Ch. 691..700
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 691
“No,” Sarah chuckled after seeing Caroline so panicked. “Not a scratch at all. It just took me some time and effort to find the way back.”
“Then why did Shannon hear you crying for help?” Caroline asked quizzically. “She thought you were in danger, so she and Vivian went to find you. Didn’t you bump into them?”
“What cries?” Sarah frowned before continuing, “I didn’t call out for help at all.”
At this point, the two of them had walked to where everyone else waited. Everyone sighed at the sight of Sarah being back safely. They fluttered around her and asked questions.
“Sarah, what took you so long? Where’s Shannon and Ms. Morrison?”
“Shannon said you were in danger, are you hurt?”
“Why are you back alone? Ms. Morrison went to find you, didn’t you see them on your way back?”
…
Listening to everyone’s babbling questions, Sarah’s head pounded overwhelmingly. “I wasn’t in danger. I just got lost, and I didn’t even see Shannon or Vivian on my way back. Did they go searching for me?”
“Yeah. Unless… they couldn’t find you and got themselves lost instead?” Nervous whispers came from everyone. While they were worried for Shannon and Vivian’s safety, they also couldn’t help but feel upset at the state of things.
Really? Didn’t we come on this trip to have fun? All they had been doing since they got here was worry. They worried helplessly as people started disappearing one after the other without explanation. What the hell was going on?
Hearing Sarah’s and everyone’s conversation, Finnick felt even more on edge than before. Although this island had undergone urban development, there were still very few visitors. Not to mention, the terrain here was harsh and uneven. What if Vivian gets into trouble?
“Everyone wait here and be safe. I’m going out to find Ms. Morrison. Does anyone know which direction they went in?”
“That way,” Caroline pointed. “Vivian and Shannon headed that way to look for Sarah.”
“Thank you. Please contact the police if I don’t get back in two hours. Have them look for us. Remember, stay safe and don’t act recklessly on your own.”
After saying this, Finnick dashed in the direction that Caroline had pointed out. A silent prayer hummed from deep within him. Vivian… you better be safe.
The air turned dense after Finnick’s last words. With heavy and anxious hearts, everyone prayed for their safe return.
After half an hour of searching, Finnick still hadn’t found Vivian or Shannon. His heart pumped furiously as if it were about to explode out of his chest. Where on earth did they go?
“Vivian! Vivian!” He projected his voice as loudly as he could, but there was no response.
Then he ventured deeper into the forest. As he walked, Finnick paid careful attention to the ground and his surroundings. He scanned them for any clues showing that Vivian and Shannon had passed by.
A footstep! Finnick’s heart dropped with excitement, with relief at the shoe-shaped mark on the ground. At first glance, the footprints looked like a woman’s. Maybe these belong to them!
Trailing the footsteps, Finnick finally saw someone sitting on a rock not far away—it was Shannon!
Although he heaved a joyful sigh of relief, something still bothered him. Why is she alone? Where’s Vivian?
“Shannon!” Finnick shouted. He moved closer and continued, “Why are you are alone here? Wasn’t Vivian with you earlier? Where is she?”
Stunned by a sudden voice, Shannon’s head whipped back in surprise. Panic rose in her chest at the sight of Finnick. How did he manage to find me here?
She hopped off the rock hurriedly. It was too late to conceal the alarming look on her face. “M-Mr. Norton, how did you manage to find me?”
Sensing something wrong with her reaction, Finnick tensed warily. He even took on a sterner tone. “Weren’t you with Vivian? Where is she now?”
“I-I don’t know.” Shannon’s thoughts scrambled to find an excuse. “We were separated, so I’m waiting for her here. I don’t know where she’s gone.”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 692
Shannon didn’t want everyone asking her where Vivian went, so she hid here. She planned to go back a little later. This way, if anyone asked, she could say that she and Vivian had split up to search for Sarah. She would explain that she couldn’t find Vivian after being separated, so she came back on her own.
However, she didn’t expect that Finnick would find her so quickly. It threw her off guard and made her too flustered to react normally.
Shannon’s incoherent story made Finnick more suspicious of her. If she really got separated from Vivian, then she should be happy to be found and rescued. Why was she so nervous and afraid?
Five years ago, before their divorce, Vivian mentioned that she didn’t get along with Shannon from the magazine company. She said that there was always animosity between the two of them. And now, Shannon reacted so suspiciously. Could it be that she did something bad to Vivian?
