Chapter 313 There’s Still Hope
Colton reached his hand out and rested it on Nicole’s shoulder to comfort her. “Don’t worry. The Gardners will figure a way out.” Nicole pressed her lips together without saying anything.
After all, she had already promised her master that she would no longer apply her medical skills to anyone else. Since she had no way to help Benedict, she felt there was no point in worrying about this. So, she forced a smile onto her face as she followed Colton into Benedict’s room.
Once they opened the door, they were greeted by the familiar scent of antiseptic. Nicole gazed at the old man who was lying on the bed. His face was almost the same color as his white bed sheets, and he had his eyes shut as he rested. “I brought Nicole over to visit, Grandpa,” Colton uttered softly.
Benedict slowly opened his eyes when he heard some noise. He looked fatigued, and a puzzled look flashed across his face when he looked up and saw Nicole.
Then, after a while, he seemed to recall something. “Is that Nicole? How’s your mother? Is she still ill?” His voice was deep and hoarse—it sounded like someone playing the cello with broken strings. He sounded terrible.
“My mother has… passed away… for years now, Grandpa…” Nicole explained as she stepped forward to look at the older man. Benedict blinked a few times as if he recalled something, and he finally seemed to realize what was going on after a while. “Madeline is gone, huh. I see.”
Madeline Houston was Nicole’s mother. Benedict seemed somewhat dejected upon this realization. “I see… It’s about time for me to meet her.” Nicole felt rather confused as he seemed to have aged at least a few years in the past few days. She looked up and gazed at Colton.
Colton knew what she was about to ask, so he replied before she could say anything. “You can stay here and chat with Grandpa for a while. We’ll talk later.”
He thoughtfully left them alone in the room. After he strode out, he clutched the doorknob for a while before shutting the door softly and walking away.
“Stop saying nonsense, Grandpa. You’ll get better soon. I heard them say that you’ll still be able to live for a long time as long as you get the surgery done,” Nicole comforted him.
Benedict seemed to have accepted his fate as he simply scoffed at her words. “Hmph. All of that is just nonsense. The doctors had already said that I wouldn’t survive this when I was abroad.
This surgery probably only has a 10% chance of success. I’d rather die peacefully in bed than on the cold and hard surgical table.
She smiled when she saw how the old man was regaining some of his wittiness and humor. “The surgery actually has a 50% chance of success.
So, you should give it a shot, Grandpa.” He frowned when he heard the girl’s words. He wanted to sit upright, but his arms couldn’t seem to support his body. So, Nicole hurried forward and stacked some pillows behind his back for him to sit up.
Once he settled in a comfortable sitting position, he began to talk. “You’re not fooling me, are you, Nicole? They would have already done the surgery for me if the success rate was that high.”
This was a brain surgery they were talking about, and his tumor was pressing against one of his nerves, so the chances of success had to be low.
Nicole shook her head as she explained herself. “I’m not lying, Grandpa. I saw someone whose illness was even more severe than yours when I was abroad.
Back then, the doctor still claimed that there was a 50% chance of success. This number I’m giving you is already an underestimation.”
“Are you sure?” Even though Benedict was old, he still wanted to live. Yet, he had previously refused to do the surgery since there was only a 10% chance.
But if things were as Nicole claimed them to be, then he would no longer have to go through the torture of his illness. That would be perfect…
“I’m sure.” Nicole gave him a firm nod. She believed that there had to be another doctor who was as outstanding as White. Someone else might be able to achieve her standards even if she couldn’t perform the surgery.
