Chapter 363 The Fear of Drowning
Nora's eyebrow quirked in surprise as she caught Howard's gaze. His praise was unexpected. After all, hadn't he been the one to question her medical expertise in the past? Howard, catching her amused smile, awkwardly averted his gaze. He had indeed underestimated his sister once.
"I can attempt a treatment method," Nora stated, her tone cautious. "I can't guarantee that his hand will fully recover to its previous state, but it should be able to reach ninety-nine percent functionality."
Doctors rarely made promises, so when Nora stated ninety-nine percent, it was as good as a guarantee. The Woodhouse family members were overjoyed, expressing their gratitude to Nora.
Aaron approached Nora, his voice soft. "Nora, you must be tired. Let me take you home."
The phrase 'take her home' warmed Nora's heart, like a weary traveler finding solace in the comforting glow of home. "Just give me a moment to change my clothes," she replied. Aaron nodded, patiently waiting for her.
The Hamilton family members bid farewell to the Woodhouse family and left. Only Andrew and his wife remained, providing company to their son. Soon, Nora emerged, freshly changed. Aaron draped his coat over her, pulled her into an embrace, and they left the hospital.
Upon reaching home, they found Jacob and the three children sound asleep. Perhaps due to the incident with the rabid dog, Nora felt an unusual worry for the children that night. She visited each room, checking on the children one by one. Seeing them all sleeping peacefully, she planted a kiss on each forehead before returning to her bedroom.
"Nora, go take a shower to relax," Aaron suggested, having already prepared the bathwater and a change of clothes for her.
"Thank you," Nora replied, accepting the clothes and retreating into the bathroom for a relaxing bath.
The warm water enveloped her, washing away the fatigue of the day. Nora sighed in comfort, her mind replaying the day's events. She wasn't afraid of getting hurt herself, but the thought of her children in danger was her greatest fear.
The near-miss incident with the children tonight had her heart pounding in her chest. She felt a sudden restlessness. Would her children have been exposed to such danger if she were just an ordinary doctor? Unfortunately, their four years of peaceful existence had been disrupted.
Nora sighed, allowing herself to sink deeper into the water, her mind drifting into emptiness.
Outside, Aaron held a hairdryer, waiting for Nora to finish her bath so he could dry her hair. Half an hour passed, and Nora still hadn't emerged. Aaron frowned, considering how Nora had performed surgeries for hours today. She must be exhausted. Could she have fallen asleep in the bathtub? The thought alarmed him.
"Nora, are you okay?" Aaron called out, knocking on the door. Receiving no response, his worry deepened. He found the door locked. Swiftly, he located a spare key, unlocked the door, and pushed it open.
In the bathtub, Nora lay on her back, her eyes closed. Her silhouette was faintly visible through the water. Aaron rushed over, pulling her out of the water. He checked for her breath, his heart pounding in his chest. "Nora, wake up," he urged.
Nora had been resting, her eyes closed in an attempt to find peace, when Aaron's sudden movement startled her. She opened her eyes, slightly bloodshot from fatigue, and fixed him with a questioning stare. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Aaron met her gaze, his own eyes filled with concern. Without a word, he pulled her into a tight embrace. "I called out to you from outside, but you didn't answer. I thought something had happened to you..." His voice trailed off, the memory of finding her lying silent and still in the bathtub, her eyes closed, still fresh in his mind. The sight had terrified him.
Nora, feeling the iron-like grip of his embrace, was momentarily speechless. "What did you think? That I had drowned? Do you think I'm that foolish?" she finally managed to ask.
"Nonsense," Aaron replied, his voice deep and steady. He released her from his grip and took a step back. "Now, you should get dressed. I'll leave you to it."
"I can help you," he offered, already reaching for a large towel.
Nora frowned at his insistence, "I can do it myself," she retorted, quickly drying off and slipping into her pajamas.
Aaron watched her, his dark eyes narrowing as he took in her cold gaze. He moved closer, pushing her gently against the wall. "Are you still angry with me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Nora glanced at his wet clothes, a result of his earlier embrace, and furrowed her brow. "Your clothes are wet. You should shower before you catch a cold," she advised.
A smile tugged at the corners of Aaron's mouth, a hint of delight in his voice. "Are you worried about me?"
"No, I'm worried you'll wet my pajamas," she retorted, causing Aaron to fall silent. He pinched her chin gently, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on her lips.
"If your pajamas get wet, you can simply change into another pair," he suggested, his voice low and seductive. Nora pushed him away, a frown marring her features. "I'm still on my period," she reminded him.
Aaron's gaze deepened, his voice filled with frustration. "In your eyes, am I only good for one thing?" he asked, causing Nora to lower her gaze and remain silent. He tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Are you still angry?"
Nora felt a wave of annoyance wash over her. "Aaron, I'm not thinking about Edric or mad at you. I just feel terrible right now," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Aaron studied her, his voice softening. "Tell me about it," he urged.
"In my heart, nothing is more important than the safety of our children. Today's events have left me feeling very unsettled," Nora confessed.
Aaron's gaze darkened, his voice filled with regret. "I'm sorry, I didn't keep my promise to take care of the children."
Nora glanced at him, touched by his sincerity, and pursed her lips. "You're not almighty. Today's events were just accidents." She didn't mean to blame him, but she was anxious inside. She was afraid the children would be hurt again.
"No, if I had been more careful and assigned more bodyguards to watch over the children, this wouldn't have happened," Aaron admitted, his voice filled with self-reproach. He hadn't expected the servant to leave them and go inside to get clothes.
Nora looked at the handsome features of the man before her and blurted out, "If I hadn't met you, the children... forget it, let's not talk about it." She was tired and didn't want to dwell on unrealistic what-ifs.
Aaron held her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Nora, you were destined to meet me. So, stop being mad at me and pushing me away. I won't force you to marry me, but I promise to protect you and the children with all my life."
His dark eyes were filled with determination and persistence. Nora sighed, "Okay, go take a shower quickly." She had just vented her frustrations. Now, as a celebrity in Lindwood City, she knew her children could no longer lead ordinary lives. They would likely face various dangers in the future, and all she could do was go with the flow.
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