Ch. 1641..1650

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1641

As Joan put her hand on his forehead, she could feel it burning. Seized by panic, she picked him up and darted outside.

While running, her heel was accidentally caught between a gap of a manhole. Despite her struggles, she was unable to dislodge it still. However, with Leslie’s eyes still closed, she decided to leave the shoe and rushed toward the hospital.

Soon, the doctor had taken over Leslie while Joan went to the registration counter to register. She had begun to hobble her way around awkwardly.

At that moment, she had the urge to slap herself as punishment. Given how careless I am, how am I able to raise Leslie properly? Or even give him a good life? That was nothing but a fantasy.

I hope that Leslie will be fine. Or else, there’s no way I can face Larry’s parents. I wouldn’t be able to face Larry either.

Just when she was deep in thought, someone pulled her arm, causing her to regain her senses. She widened her eyes in surprise when she saw who it was.

He was wearing a white coat. When he took his hand out of his pocket and removed his facemask, a handsome face emerged before her.

Gaping, she murmured, “Dustin?”

“Joan? What happened?” when he saw how listless she looked, he grabbed her shoulders and asked. However, Joan maintained her silence.

When Dustin noticed that she was ignoring him, he looked around and saw the surrounding crowd. After which he pulled her to a corner.

“Joan, what happened to you? When I saw you walking around alone looking lost, I called out to you but you didn’t respond. What’s going on? Where’s Larry? What happened between the two of you?” Dustin’s concern was written all over his face.

Joan laughed wryly.

What happened to me? I can’t possibly tell you that you caused my marriage to break down to the extent that it has now affected my son, can I?

Nevertheless, Joan managed to maintain her rationality. Despite her anger, she was cognizant that she shouldn’t vent her frustrations on someone who had saved her life before.

After racking her brains for a long while, she couldn’t think of anything good to say. Hence, she chose to respond with silence. However, Dustin began to talk about himself.

“The research I was doing overseas has yet to yield any results. Therefore, the research committee requested data from the neurology departments of various hospitals, so that we can investigate the prevalence of neurological disease in recent years. Look, I was coming out from the neurology department with these documents before I coincidentally saw you.” Just as he spoke, he raised his hand to show her the file he was holding.

Joan shook her head as she looked into his eyes. They were filled with the same concern he used to comfort her many years ago when he was treating her overseas.

When she thought about the innumerable fights she recently had with Larry and how she was violated the night before, the tenacity within her collapsed, causing her to bawl. Just like a string of broken pearls, tears fell repeatedly from her eyes.

After knowing her for such a long time, Dustin had never seen her this way. Feeling lost for a moment, he took out a tissue from his coat and clumsily comforted her.

“Joan, please don’t cry. Someone else might be thinking that I have bullied you. Tell me what happened? We can definitely solve it together.”

“I made a mistake last night when I left him alone at home with a fever. I only managed to bring him to the hospital just a moment ago. Hence, I am utterly devastated. Given how careless I am, how am I able to raise my son properly or even give him a good life?”

Dustin didn’t help her wipe her tears. Instead, he handed her the tissue and remarked softly, “Everyone makes mistakes so don’t get too caught up by it. What’s done is done. There will definitely be a solution. As a researcher, I enjoy a good relationship with the doctors here. Come, let’s find your son a specialist. He will advise the best course of treatment based on your son’s situation. So, stop worrying.”

As Joan sobbed softly, she apologized, “I’m sorry to have lost my composure in front of you. Anyway, I appreciate what you’re doing for me.”

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1642

Smiling at her, Dustin stroked her head. “There’s no need to be sorry among friends. After all, your troubles are as good as mine.”

Having comforted Joan, Dustin made a call to a doctor he knew. He explained to Joan that his contact was an excellent pediatrician.

When the pediatrician heard that Joan was raising Leslie alone, he gave her a generous discount for Leslie’s treatment, for which Joan was extremely grateful.

Fortunately, Leslie’s condition wasn’t serious. Although his fever hadn’t subsided, they had managed to stop it from escalating in the nick of time.

Sitting by Leslie’s bed, Joan ensured that he didn’t move indiscriminately. She had to ensure the needle that was attached to his forehead stayed in place.

As Dustin entered with a peeled apple in hand, Joan quickly pulled out a chair for him. When he offered her the apple, she shook her head to decline.

