.

The girl’s expression was clearly one of distress.

Rory Linden walked over...

"I’ll pay for your hospital stay! I’ll reimburse you for all of it. You have to get treated anyway, so can you please just agree?"

Ryan Sterling had his hands pressed together, his tone pleading.

Rory Linden immediately knew what was happening. She strode over and said coldly, "Ryan Sterling, that’s enough of your willfulness."