The thought of this boiled anger in Finnick. He pounced towards Shannon and snarled, “You really don’t know where Vivian went? How did you two get separated?”
“W-we couldn’t find Sarah. Vivian got worried and said we’d have better chances of finding her by splitting up. So we did that. Then… then I lost sight of her. All I could do was wait here.”
Finnick’s rough tone made Shannon, who already had a guilty conscience, even more panicked. She was a bundle of nerves, and her words came out all jumbled. There was no way she could fool Finnick.
“Spit it out! Do you really not know where Vivian is?” Finnick raised his voice. His brows furrowed tautly as he roared, “I’m warning you, best not lie. Otherwise, I’ll make you pay the price of lying to me.”
Finnick’s superiority had always been eminent; now, hostility coursed from his body, dangerously seeping into the air around them. It threatened Shannon, making it impossible for someone meager like her to withstand.
For a moment, she was so frightened that she couldn’t think straight. She yelled frustratedly, “She was so ruthless to you before! Why do you still care so much about her?”
Shannon’s response confirmed Finnick’s suspicion. She definitely knew where Vivian was.
Sarah said that she hadn’t cried for help at all. So how could Shannon have heard someone’s cries? She probably said that to lure Vivian out here.
A murderous glare shot from Finnick’s eyes. He jolted forward to grab Shannon by the collar. “Where the hell did you leave her? Tell me the truth! If anything happens to her, I’ll make sure the rest of your days are miserable. Trust me when I say that I’m a man of my word!”
A shiver ran down Shannon’s spine. Witnessing Finnick’s blazing anger at such close proximity made her tremble uncontrollably. She couldn’t withstand his pressuring any longer.
“Fine. I’ll tell you,” Shannon sobbed. She pointed a shaky finger and said, “Vivian’s in a pit over there. You’ll see it when you get closer.”
“You pushed her down?” Finnick’s mouth ran dry. A fresh swell of rage rose in him.
“I-I…” Shannon wanted to deny it, but Finnick’s stern expression made it impossible to lie. Her teeth chattered ever so slightly. It was like the words refused to leave her mouth.
Shoving Shannon aside, Finnick pointed at her and said, “I’ll deal with you when we get back to the camp!”
Finnick sprinted in the direction that Shannon pointed to. He feared that he was already too late, that Vivian had already suffered unspeakable injuries.
Meanwhile, a shiver rattled in Shannon’s chest as she thought of Finnick’s promise to deal with her later. Finnick’s powerful status and his promise to make me pay for lying… can I even keep my position in the magazine company?
Moreover, if Vivian makes it out alive, she’ll surely fire me. She might even sue me and take this whole incident to court. People go to jail for intentional assault, don’t they?
At this, Shannon staggered furiously towards the campsite. She couldn’t stay here anymore. She had to leave quickly before the two of them make their way back to the camp.
Meanwhile, Vivian was trying her best to climb out of the pit; the sides of the pit were sky-high, and no matter how much she tried to climb, there just was no getting out.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 693
The sharp pain on her foot was so unbearable that she had to sit down. As she took off her shoes, she realized that her foot had swollen into huge, red lumps. This made sense since she had twisted her ankle from falling earlier. On top of that, she flung herself up the pit’s sides and landed harshly on her feet countless times. It’s no wonder her foot swelled badly.
The sky was darkening by the second, and the forest’s temperature dropped rapidly around Vivian. It wasn’t long before she was trembling from the cold.
How will Shannon explain my disappearance to everyone when she gets back? Will they come looking for me? Am I really going to spend the night in this cave? What if a wild animal shows up suddenly?
These thoughts ricocheted in her mind, bouncing back and forth furiously. Her heart raced with fear. What if no one finds me? What do I do? Will I die here?
No, absolutely not! She still had to take care of Larry. There was no way that she was letting anything bad happen to herself.
Vivian hurriedly pulled out her phone, but there was no signal. White-hot anger blurred her thoughts as she threw her phone aside. Latching onto the hope that someone might still pass by, she shouted at the pit’s opening, “Is anyone there? I’ve fallen in. Please help me, anyone!”
She called out again and again. Her voice had become hoarse and grated, but there was still no response.
Spending a night in zing temperatures without any source of heat… I’m going to ze to death, aren’t I? To make things worse, her foot was starting to ache. Hopeless desperation engulfed Vivian.