Dustin remarked with a smile, “Usually, visitors bring fruit baskets. Hence, I hope you won’t think of me as a miser for just bringing you this apple.”

Joan was shaking her head vehemently when she heard Dustin continue, “After staying up the whole night, you have yet to eat a thing. At least have an apple to replenish your energy. At this rate, I’m worried that your body might suffer. If you collapse, there will be no one to care for your son.”

Seeing his point, Joan no longer refused. When she reached out to accept the apple, Dustin asked her, “By the way, does Larry know that the child is sick?”

Briefly stunned, Joan shook her head, “I neglected my son because we were having a fight.”

While he held Leslie’s hand, Dustin advised Joan, “It’s common for couples to fight. After being together for such a long time, conflicts are bound to happen.”

When Joan didn’t respond, Dustin sighed. “Larry has a stressful job and it’s understandable for him to be bad-tempered. Even if he has said anything harsh in anger, you shouldn’t take it to heart. After all, both of you are still young and have a long way to go still.”

A long way? After their endless quarrels recently, Joan felt as if her marriage with Larry had reached its limit.

Just within the last few days, she had felt bitterness, humiliation, anger, pain, and a plethora of depressing emotions. Never in her life did she imagine marriage to be so complicated.

Just as he spoke, Dustin began to watch over Leslie while Joan ate the apple with her head lowered. Despite how sweet the fruit was, it tasted equally bitter in her mouth.

As Caspian couldn’t refuse the pleas of both Larry’s parents, he checked the surveillance footage and pinned down Joan’s location to Mercy Hospital, which he informed Finnick and Vivian.

When they heard the hospital being mentioned, both of them became worried. Regardless of whether it was Joan or Leslie that was sick, they would be equally worried for either.

The moment they received the information from Caspian, they hurried to Mercy Hospital at once. Furthermore, they sent Larry a message to inform him that Joan was in the hospital. After all, they couldn’t care less whether both of them were still fighting.

At the same time, Nancy bought some flowers and fruits as she planned to head toward Mercy Hospital together with Caspian.

As for Larry, he had just finished a meeting when he received a call from his parents, informing him that Joan was in the hospital. Falling into a panic, he almost dropped his phone at the news.

Feeling as if his heart was suspended in an abyss, he kept reassuring himself along the way that Joan and Leslie would both be fine.

Despite his attempts, there was no way he could calm his worried self down. Speeding all the way to the hospital, he ran a few red lights without even realizing it.

The incessant honks that resulted from his actions only served to intensify his worries further.

“Joan! Joan!” Vivian cried as she barged into the ward. As she approached the bed, she saw Leslie’s eyes shut tightly. He wasn’t as boisterous as he used to be.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1643

“Leslie, oh my poor Leslie, how did you end up this sick? It breaks my heart to see you this way.”

Standing by the side, Finnick was equally heartbroken. Suddenly, he raised his voice at Joan. “What’s wrong with you? How can you take the child away just because you are angry with Larry? We know you are his mother and it’s not within our right to stop you. But, how can you not tell me and Vivian? This is unbecoming of you!”

Vivian added, “Ever since Leslie was born, both of us took good care of him and he was seldom sick. How did he end up like this as it has been less than two days since you took him away?”

Ever since she was married to Larry, his parents doted upon her. Hence, today was the first time they admonished her. With nothing to defend herself with, Joan could only listen in silence.

Vivian turned to Dustin, “Doctor, how is my grandson? Will he be alright?”

Dustin replied gently, “Don’t worry, the child is fine. The reason he recovered so quickly was that Ms. Watts watched over him throughout the night. If you are still worried, I can prescribe some harmless medication to help the child heal faster.”

“Alright, alright. Thank you doctor for your time. May I know how am I to address you? When I’m back later, I’ll definitely send you a reward,” Finnick replied.

“I’m Mr. Silverman. There’s no need for a reward as Ms. Watts is my friend. I’m just happy to be of help to her in times of trouble.”

Dustin then left with Leslie’s report in hand. Before he did, he gave Joan a look of encouragement. Only when Joan no longer hung her head in dejection did he leave with his mind put at ease.

Meanwhile, Larry was in the corridor asking repeatedly where Leslie’s ward was. As there was no time to wait for the elevator, he sprinted right up to the third floor and ran toward Leslie’s ward after receiving directions.

