Chapter 24
Chapter 245
Thorne and Jasmine had just returned to their villa when Thorne’s phone started ringing.
He picked it up, listened for a moment, and then pocketed his phone, slipping his jacket back on. As he headed upstairs with Jasmine, he said, “Your great–grandma had a fall and she’s in the hospital. I need to go see her. You should get some rest.”
Jasmine looked worried. “I want to see her too-”
“You have school tomorrow. You can visit her after classes.”
“Okay…”
Thorne turned and left the house.
Just as he walked out the door, Jasmine’s phone buzzed. She quickly grabbed it, hoping for some news, but it was only spam.
She sighed, a little disappointed. Earlier, she’d tried calling her mom to see if the woman she thought she spotted at the mall was really her. But her mom hadn’t picked up.
She’d hoped the message might be from her mom, but no such luck. Still, she thought, if her mom had been out shopping on Christmas Eve, she surely would have taken her along. She must have been mistaken.
An hour later, at the Starfall City Central Orthopedic Hospital, Thorne had already spoken with the doctor. Irma, his grandmother, had fractured her leg and would need surgery to replace the bone.
However, the surgery couldn’t be done immediately. They needed to monitor her condition before proceeding.
The rest of the Henderson family was away. The only people at the hospital with Thorne were the old family butler and Abbey, the caregiver who usually looked after Irma.
The butler had already notified the other family members.
Seeing Thorne arrive, the butler stood up to greet him.
Irma lay on her side, eyes closed, ignoring him as he approached.
Thorne pulled up a chair by her side and asked, “Still upset?”
He was talking about a recent initiative he had started at The Henderson Group that involved both the Hawkins and Spencer families. Irma was so upset by it that she hadn’t even taken his calls since.
Irma remained silent.
After a moment, Thorne sighed, “What would you have me do?”
Irma opened her eyes and replied, “You don’t know?”
Thorne knew all too well. “I understand. I’ll have it taken care of tomorrow.”
By “taking care of it,” he meant pulling the project back from the Hawkins and Spencer families.
“And what else?”
Thorne knew what she was hinting at, and he frowned, “Grandma..,”
Irma closed her eyes again.
Thorne stopped speaking.
A little while later, Irma spoke again, “You can go now.”
Thorne didn’t leave. Instead, he tucked the blanket around her more snugly.
When the doctor returned, he updated Thorne on Irma’s condition, informing him that the surgery could be
1/2
11:00
scheduled for the day after tomorrow. The operation was relatively low–risk, and barring complications, she should be able to use a walker within a month.
After the doctor left, the butler, looking at Irma’s form through the hospital room window, said, “She really wants to see Charlene, but she won’t let me call her…”
Irma felt guilty about Charlene and couldn’t bear the thought of summoning her now that she was injured.
Thorne nodded. “I understand.”
The butler said nothing more and returned to the room.