Just when she had surrendered to fate completely, a familiar voice sounded from above. It was deep and shaky with anxiety. “Vivian, are you okay? Is everything alright down there?”
Had someone finally come for her? Hope swelled in Vivian’s chest. Looking up, her eyes widened in surprise. Finnick crouched at the pit’s opening and leaned in. He stared at her with a face full of worry.
She was moved, not expecting him to be the one to find her. But her delight didn’t last long. It was immediately replaced by an inexplicable sourness in her chest. Wasn’t he taking his sweet time fetching water with Charlotte? Why is he here now?
Not getting any responses from Vivian, Finnick thought she must have been hurt badly. Pressing on the pit’s edge with one hand, he launched himself down without a trace of hesitation.
He approached her anxiously and immediately noticed her bright red, swollen foot. It had become more unsightly as purplish-green bruises surfaced her skin. Distress sank his spirits. He crouched down and leaned in closer. His hands hovered above her ankle, not daring to touch it for fear that it would only worsen her injury.
“Does it hurt?” He looked up at Vivian, his eyes filled with immense concern. Then he mentally yelled at himself for asking such a dumb question. It swelled up to double its size! How could it not hurt?
Seeing Vivian tremble, Finnick immediately peeled off his jacket and placed it on her. “I’m sorry, Vivian. I got here too late, but everything’s okay now. Don’t be scared. We’ll get out of here soon.”
Touched by Finnick’s warm and gentle actions, tears welled in Vivian’s eyes. She gnawed on her bottom lip and scoffed stubbornly, “Weren’t you with Charlotte? Why’d you come looking for me?”
Finnick didn’t know whether to be offended or laugh at the obvious jealousy in Vivian’s tone.
His fingers brushed against Vivian’s lips, stroking them lightly to stop her from biting herself. He soothed, “Don’t jump to your own conclusions. There’s nothing going on between us. Besides, didn’t you arrange for us to go together?”
Finnick eyed her reproachfully before continuing, “I’m not into char-whatever that woman’s name is. The one I like… the one I truly care for has always been you. Don’t ever shove me into another woman’s arms again, okay? I’ll feel hurt if you keep doing that.”
Vivian could no longer hold back. Tears poured down her face as a thousand emotions fluttered in her; she felt wronged, yet at the same time sorrowful, frightened, and there was also an indescribable joy.
Wiping her tears away, Finnick’s arms wrapped around her in a warm embrace. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Vivian. This is my fault. It’s because I didn’t look for you sooner… you must’ve been terrified.”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 694
Vivian lay in Finnick’s arms, choking and sobbing. She had no idea where her boundless emotions sprouted from, nor did she think she was capable of producing so many tears; but she hadn’t cried like this for a very long time.
As he patted Vivian’s shoulder, Finnick’s heart filled with self-blame. She must have been really scared to be bawling so violently… why didn’t I search for her sooner?
“Try to calm down, okay? Let’s find a way out of here. We have to deal with your injury first. Also, the temperatures here are too low. You might get hypothermia if we don’t get you out soon.”
A bright pink flushed across Vivian’s face. She felt embarrassed; she had never expected to cry so miserably in front of Finnick. She broke away from his embrace and wiped her tears. “My foot’s injured though, how do we get out now?”
Finnick suppressed the gut-wrenching pity that surged in him. He needed to be calm. He eyed the height of the pit’s walls and said, “Step on my shoulders. You should be able to get to the top. Then once you’re out, I’ll jump out of this pit by myself.”
“Okay,” Vivian nodded. They had to try, there was no other way.
“How’s your foot?” Finnick asked. He eyed her red and swollen foot warily. What if she gets hurt again?
Sensing great concern in his tone, Vivian’s face flushed pink. “It should be fine. This is the only way to get out.”
“Bear with it for now, okay?” Finnick petted Vivian’s head. He continued, “Climb onto my shoulders slowly. Be careful.”
Then Finnick crouched into position with his back facing her. At this, a tear trickled down Vivian’s cheek again. Even she had to admit that his sincere actions touched her completely.
Vivian stepped carefully onto Finnick’s shoulders. To steady herself, her hands pressed against the soil wall before her. “Okay, I’m on. You can slowly stand up now.”
At Vivian’s mark, Finnick stood cautiously. He didn’t want to risk making big movements that could cause Vivian to fall over.