Coincidentally, Dustin was just leaving the room. Raising his gaze, his eyes met with Larry who was dashing over.

Larry was stunned to see him and it took him a long while to regain his senses. Instead, it was Dustin that greeted him first, “Mr. Norton, your wife is inside.”

He would have been better off if he didn’t say those words. The moment they left his mouth, Larry’s lost all rationality. Stepping forward, he grabbed Dustin by his collar and threw a punch right in his face.

“You b*stard! I don’t need you to tell me whether she is inside. I am warning you to wipe that smirk off your face!”

A bruise began to form on Dustin’s face as blood trickled down the corner of his mouth. The medical report he was holding fell onto the ground. When Larry glanced at it, he saw Leslie’s name written on top. The very next moment, he pounded Dustin’s face in with all his might.

The loud commotion outside caught the three of them inside the room by surprise. Joan was the first to hear it and quickly opened the door, only to be greeted by the frightening sight.

“Larry! Stop! Stop right now!”

Joan jumped right in, hoping to pull Larry away from Dustin. However, he was simply too strong for her and there was no way she could control him.

Instead, her attempt to stop him only angered him further. Filled with rage, he forcefully shoved Joan who was grabbing onto his arm aside.

After Joan was pushed away by a massive force, the hospital staff gradually stepped in to break both of them apart. One of the young nurses began to gossip about what had happened.

By the time Dustin was helped up from the ground, his face was covered in bruises while he could no longer lift his arm.

Standing in front of Dustin, Joan screamed at Larry, “Why did you start beating him up without any reason? You have no idea how much Dustin helped me this time!”

Larry’s eyes were filled with contempt. “Help? All I see is a hypocrite with a scheme. What did he say to you for you to be so protective of him?”

Joan no longer held back. “Don’t think that everyone is as shameless as you. I may not be an angel, but I’m not as despicable as you think I am!”

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1644

“Where do you think you are? This is the hospital. If you want to quarrel, you should go home and do it.” As this was the pediatric department, the entire floor was filled with children. Given the ruckus that they had caused, many of the children began to cry. The hospital staff that had gathered began to feel exasperated with some of them even threatening to call the police.

Vivian quickly stepped forward and apologized, “I’m so sorry, everyone. My son and daughter-in-law are having some trouble. I will definitely reprimand them when we’re home. So please don’t be mad. Now that it’s over you can move along now.”

Finnick quickly helped Dustin up and softly censured Larry. “What are you doing? Why do you need to beat up a doctor? Can’t you just talk calmly over whatever it is?”

“This man is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He is a scheming hypocrite with no good intentions at all,” Larry retorted.

Bending down to pick up the medical report, he glared at Joan, “I have not fallen to such depths where I need someone else to raise my son.”

At that moment, Joan couldn’t tell what Larry was thinking from the look in his eyes. All she felt was his disappointment and sadness.

As Larry took the medical report to get Leslie’s medication, Joan whispered to Dustin, “I’m sorry.”

Although it wasn’t enough to compensate for the harm Larry did to Dustin, she still felt the need to say it.

“It’s not your fault.” Dustin replied plainly.

When Caspian and Nancy arrived at the hospital to visit Joan and Leslie, they saw Larry at the pharmacy paying for medication. Nancy immediately motioned for Caspian to approach him.

Right away, Caspian noticed Larry’s rolled-up sleeves and the torn calluses on his fists.

Based on his experience, he knew at once that Larry had gotten into a fight.

“Boss, what happened to your hands? Who did you beat up?”

Ever since they were in the army, he knew that Larry was a really good fighter. Now that his hands were hurt to that extent, it meant the victim had suffered much worse.

Nancy’s lips twitched. “It can’t… can’t be Joan, can it?”

Caspian shot her a glance while Larry looked at his own hands and sneered, “He can still walk.”

“Caspian, take this medication to Ward 16 on the third floor. I’m not going back.”

Caspian took over the medication. “What’s wrong, Boss? Aren’t you going to visit Leslie?”

Of course I want to! It’s just that it hurts so much when I see Joan, as if my heart has been pierced by a knife.

After giving it some thought, he felt that Joan had started it all. Unwilling to back down, Larry turned and left.

“Wait!” Joan’s voice rang out from the back. “How can you leave right after beating someone up and turning the hospital into a wrestling ring? Furthermore, you even treated someone else as your punching bag! Therefore, aren’t you being irresponsible by leaving just like that?”

