Chapter 356 Crisis Averted, the Haugen Group Invested
Seeing that Rolf was already moved, Gabriel quickly added, "And hey, I can promise you this too. From now on, I'll treat Chelsea like my own little sister, and the Walton family will be her family too."
"I know she's been missing her parents a lot since they passed. She grew up abroad and doesn't have many close friends here, but she gets along great with my mom."
"If you agree, my mom's already said she'd treat her like a daughter, and Chelsea will be part of the Walton family."
"Things change all the time. Instead of forcing me to marry Chelsea and making me resent her forever, it's better to let the Walton family be her rock. Mr. Haugen, you're a smart guy, and I know you'll make the right call."
Rolf had to admit that Gabriel's words, hitting him right in the heart, almost broke down his last defenses, as they were exactly what he had always wanted.
After laying out all his ideas, Gabriel got up to leave. Just as he took a few steps, he heard Rolf's voice came from behind, "Wait a minute."
Gabriel turned around.
Rolf spoke seriously, "I agree to invest in the Walton Group, but I have one last condition."
"Please, Mr. Haugen, go ahead!"
"Don't tell Chelsea about my illness. It's already in the late stages, and I have less than two months left. I want my last days filled with her happiness, not her fear of my death."
Gabriel nodded solemnly. "Alright, I will keep it a secret."
"Good, then you may go. All the funds will be in place in three installments within a week." After saying this, Rolf closed his weary eyes, the weight of his love and worry for his granddaughter pressing down on him.
"Thank you, Mr. Haugen. I will keep my promises!"
When Jessica checked the headlines again, they were already filled with news about the Walton Group and the Haugen Group's cooperation, and the Walton Group overcoming its crisis.
The Walton Group had made a miraculous comeback, and its stock prices soared.
Seeing this news, Jessica burst into tears of joy. The Walton Group was saved! Her grandfather's dedication was preserved.
But after the initial excitement, reality set in. Gabriel, the elegant man in her memory, was truly about to leave her. He would no longer be hers.
Soon, he would be someone else's husband, and perhaps even someone else's father.
She could no longer cuddle him, kiss him, and call him her husband. The name "Jessica" would be completely erased from his memory and his life, leaving no trace of her.
For the next five years, ten years, twenty years... a lifetime. It would be another woman holding his hand, staying by his side.
Just thinking about this made her heart ache uncontrollably. The pain even spread to her lower stomach. At first, it was just a slight discomfort, but it soon became more pronounced and spread over a larger area.
Fearing something might be wrong with the babies, Jessica immediately went to the obstetrics and gynecology department.
The doctor examined her and gently reassured her, "Don't worry, the babies are fine. Sometimes when a pregnant woman experiences intense emotions, whether too excited or too sad, the baby can sense it and move vigorously."
"Move?" Jessica asked, confused for a moment before looking at the doctor in surprise. "The babies are already moving inside me?"
Lately, when she couldn't sleep at night, she'd been reading posts from other expectant mothers on some app. The content was pretty thorough, covering almost everything.
She'd also joined a group of expectant mothers at a similar stage of pregnancy as her. Even though she rarely commented, she would carefully read all the tips and advice shared by the other expectant mothers.
A few days ago, she saw some expectant mothers saying they could already feel their babies moving inside them, which was called fetal movement.
Then, several other expectant mothers shared that they also felt the fetal movement.
At that time, she was anxious, but she didn't expect the same to happen to her babies.
"Close your eyes, place your hand on your lower belly, calm down, and try to feel it. The babies are moving now."
"But because the babies are still small, you might not feel it very clearly, like a little fish swimming gently. Take your time and try to feel it," the doctor explained.
Following the doctor's guidance, Jessica took a deep breath and then slowed her breathing. She calmed down and focused all her attention on her lower belly.
However, minutes passed, and she still couldn't feel anything.
Seeing her a bit disappointed, the doctor smiled and encouraged her, "It's okay. Every mother has a different sensitivity to fetal movements. When the babies get a bit bigger, you'll feel it more easily. Don't worry, everything is normal."
"Okay, thank you, doctor."
After the examination, Jessica returned home. She lived alone in a rented one-bedroom apartment. It wasn't very big, but it was well-equipped and sufficient for her needs.
That night, Jessica took a bath and lay in bed, but she couldn't fall asleep. She tossed and turned, only making herself more restless.
Finally, she sat up and turned on the light. She took out the drawing she had made for Gabriel in the office a few days before she left.
Although the drawing was average and her skills were mediocre, just looking at it, Jessica could immediately picture him sitting at his desk, working seriously. Every move he made was so clear as if it were etched in her mind.
She hadn't forgotten even a single bit. Her gaze fell on the table beside her, and Jessica's vision blurred.
Suddenly, it felt like she saw him. There he was, sitting at the table in the room, with his sleeves rolled up, his posture upright, holding a pen and working. Occasionally, he would lower his head to write.
Jessica was instantly dazed. She couldn't tell if he was real or just a figment of her imagination.
'Gabriel, is that you?'
'Is that really you?'
She threw off the covers and walked over uncontrollably. When her eyes met his face, she couldn't hold back anymore and reached out to touch him.
However, as soon as she reached his body, everything in front of her shattered. He disappeared like a puff of smoke, vanishing into thin air.
'How could this be? Gabriel, it's you. I saw you.'
'Are you still mad at me? Is that why you left when I touched you?'
'I'm sorry, Gabriel. I had no choice. Please forgive me, okay?'
Jessica looked at the empty table in front of her, shaking her head frantically, tears streaming down her face.
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