They reached upwards, little by little until Vivian’s body made it halfway out of the pit. Vivian grabbed onto the weeds near the pit’s opening and gradually pulled herself out.
Below, Finnick was starting to feel uneasy. He asked, “Are you out yet, Vivian? Is your foot okay?”
“I’m fine. Can you get out by yourself?” Vivian responded. The pit was definitely not shallow. It made her worry if he could make it out on his own.
“I’ll be okay,” Finnick’s voice echoed from below. “You should stay away from the pit. I don’t want to bump into you when I land.”
Heeding Finnick’s words, Vivian darted farther from the pit.
Finnick picked up some branches at the bottom of the pit. Using their sharp ends, he carved out dents that were big enough for his feet to grab onto in the soil wall. He ran a couple of steps in place to prepare himself. Then he lunged at the two dents in the wall and climbed up with his feet on them.
“Are you okay?” Vivian asked. Her voice bubbled with joy when she saw Finnick climb out of the pit.
“I’m fine.” Finnick patted down his chest, dusting the soil off. He approached her with a gentle smile. His arms reached out to scoop her into a bridal carry.
“You don’t have to carry me,” Vivian said. She dodged his arms in a flash and continued. “I can walk just fine on my own.”
“Vivian,” Finnick sighed. He sounded hurt as if he felt dejected at Vivian’s avoidance.
“Your foot is badly swollen, and it’s getting darker. We have to get you back quickly so that we can deal with your injury. Imagine how long we’ll take if you waddle the whole way. What will we do if we get lost again and it’s completely dark out?”
Makes sense. Vivian couldn’t find a single reason to refute his logical explanation.
Seeing Vivian grow silent in defeat, Finnick stepped forward and scooped her into his arms. Then she subconsciously wrapped her hands around his neck.
When she finally realized how intimate her action was, Vivian’s arms recoiled. However, Finnick stopped her immediately. “Leave them there. It’ll help save some of my strength.”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 695
She didn’t know how to refuse after hearing him say that. After all, he was the one working up an awful sweat to get them back. She could only hide her furiously blushing face and continue to hold onto his neck.
Seeing Vivian snug in his arms, Finnick spoke with a voice full of self-blame, “Everything that happened today is my fault, Vivian. It’s because I didn’t protect you well enough. I promise, this will never happen again. I’ll always protect you and keep you out of harm’s way.”
Vivian’s heart sped up erratically again. She felt herself falling for Finnick’s eyes that were filled with deep affection.
No. If this keeps up, I might actually fall in love with Finnick again…
She hurriedly turned her gaze away. Vivian lowered her head to avoid seeing Finnick. “Let’s head back. Everyone’s probably worried sick about us.”
After seeing Vivian react so evasively towards his affection, a streak of pain flashed in Finnick’s eyes. How long will I have to wait until she accepts me again?
Finnick’s lips curved into a soft smile, disguising his sorrow. “Alright, let’s head back now.”
None of them spoke on their way back. Finnick was worried about the state of Vivian’s injury. All he wanted was to send her back safely and quickly. On the other hand, Vivian kept silent because she felt embarrassed.
But he did rescue me… Vivian hesitated before saying, “Finnick. Thanks for saving me this time. I don’t know when I would been found if it weren’t for you.”
Finnick lowered his head to get a better look at her. “You don’t have to be so formal with me. I already said, this whole thing is my fault. It happened because I didn’t protect you.”
“How are you to be blamed?” Vivian retorted anxiously. “It’s all because I’m dumb. I trusted someone that I shouldn’t have.”
Thinking back to how Shannon mocked her, Vivian’s anger burned like wildfire. I’m so stupid. I knew that Shannon had it in for me, yet I still trusted her earlier today.
“Fire Shannon once we get back. You can’t keep people like her around you,” Finnick warned. Although he spoke softly, his gaze hardened with a coldness.
Thoughts about avenging Vivian swirled in Finnick. I’ll have Noah deal with that problematic Shannon. I’ll ensure that she will never get within a hair’s length near Vivian again. Something like this can never happen a second time.
“You knew that she tricked me?” Vivian asked in surprise.
“I found her before you. She said that you were separated, but I didn’t believe her. After I threatened her, she eventually admitted to harming you and told me your location.”
So that’s what happened. The pieces were finally coming together. Vivian suddenly asked, “Then did Sarah manage to get back to camp? Was she hurt?”
This woman! She’s already in great pain, yet she still has the heart to worry about someone else’s well-being.