Larry sneered, “Joan oh Joan, don’t you know who is the one that started all this? Instead of reflecting on your actions, you now choose to blame me?”

Joan snapped, “No matter who is the one at fault, you still can’t beat up someone and disrupt the peace at the hospital. Your ridiculous reasoning is simply your attempt at desperately justifying your own actions.”

Both Finnick and Vivian quickly approached to pacify both of them.

“That’s enough. You’re both adults. Even if you don’t mind embarrassing yourselves in the hospital, at least think about your child…”

“Your child needs a quiet environment to recuperate. Why don’t you leave him in the hospital first and arrange for two persons to stay with him?” a doctor by their side suggested.

Finnick shook his head helplessly. “Both of you don’t deserve to be parents. You can’t even handle your own emotions, let alone raise a child.”

He reached out to hug his crying wife. “Larry, go home now! Come back only after you have calmed down.”

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1645

“Joan, you too. You should resolve whatever it is you need to before coming back to watch over Leslie.”

In the luxurious ward, Leslie was sleeping soundly in his bed, covered by a soft and fluffy blanket. By the bed, there was a bouquet of roses that filled the room with its fragrance. Joan was greeted by the tender scene the moment she returned to the ward.

Her adorable son was an angel to her and the biggest source of happiness in her life. She was willing to do whatever it takes to give him the life that he wanted. After what had just happened, she wondered how long her so-called happiness could still last and whether the love in her was still strong enough to hold.

Leslie was largely fine. After a few days of rest, he was back to his usual self.

Sitting by the bed, Dustin let out a faint smile. Despite the scars on his face, they didn’t diminish his style in any way.

As he placed Leslie’s hand in his, his large, weathered hands contrasted against the child’s which were small and tender. If someone had barged in and didn’t know better, he would have assumed that Dustin was the child’s father.

“Recently, our hospital has built a child care center in the east of the city, and it is extremely well equipped. If you are satisfied with it, you can consider leaving Leslie there. It’s more convenient if there are professionals looking after him. This way, you can focus on your school work and continue working at Opulent Designs.

Joan hesitated at the suggestion. “Can’t I leave them with his grandparents? Wouldn’t that do? To a certain extent, he is part of their family. By letting him stay with them, he would also grow up to be close to them.”

Dustin sighed. “Joan, don’t be naive. Given what has happened, do you think it’s going to be easy for you to see your son next time?”

Joan agreed with him in her silence. Soon, she headed to Finnick’s home and admitted to them that she and Larry’s relationship was getting worse. Before they made up, she hoped to negotiate with Larry’s parents so that they could each take a step back.

Joan promised to not take Leslie away for no reason. But as the child’s mom, they had to respect her desire to place Leslie at the child care center. After all, there would be professionals there to watch over and educate him.

“I know from today onwards, if Leslie continues to stay with you, it will become increasingly difficult for me to see him. Therefore, I am proposing this not only to provide him a better learning environment but to also ensure that I can see him whenever I want.”

Joan had her point. Therefore, Finnick and Vivian had no choice but to agree to the somewhat cruel arrangement for Leslie.

At the Sunny Child Care Center.

A baby was curled up in the midst of his soft and fluffy bundle. He then stretched his limbs just like a newborn cat while his eyes glistened like the reflection of clean spring water.

As the gentle breeze blew past the window, the wind chime rang along with it.

Crack.

As the door gently opened, a man dressed in a suit with matching leather shoes entered the room. His arrival was greeted by the crisp ring of the doorbell, as if it was playing a song along with the wind.

Sitting beside the baby, he watched it wave its hands and grunt excitedly. The tender sight simply caused his heart to melt.

Placing both his arms underneath the child’s armpits, his face was filled with joy. When the child saw him smiling, it instinctively smiled in return. After being lifted into the air, it seemed to enjoy the feeling as its legs kicked around in excitement.

“Leslie, it’s Daddy. Can you call Daddy?”

Knock… Knock…

“Come in.”

“Joan? It’s a surprise to see you here.”

Holding a first aid kit, Joan replied with an apologetic tone. “With regards to what happened at the hospital the last time, I would like to apologize on behalf of Larry. I hope you won’t take it to heart.”

“What are you talking about, Joan. Both of you are two different individuals. Hence, there’s no need to apologize on his behalf. To be honest, I understand entirely what he is going through. Therefore, I can empathize with his impulsive actions and won’t hold it against him.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1646

When Joan seemed to be limping, Dustin couldn’t help but take a closer look. Only then did he realized she was wearing a pair of slippers with her leg wrapped in a thick bandage.

“What happened to your leg?” Dustin stood up from his chair.

“It’s nothing. When I brought Leslie to the hospital yesterday, I lost my shoe along the way. After that… I accidentally cut myself,” Joan explained.

Dustin’s expression grew anxious. “What? Is that all that happened?”

He came over to support Joan and led her to the sofa by the door. Rolling up her pant leg, he examined her wound. Realizing the awkwardness, Joan subconsciously retracted her feet.

“This isn’t the first time I’m treating you.” Dustin ignored her resistance as he took the first aid kit from her.

“I brought the first aid kit because I wanted to help you treat your wounds. Look at the bruises on your face…”

“It doesn’t matter as I’m a man after all. No man cares that much about his face.”

After unwrapping the bandage of Joan’s leg, Dustin brought out some cotton buds and alcohol to help her disinfect her wound.

As the alcohol burned, Joan retracted her leg by reflex. Raising his gaze at her, Dustin’s eyes felt as if they were giving her the warmth of the sun.

“Does it hurt? I’ll be gentler so just bear with it a little longer. If it’s not cleaned properly, you will be at risk of infection.”

Dustin applied some white powder evenly over the wound. After that, he tore off some gauze and carefully bandaged her leg.

His actions were gentle as he was worried about causing her pain. However, Joan’s heart was flooded with a mix of emotions.

Many years ago, when she fell on the basketball court, it was Larry who anxiously carried her to the school clinic. Also, it was Larry who treated her wound for her. All this while, she hated clichés but she couldn’t deny the saying that “the ones you love the most are usually the ones that hurt you the most”.

“Why don’t I help you with the wounds on your face?” Joan suggested meekly. Dustin wanted to decline but Joan preempted, “Just treat it as my way of thanking you. Or else, I feel that I can never repay my debt to you…”

As Dustin stared right into her eyes, she could feel his gaze pierce through her heart as he peered deep into her soul.

When her hand came into contact with Dustin’s face, he could feel his heart flutter. However, he tried his best to suppress his urges.

When Larry beat him up, he felt as if his body was about to split open. But when she sat by his side, treating all his bruises, he suddenly felt the beating was well worth the pain.

As Joan’s warm breath blew across the surface of his neck, it set his heart ablaze. After all, he was ever ready to welcome her into it.

Reaching out his hand to hold her wrist, he placed his thumb in the middle of her palm. As the warmth of her hands permeated into his body, he immersed himself in the comfort that it brought. Greedy for her breath, he stared longingly at the reflection in her eyes.

As Joan’s lips parted slightly, a faint pinkish hue began to appear on her cheeks, making her look like a Barbie doll. As for Dustin, he felt like he was a child admiring her through a glass barrier from afar.

Despite the vastness of the world, you are all I that I want.

As Dustin’s hand curled around her porcelain white neck, Joan was suddenly jolted by his unfamiliar breath. Regaining her senses, she struggled from his hand and stood up at once.

Despite his intimate gesture, Joan was cognizant that she was still married and knew where to draw the line with him.

As she left the room in haste with the first aid kit she brought, her heart pounding furiously. After an intense struggle in her mind, the rational part of her finally beat back her emotions.

After that, Joan reminded herself to be more prudent and level-headed.

At that moment, a girl holding a big bunch of flowers was calling out on the streets to sell her wares. She was about seventeen to eighteen years of age and her features were both youthful and exquisite. With her hair tied into a simple ponytail, she looked as if she was a student who had a retro sense of fashion. With a vibrant smile, she held up the flowers toward Joan.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1647

“Miss, would you like to buy one?”

Glancing at her, Joan received the rose and gave the girl a fiver.

“After buying this, I don’t know who I should give it to.” Despite thinking it, Joan inadvertently blurted it out.

“You should give it to the one you love, of course,” the girl replied casually. Her words suddenly illuminated what Joan truly felt in her heart.

Ever since the beginning, she had only loved one man.

No matter how he misunderstood her or hurt her, she still loved him from the bottom of her heart. It was precisely because she loved him so much that her heart was shattered when she realized he didn’t trust nor understand her.