Even though this pissed Finnick off, he chose to suppress his simmering anger and replied, “She’s fine. She just got lost on her way back, so it took her a while.”
Relief washed over Vivian after hearing Finnick’s answer. She was grateful that Sarah made it back safe and sound.
Seeing Vivian so relieved, Finnick couldn’t help but wish that she could be a little bit more selfish and take better care of herself. She worries too much about others instead of focusing on her own needs. But then again, isn’t that why I fell for her in the first place? Because of her kindness?
Finnick chuckled wryly and shook his head. He felt like a hypocrite for having such contradictory thoughts.
At this, Vivian frowned and asked quizzically, “What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing.” After relying this, Finnick kept silent and picked up his pace. What’s important now is to get back quickly and send Vivian to the hospital for treatment.
Not long after, they arrived at the campsite.
Everyone secretly sighed as they saw Finnick approaching with Vivian in his arms. Though relieved and pleased, they couldn’t help but feel curious at the two’s intimate posture.
Didn’t Ms. Morrison try to get Charlotte and Finnick together by asking them to fetch some water? But now she’s being carried back bridal style by Finnick? Does Ms. Morrison still have feelings for her ex-husband or not? Their relationship is so confusing… Will they rekindle their marriage?.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 696
Sarah caught sight of Vivian’s injured foot just as everyone else was contemplating their relationship.
“Vivian!” She hurried over. Her voice cracked when she saw Vivian’s injury. “I’m so sorry, Vivian. It’s all my fault. You got injured because of me.”
“You have nothing to do with this. Stop crying.” Vivian comforted Sarah. She tugged at Finnick’s arm, hinting at him to put her down. However, Finnick brushed her off and continued to carry her in his arms.
Everyone else quickly came forward to check on Vivian’s injury after hearing Sarah’s words.
“I asked Shannon about your whereabouts upon her return, but she wouldn’t tell. She packed her bags and left in a hurry. We were so worried about you. How did you get hurt?” Caroline’s heart ached for her as she stared at her swollen foot.
“It’s nothing. I accidentally fell down and sprained my ankle.” Vivian didn’t want to speak ill of others behind their backs. She figured she would talk to Shannon privately about it.
“Then let’s pack up and leave now. Ms. Morrison, you need to see the doctor!”
“That’s right. I’ll go pack up right away.”
Nobody was in the mood to play anymore after seeing Vivian’s seriously injured leg.
Vivian felt sorry to see them pack up and leave because of her. After all, it wasn’t easy to get everyone together on this trip. How could they just up and leave because of her?
Just as she was about to speak up, Finnick said, “You guys should carry on with your vacation. I will take Ms. Morrison to the hospital. Don’t worry, she’ll be in good hands.”
Nobody commented any further upon hearing Finnick’s words. They figured Mr. Norton might want to take this chance to woo Ms. Morrison. Nobody wanted to get in his way.
Since nobody else had anything to say, Finnick bid goodbye and left with Vivian in his arms.
He carried her all the way to the hospital and watched as the doctor bandaged Vivian’s leg. Finnick reached out to Vivian when he saw her tightly knitted brows. “Vivian, bite my hand if you’re in pain. I heard it helps.”
Vivian was amused as she pushed his arm away. “No need. I’m not in that much pain.”
She felt touched by Finnick’s actions even though she rejected his offer. He was every bit as good to her as he used to if she didn’t take into account everything else.
After bandaging, Finnick insisted that he carry her back, but she felt bad and wouldn’t let him.
They finally came to an agreement and Vivian allowed Finnick to piggyback her back to the hotel.
As he trudged down a quiet lane with Vivian on his back, her heart swayed. She could feel the gentle warmth emanating from him. She had imagined this heartwarming scene five years ago.
Five years ago when they were planning for a trip, she had imagined that Finnick would carry her on his back just like that as they walked down a small lane. They would admire the scenery as he strolled through the streets with her on his back, just like every other loving couple.
“Finnick.” Vivian couldn’t help but said, “Can I ask you something?”
“What is it?” Finnick paid close attention to Vivian’s legs as he spoke. He was afraid he would accidentally hurt her.
“Why did you decide to come back for me when you have so many good options around you?” Vivian tilted her head, looked Finnick in the eye, and asked. She had been puzzling over the matter for a long time now.