Joan smiled at the girl. “Thank you.” The striking color of the rose seemed to have set her heart alight.

Meanwhile, Dustin was slumped in his chair, staring at the ceiling.

With his eyes closed, his eyelashes seemed to be jittering rapidly. His mind was filled with images of her while his ears reverberated with the sound of her voice.

When he heard a knock on the door, he swiveled his chair away from it and massaged his temples. “Come in.”

“Yo, what are you doing? What’s wrong? Did your plan fail?” The man poured himself a cup of coffee before taking a seat on the leather sofa.

With his back toward him, Dustin sounded tired. “So what if it did? She still can’t forget Larry.”

The man lit himself a cigarette. Squinting his eyes, he seemed to be relishing the moment. “By the way, I heard Larry gave you a beating. Do you want me to get someone to exact revenge for you?”

Dustin turned around. “No. Speaking of him, I would actually like to thank him for the beating.”

“Dustin, has he knocked you out of your senses? Thank him? If I were you, I would have stabbed him with a knife before anything else!”

Dustin frowned. “Jory, you have to think before you act. There are always two sides to a coin. Sometimes, your choices might be detrimental to your interests or even bring about unintended consequences.”

Jory inhaled the cigarette smoke deeply. “Suit yourself. But, their relationship doesn’t seem to be strong. A few tricks from me and it is already on the rocks. And yet they claim love trumps everything. I can’t wait to see how long more they can still hang on.”

“Next time don’t smoke in here. Put it out now.” Dustin waved away the smoke in displeasure.

Jory smirked. “Yo, you seem different ever since you returned and met that woman. When you were overseas, you never behaved like that.”

Dustin flipped open one of his documents and began reading. “Enough. If there’s nothing else, please let yourself out. I have some research to do.”

“Hahaha, I do have something, of course. Did you think I was here for idle chit-chat?” Jory added, “I am running out of funds. So, you have to pay me as soon as possible.”

“Alright. Now leave, I want to…”

Jory interrupted, “Do some research? You can drop that act in front of me. Research my ass…”

When Dustin shot him a glare, Jory shrugged. “Alright, I’m leaving. Our revolution has yet to succeed. So, you still need to work hard.”

Meanwhile, Nancy was sitting on the bed while giving Caspian a massage. “Poor Leslie. He isn’t even one year old yet and his parents already have irreconcilable differences.”

“It’s all my fault. If only I had told Boss earlier, he wouldn’t have treated Dustin with such animosity.”

“Don’t blame yourself. Love is always unpredictable. Don’t tell me you really think this is just between the both of them?”

Caspian sat up on the bed at once. “What do you mean?”

Nancy kept him in suspense. “I’m surprised that you even need to ask. Aren’t you Caspian, the great detective, where nothing escapes your eye?”

“Hey, my princess. Please tell me, alright?” Caspian quickly switched roles and began to massage Nancy’s shoulders.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1648

Nancy replied, “I don’t think Larry’s animosity toward Dustin was started by the recent incidents.”

“Just think about it. Given how rational he usually is, he wouldn’t have hurt the person he loves the most without any evidence. Those incidents were likely the straw that broke the camel’s back, causing him to break down mentally.”

“The straw that broke the camel’s back…” Caspian mumbled to himself. “Perhaps, Boss’ bias toward Dustin was seeded a long time ago. This time, he lost control because I didn’t find any evidence to show that they were innocent.”

Nancy gave him a thumbs up. “Very good, you have potential.”

“Do you have any ideas on how to reunite them then?” Caspian increased the intensity of the massage.

“You fool. The simplest solution is also the most difficult one, that is to find evidence to demonstrate that there is nothing going on between them.” Nancy stopped before turning around and giving Caspian a dejected look. “It’s just that… it’s not going to be easy to find such evidence at all.”

At Opulent Designs.

Joan was holding up two different pieces of clothing to compare. After that, she picked up a pencil and started drawing. Just when she was engrossed in her work, her phone rang for a while before she answered.

“Hello? Who is it? Sunny Child Care Center? Yes, I’m Leslie’s mom. Go ahead…” Joan continued drawing. “What? He has been suffering from diarrhea? Alright, I’ll head over at once and get him some medicine along the way. Thanks, and sorry for the trouble.”

Having ended the call, Joan continued to complete her drawing.

After a long while, when she compared both drawings and finally nodded with satisfaction, she slapped her forehead upon a sudden realization. Oh no, I need to get to Sunny Child Care Center at once.

Joan hurried to a nearby pharmacy and picked up some probiotics before heading there.

As the sun shone brightly in her eyes, her vision suddenly turned dark. She tried shaking her head vehemently to keep the shadows away. Panting heavily, she supported herself by holding onto the doorframe of the child care center.

Meanwhile, one of the teachers at the center, who was wearing a pink dress, admonished Joan, “Are you Leslie’s mother? Look, do you know what time it is already?”

“I… I’m sorry. I was caught up with work…”

The teacher became angrier. “Can business people like you put aside your work for once? It’s always about the money, and that’s all you can think of. Is money more important than your son?” When she saw Joan remaining silent, the teacher’s tone softened. “Don’t assume keeping your child here solves everything. If not for the child’s father arriving earlier, he would likely still be having diarrhea…”

When Joan looked up, she saw the tall figure leaning by the bedroom door. Larry was still in his suit. Obviously, he had dropped his work and came from the office.

“If they hadn’t called me at the same time, were you planning to let Leslie suffer till now?” Larry questioned her with a scowl.

Joan replied, “It’s my fault for coming late. I will apologize to him.” Sweat began to break out on her forehead as darkness crept into her vision.

“I really don’t know what you’re thinking. Do you intend to chase your dreams at Leslie’s expense? If that’s what you want, you shouldn’t have had him in the first place.” Larry straightened his posture. “Since we have decided to be parents, we have to prioritize him in everything we do. Your attitude gives me the impression that you’re not fit to be his mother.”

Gritting her teeth, Joan retorted, “Larry, must we always fight every time we see each other? We were never like that.”

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1649

Just as she spoke, she collapsed onto the ground. The pain in her head intensified while her vision faded to a blur. All she could feel was the jarring light from the sun and a shadow rushing toward her.

“Joan!”

That was the last thing she heard before falling unconscious. It felt exactly like when he dived over to protect her head from an oncoming basketball a long time ago. The concerned look he had now was the same as then.

Larry’s mind drew a blank. Joan, are you going to torment me with this tactic just because you can’t win the argument? That’s really despicable of you. As he dashed over and pulled her into his embrace, he hugged her so tightly as if he was about to crush her.

“What’s wrong, Joan? Wake up! Don’t sleep!” Larry saw that her lips were pale and forehead covered in sweat. Her wet fringes had stuck messily over her face. Every time she appears in front of me, she would always be in some sort of trouble.

Picking her up, Larry carefully placed her in the front passenger seat. After that, he floored the accelerator and sped toward the hospital. With his left hand on the steering wheel, he held her hand tightly with his right.

Thinking back, he was also holding her hand in the bright white hall when he vowed to grow old with her and to never abandon her. But ever since their misunderstanding, they always argued when they saw each other. He admitted that the stress from work and the blurry lines between her relationship with Dustin caused his frustration to mount. But after giving the matter some thought, he realized that he never gave her an opportunity to explain.

“Joan, please be alright. When you wake up, I will patiently listen to whatever you have to say. I promise I won’t be angry or argue with you. Also, I won’t blame you anymore. So let’s just reconcile.”

Joan’s furrowed eyebrows suddenly eased, as if she had heard Larry’s words. At that moment, she felt like she was in an empty tunnel that stretched beyond where her eyes could see. No matter how hard she tried, she could never reach the end. In her dream, she was surrounded by a thick fog. Despite her desperate attempts at clearing it with her hands, it simply grew thicker. Before she knew it, she couldn’t even see the path ahead of her.

Suddenly, she felt someone holding her hand. The hand felt like a source of energy that continuously fed her feeble body with the warmth she needed. She wanted to respond to it but was simply too weak to do so. After that, she felt as if the hand was slowly drifting away and she had no way of hanging on to it. Before she knew it, she was all alone again, pitiful and helpless.

As Larry got down, he ignored the stares of passersby as he carried her into the emergency room. After that, he saw the white stretcher moving further and further away from him. As the giant red doors gradually closed in front of him, he kept praying in his heart, hoping that everything could return to the way it was, giving them a new start.

“Are you Joan’s husband?”

“Yes, I am. Doctor, how is she?”