Finnick stopped in his tracks, turned around, and looked at Vivian affectionately. “Vivian, but they’re not you. You are my one and only. Where else can I find someone like you?”
Vivian teared up upon his confession. “What if I’m not as good as you think? I’ve changed a lot in the past five years. What if I’m no longer the Vivian you once knew?”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 697
“You are perfect in my eyes.” Finnick cut her off. “Vivian, I know who I’ve fallen in love with. I love you, no matter how much you’ve changed, no matter if you’re still the Vivian I met five years ago. You are the apple of my eyes.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked him in the eye. Something stirred deep inside. Is this true? Could he have spoken from his heart?
It felt as if they were the only ones left on the streets as they stared into each other’s eyes.
“Vivian, I love you,” Finnick spoke up. “Then, now, and forever. You are my one and only.”
Vivian’s heart stirred when she saw the sincerity in his eyes during his confession. She suddenly recalled Fabian once told her that there might be more to what happened years ago than meets the eye.
She felt a wave of hope as she contemplated the possibility of it. Could it all have been a misunderstanding?
“Finnick.” Vivian’s heart drummed as she took a deep breath. “Five years ago, did you…”
Vivian stopped mid-sentence. She was afraid that his answer would crush her. Is this really going to be the end for us if it really is Finnick’s doing?
“What?” Finnick turned serious when he heard her earnest tone.
Just do it. I have to get to the bottom of things. Plucking up her courage, Vivian asked shakily, “Did you get Noah to…”
Just as Vivian was about to voice her question, her phone suddenly rang.
She took out her phone and saw that it was from the hospital where Rachel was admitted to. Based on her past experiences, it was always bad news whenever the hospital calls. Is something wrong with Rachel again?
The doctor’s anxious voice rang out the moment she picked up the call with shaky hands. “Is this Rachel William’s daughter, Vivian?”
“Yes, it’s me. Is there something wrong with her?” Vivian grew nervous when she heard the doctor’s anxious tone.
“Your mother is having a relapse and needs to undergo surgery immediately. Or else she might die. You and your family should come to the hospital as soon as possible.”
What? How could Rachel get so ill all of a sudden? Vivian panicked. “OK, doc. I will head to the hospital immediately. Please take good care of her. Don’t worry about the bills. Please make sure she’s okay!”
“This is our responsibility as a doctor. We will do our very best. I hope you can get here as soon as possible, or else we’re not able to perform surgery on her.”
“OK. OK. I will get there as soon as I can.” After hanging up the call, Vivian said to Finnick anxiously, “Finnick, let’s hurry back to our hotel to get our passports. I want to go home, now!”
As Finnick hurried back to the hotel with Vivian on his back, he asked Vivian why she was in such a hurry to head home. “What happened? Is something wrong with your mother?”
“Yes.” Vivian was at a loss of what to do. “The doctor said she has a relapse and needs to undergo surgery immediately. That’s why I need to head back now. Nothing must happen to her.”
“Vivian, don’t panic.” Finnick tried his best to calm her down. “I’ll get Noah to book the earliest flight back. Your mother will be fine. Don’t scare yourself.”
“Right. I mustn’t panic.” Vivian forced herself to calm down upon his words. She then picked up her phone and called home.
She had to get Benedict to head to the hospital to take care of Rachel first since it would take some time for her to get there even if she boarded the first flight back.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 698
The phone rang for a long while but nobody picked up, making Vivian extremely nervous again. Come on, pick up!
“This is the Morrisons. Who is this?” Somebody finally picked up the call.
“Lily, it’s me. Is Ben home?” Vivian immediately asked for Benedict when she realized that it was one of the servants who had picked up.
“Mr. Morrison has gone on a business trip to Beskary. What’s the matter, Ms. Morrison? Do you need me to give him a call?” Lily answered respectfully.
“He’s out of the country!” Vivian felt helpless. There is nobody else I know who can help in the country. What should I do?
At the moment, Finnick had already reached their hotel. He quickly consoled her when he heard her phone conversation. “Vivian, did you forget about me? I will get someone to take care of things at the hospital, don’t you worry.”
A sense of relief washed over her when she heard his words. “Thank you, Finnick.”
After placing Vivian down on the sofa in the hotel’s lobby, Finnick instructed, “I will get Noah to book our flight back. Wait for me here. I will get our passports and join you as soon as I can.”
“Okay. Hurry on.” Vivian wished she could go back right this instance.