“It’s nothing serious. She just suffers from anemia. Stress and irregular meals have likely caused her fainting spell. I have prescribed some medicine for her which she needs to take after meals. Anyway, all she needs is to just take more supplements and maintain a healthier lifestyle.” The doctor wrote a note. “Take this to the pharmacy to collect her prescription and you will be done after paying.”

Extending his hand to receive the note, Larry’s knitted eyebrows finally relaxed. “Alright. Thank you, doctor.”

The doctor laughed instead. “As for you, don’t worry too much. Most women will more or less suffer from a little bit of anemia. Once you are home, remind her to get some rest and don’t tire herself out.”

After being put on the drip, Joan’s condition improved. Sitting beside her, Larry held her hand tightly, as if time had turned back to when they first met.

At that time, he was the star of the basketball team. As he was preparing for an important match, he had to be constantly at practice. Hence, they agreed that he would head to the basketball court first while she would get some drinks. Usually, people would go dating at the cinema, the park, or even the library. But for them, it would always be at the basketball court.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1650

Joan would always be seated at the fifth seat within the third row. When Larry asked her to move further in front, she told him that was the best seat in the house. She wouldn’t be blocked by the cheerleaders in front and would be able to see all the players clearly.

At that time, Larry pretended to be angry at her for ogling at the other players instead of only focusing on him. Joan laughed when he teased her. She replied that she would bring a magnifying glass as to watch him play. That way, he would encompass her whole field of vision.

Larry then kissed her on her cheeks, causing her to blush all over. After that, she urged him to go back to practice. At the huge basketball court, only both of them were there. They used the opportunity to relish in the fact that they were everything to each other. It didn’t matter where they dated. All they cared about was how deeply they were in love with each other.

However, love was different from marriage. In a marriage, it connected two families where a lot of other people were involved. If he knew then that marriage was so much more complicated and would cause them so much hurt, he figured that he wouldn’t have proposed to her so early.

Although Joan was soft-hearted, she was still someone with a strong character. She couldn’t tolerate knowing that he didn’t trust her. Also, she couldn’t accept that her weakness had become a burden to him. Her temperament had caused her to break up with him after she decided to fly overseas for her treatment. She rather he hated her. After all, hate was easier to let go of than love.

After everything that had happened, she ended up marrying him still. But, she didn’t expect their relationship to be shattered by his distrust of her.

Given how insecure Larry was, his insecurities were further amplified after Joan broke up with him and lied to him that she had fallen for someone else. Furthermore, during his time as a soldier, the feeling of being under fire on the battlefield had long decimated whatever sense of security he had left. It was also exacerbated by his comrades being killed in action one by one. Since then, he was always shrouded with insecurity.

Under such circumstances, Larry had no way of ever lowering his guard down toward anyone. If he couldn’t do it for Joan, he would definitely not be able to do it for anyone else.

His stubbornness and naivety all boiled down to the feelings he had deep down. The more exposure he had, the more he realized how fast the world was progressing, leaving him behind. To him, the world was sad and cruel. He naively thought that he could change it. But once the results were not what he expected, a sense of helplessness would overwhelm him.

If Larry had really understood Joan, he wouldn’t have demanded her explanation.

While Joan was still in the long tunnel looking for an exit, she suddenly noticed the fog gradually forming into a line, guiding her forward. As she followed where the line led her, the view in front of her began to clear up. Soon, the exit appeared right before her eyes.

The light in front seemed to be blocked by someone’s figure. When she turned to see who it was, she couldn’t make out the person’s face. The figure pointed at the exit in front of her as if to remind her that she needed to walk forward.

As Joan’s gaze trailed where his finger was pointing, she saw a field of beautiful flowers and fluttering butterflies at the exit. When she wanted to take another look at the figure beside her, she noticed that he had already disappeared.

The moment she opened her eyes, she felt something heavy pressing on her hand, causing it to feel numb. Regaining her senses, she saw Larry laying his head on her arm, sound asleep.

Despite carefully adjusting her hand, she didn’t retract it from underneath him. The last memory she had before she lost consciousness was him calling out her name while rushing toward her. They had been quarreling a moment earlier.

She gently moved the hand that Larry was sleeping over. “Larry…”

When he woke up in a daze, Joan couldn’t help but be amused by the look on his face. Finally, she understood why Leslie always woke up looking stunned and grouchy. He had inherited the trait from his father.