Finnick gave her a reassuring pat on her shoulder and quickly entered the elevator.
He came back down after a short while, picked Vivian up and headed out of the hotel. “Noah is waiting for us at the airport. Let’s hurry.”
Vivian was worried sick on the way to the airport. She wouldn’t be able to take it if anything were to happen to Rachel even though she sided with Evelyn and broke her heart. After all, she was the one who brought her up.
Feeling how frightened Vivian was, Finnick reached out to hold her hand. Don’t worry, Vivian. Nothing will happen with me around.”
Vivian felt thankful for Finnick. His presence made her feel safe and she trusts him with all her heart, just like how they used to be.
She burned with anxiety on the way to the airport and boarded the first flight out. Finnick wanted Vivian to rest on the plane since he was worried about her injured leg. He gave her reassurance that everything will be alright with him around.
However, Vivian couldn’t really get proper rest because she was so worried about Rachel’s condition. The plane finally landed after what seemed like a long anxious wait.
Vivian immediately got Finnick to send her to the hospital the moment the plane touched down. She was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief when they reached Rachel’s ward.
At that moment, Rachel was lying on the bed unconscious. She had lost a few pounds and there was a bluish tint on her skin. Tears welled up in Vivian’s eyes when she saw the poor condition Rachel was in. How did all this happen?
Afraid that her cries would wake Rachel, Vivian covered her mouth as she sobbed and limped out of the ward with Finnick right behind.
The moment they left the ward, Vivian couldn’t hold her tears back any longer, threw herself into Finnick’s arms, and sobbed her heart out.
Finnick gently caressed her back and consoled, “It’ll be okay. Rachel can undergo surgery now that we’re back. I will get her the best specialist. She will be fine. Don’t cry.”
Vivian nodded fiercely. She felt like Finnick was her pillar of strength at the moment. She couldn’t imagine what she would do without him.
Finnick wrapped his arms tightly around Vivian and allowed her to cry her heart out. He figured that was the only way for her to release all her pent-up emotions.
“Vivian?” Vivian suddenly heard someone calling out to her as she was sobbing into Finnick’s chest.
She quickly rubbed her eyes, raised her head, and saw that it was Hunter. He was staring at her in shock from the end of the corridor.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 699
Vivian broke away from Finnick, feeling shy. She never expected to meet a friend here. “Hunter, how is your injury? Are you healed?”
“Almost. The doctor suggested that I stay here for a few days.” Hunter asked in an anxious tone, “But why are you here? What happened?”
He heard a woman crying on his way to the washroom, turned to see who it was out of curiosity, and saw a familiar figure. Isn’t that Finnick? What is he doing here?
He couldn’t help but walked over to take a closer look. Hunter soon realized that it was Vivian crying in Finnick’s arms.
“It’s Rachel. She has leukemia and is having a relapse right now. It’s bad. I…” Tears streamed down her face once again at the mention of her mother.
Finnick’s heart ached for her as he reached out to wipe her tears away. He placed an arm around her and consoled, “It’ll be okay, I’m here, she’ll be fine. The doctor said she has a high chance of survival if she undergoes surgery immediately. Don’t scare yourself. Don’t cry.”
“Hmm.” Vivian nodded as she wiped her tears away. “You’re right. She will be fine. I mustn’t break down, I still have to take care of her.”
Hunter clenched his fists tightly when he saw how deeply in love they were with one another.
He had just been hospitalized for a short amount of time. What in the world happened? How did they get so close? Has Vivian decided to get back together with Finnick?
Although he was burning with jealousy at the sight before him, Hunter’s heart couldn’t help but ached when he saw her red swollen eyes.
“Vivian, calm down. Ms. Rachel will be fine. Do you need my help? I will do everything in my power to help you.”
Vivian felt grateful toward Hunter. However, Finnick spoke up before she could even say anything. “We appreciate your kind offer, Mr. Yates, but we have everything under control now.”
Hunter’s eyes flashed with anger when he met Finnick’s gaze. Is he staking his claim over Vivian? He’s thinking too highly of himself. They’re already divorced.
Finnick didn’t shy away from Hunter’s gaze as he tightened his arms around Vivian. Hunter wished he could pull them apart right this instance as he watched on with rage.
Just as a fight was about to break out between the two men, the doctor hurried over and said, “Who is Rachel William’s family? She needs to undergo surgery now. Please get in touch with her bone marrow donor and get her to come over immediately to prepare for the surgery.”
“OK. OK. I’ll get her here at once.” Vivian replied.
“Hurry up. Her condition is getting more severe as time passes. I will arrange for her surgery first while you get her bone marrow donor over. It’s best if we can perform surgery on her this afternoon.”
The doctor left in a hurry after telling her what to do.
She quickly called Evelyn’s nanny on the phone and told her to bring Evelyn over to the hospital immediately to prepare for Rachel’s surgery.
“Give me their address. I will get Noah to pick them up. It’ll be faster that way,” Finnick offered.
Vivian looked at Finnick gratefully and told him Evelyn’s address. She then said to Evelyn’s nanny, “Please get ready and wait for us. Someone will come to pick the both of you up in a short while.”
“Finnick, thank you so much.” Vivian thanked Finnick after he called Noah.
Finnick smiled affectionately as he caressed Vivian’s head. “You’re most welcome.”
Hunter felt like an outsider seeing them together. He felt ticked off. Do I still have a chance with Vivian?
Noah soon arrived with Evelyn. She burned with jealousy when she saw the way Finnick was looking at Vivian.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 700
However, it was important for her to make a good impression on Finnick in order to earn his forgiveness since it wasn’t every day she gets to meet him.
“Vivian, is my mother okay? How is she?” Evelyn pretended to care as she quickly walked over and held on to Vivian’s hand.
Vivian wanted to pull away subconsciously. She knew that Evelyn was just putting on an act in front of Finnick after everything that had happened.
However, the thought of Evelyn being Rachel’s bone marrow donor stopped her from doing so. She said patiently, “She’s in critical condition now and needs to undergo surgery immediately. You should go get ready.”
“OK. I’m ready whenever. As long as my mother recovers.” Tears flowed down Evelyn’s cheeks as she spoke. “She’s my only family now. How can I not care about her? Nothing must happen to her.”
She turned around to check out Finnick’s reaction after saying those words, but Finnick didn’t even spare her a glance.
She could only put up with it even though she felt disgruntled. After all, she had lost his trust. Evelyn figured she should focus on saving Rachel first in order to regain his trust before anything else.
Finnick instructed Noah to inform the doctor that Evelyn had arrived so that they could prepare for her bone marrow biopsy and perform surgery on Rachel.
Right before Evelyn was anesthetized, she pulled Vivian’s hand and confessed pitifully in front of Finnick. “Vivian, what happened five years ago was all my fault. I shouldn’t have listened to Mark and help him kidnap you. I’ve realized my mistakes now. Will you forgive me?”
Vivian glanced at Finnick. She knew Evelyn wasn’t apologizing to her, but to him. However, he didn’t even look in their direction. It was as if he couldn’t even hear them.
Vivian felt glad that Finnick was deliberately ignoring Evelyn. She will never forgive him if he had forgiven Evelyn for her wrongdoings.
Vivian pulled her hand away and turned to face Evelyn with a serious expression. “Let’s not talk about it now. The most important thing at the moment is to save your mother. Everything else can wait.”
Evelyn clenched her fists but maintained the anxious look on her face. “You’re right. The most important matter at hand is to save my mother. But Vivian, before my biopsy, can you please forgive me for my wrongdoings? Or else I will feel really upset.”
Evelyn was cursing Vivian in her head when she said that. This b**ch! She had agreed to save Rachel because she wanted Finnick to forgive her. How could Vivian not let her talk about it? Everything she had done had been in vain!
No, she must earn Vivian’s forgiveness in front of Finnick today. That was the only way for her to gain Finnick’s forgiveness so that she could move back into Norton Residence once again. She would never give up her status as the lady of the house that easily.
Vivian was at a loss of what to do next upon hearing those words. She couldn’t talk herself into forgiving Evelyn, but it would also be cruel of her not to do so since Evelyn was about to undergo bone marrow biopsy.
Just as Vivian was contemplating what she should do next, Finnick finally spoke up. “We can talk about this later. You should cooperate with the doctor for the bone marrow biopsy first.”
With that, Finnick signaled the doctor to push Evelyn into the operating theater. Evelyn didn’t say anything anymore as she gazed at Finnick tearfully before she entered the operating theater.
Vivian shook her head and smiled bitterly. Her words and his words had completely different effects even though they mean the same thing.
“What is it?” Finnick asked out of concern when he saw Vivian’s strange expression.