My Handsome Uncle, Please Be Mine!

Part 61

The sound of the ventilator filled the room. The digital clock in the ICU showed 9:50 PM WIB. The hospital was quiet, with only the night shift nurse checking on the patient.

The door opened. Doctor Gaston deliberately went to the ICU room before going home.

“Go home, Clara. Let me take care of Joe tonight!” Doctor Gaston requested.

Seeing Clara’s sadness, the man truly felt sorry. However, he still couldn’t do anything.

“Aren’t you…?” his words trailed off as he noticed Clara had fallen asleep. One of her hands tightly grasped Joe’s fingers, while the other supported her face. Both her eyes were closed, and her breathing was steady. It meant Clara had truly fallen asleep.

“Stubborn!” The doctor muttered to himself.

Removing his white coat, the doctor draped it over Clara’s shoulders.

Actually, Doctor Gaston liked Clara. However, he couldn’t do much. What mattered most was her happiness and future.

“Alright, Clara, I’ll go home now!” the doctor bid farewell, even though he knew Clara couldn’t hear him. “Joe, wake up. Stop making us all sad. You need to wake up soon!” he said before leaving the ICU room.

Throughout the night, Clara slept. It wasn’t until morning that she woke up.

Clara blinked her eyes for quite some time. She was surprised to find Doctor Gaston’s work coat draped over her.

Clara shifted her gaze. She looked at Joe. The man was still unconscious.

“Uncle.”

Clara called out softly. She stared at Joe’s face intently. The man, who meant everything to Clara, remained silent.

“I’ll be leaving, Uncle. It’s just for a while. I’ll still come back here and demand your promise, Uncle Joe. We’ll get married, remember? I hope Uncle Joe won’t forget!” Clara whispered.

She gently kissed Joe’s hand repeatedly.

“Uncle, even though Clara isn’t here, I hope Uncle Joe wakes up soon and stays well!” Clara raised her head. She repeatedly stroked Joe’s arm. Still, there was no response at all.

=.=❤=.=

Zio was on his way to the hospital. He had just picked up Clara’s suitcase from Mr. Bond’s residence.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Zio went straight to the ICU room to meet Clara.

With his right hand, Zio pulled the glass door handle. Then he entered the room.

“Good morning, Miss.”

He walked closer. Observing Clara, who seemed lost in thought.

“Good morning.”

Clara didn’t turn around. Zio’s arrival meant she had to leave soon.

“We should leave soon, or we might be late, Miss!” Zio whispered softly.

“Yes.”

Clara’s lips pressed tightly together. Until the last moment, she wanted to leave, but Joe still hadn’t woken up. The girl moved closer. She kissed Uncle’s cheek, long and deep.

“Let’s go!” she said afterward, with a heavy heart.

==❤==

The clear sky of Singapore welcomed Clara that afternoon. Upon arriving at Changi Airport, a chauffeur from Freedy Lim’s family was waiting for Zio and Freedy Lim’s granddaughter.

Zio followed behind Clara, holding a medium-sized suitcase in his left hand.

“Miss,” Zio called out, seeing Clara being mostly silent and lost in thought.

“Yes,” she replied softly.

“I beg you, Miss Clara, don’t be like this. Mr. Lim will surely be saddened to see you like this!” Zio said, starting to feel uncomfortable with Clara. The girl seemed unenthusiastic, frustrated, and lacking in spirit.

Clara folded her hands in front of her chest, annoyed by Zio’s comment.

“At least, take off your sunglasses and give a smile!” he requested.

Avoiding an argument, Clara took off her sunglasses and then got into the car. She sat in the back seat while Zio sat next to the driver.

The car continued toward the CCR area, the premium area right in the middle of Singapore’s city center.

Freedy Lim owned a penthouse in the Holland Road area.

The driver parked the car in the underground area. Then Clara followed Zio’s steps toward an elevator. The transportation device inside the building took Clara to a Penthouse located on top of one of the tallest buildings in Singapore.

A super penthouse with five bedrooms equipped with a wine cellar, which also included a swimming pool, jacuzzi, and private garden with a city view, made it Freedy Lim’s residence, one of the most expensive penthouses in the city-state.

Exiting the elevator, Clara walked toward her grandfather’s residence. When the door opened, two female servants welcomed her.

“Mrs. Margaret has been waiting for you, Miss,” one of the female servants said. “Let me escort you to her room,” she added.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

Clara glanced briefly at Zio, who carried her suitcase into a room. Meanwhile, she followed behind, trailing the steps of the woman in black uniform toward a room not far from the living room.

Clara’s eyes scanned the room, observing every detail of her grandfather’s residence. Expensive paintings, soft carpets, and properties she had never seen before. It seemed her mother’s side of the family was not just ordinary.

The door opened.

“Please come in, Miss!” The female servant opened the door wide, inviting Clara to enter.

Silence.

Clara and Margaret stared at each other. Long and deep.

The female servant immediately left and closed the door, giving them privacy.

“I’ve been waiting for you for a long time, Clara!” said the woman sitting in a wheelchair. She was Clara’s mother’s older sister. “Come here!” she requested, extending her hand.

Clara approached, then hugged her aunt. It felt like meeting her mother again.

“Clara, are you okay, dear?” Margaret asked. With both hands, she cupped Clara’s face. There was no denying that Clara looked very much like her mother, Marcella.

“I’m fine, Aunt,” she said while still in her aunt’s embrace.

Margaret continued to study Clara’s face, analyzing her expression.

“Thank you for coming back. Dad is so excited and hopeful again because of you,” Margaret said.

Clara nodded. The woman’s touch made her feel comfortable.

“Look at my condition now, just lying in bed, Dad has almost given up. But because of your presence, he’s starting to feel hopeful again. Thank you, Clara,” she said.

“Yes, Aunt,” Clara replied with a smile.

==❤==

It had been almost a month since Clara had been living with her family. During that time, she had been contacting Doctor Gaston every day to inquire about Joe’s condition.

And this time, it had been about a week since the doctor had not replied to her messages. The same was true for Mrs. Linn, who had been ignoring her messages and phone calls more often.

“Are you lost in thought?” her grandfather asked. He walked to the balcony, joining Clara, who had already been standing there. They were both gazing at the Singaporean sky this evening.

“No,” Clara denied. “How was your work today, Grandpa?” she asked.

One month was enough time for Clara to get to know her real family. Margaret, who was always at home and pursued many things. Also, her grandfather, who always cared for her.

“Grandpa’s job is quite exhausting. How about you? Are you ready to leave for London? The new semester starts next week, so you should already be there!” her grandfather suggested.

“I’ll go to London in three days, Grandpa. I’ve planned everything, plus I have a friend there,” Clara replied. She smiled at the middle-aged man.

“Alright, Clara, I’ll entrust everything to you. After you finish your studies, I hope you can help me in the company,” Freedy Lim requested of his granddaughter. It was the only hope for Lim Group to survive.

“Yes, Grandpa,” Clara responded. That’s all that came out of Clara’s mouth.

Drrrrtttt…

Drrrrtttt…

Clara’s phone vibrated with a message from Nadia. With her thumb, she unlocked her phone screen, and what she saw truly shocked her.

Clara’s lips pressed tightly together. In the picture, she saw Joe attending an event. There was a scar on his right temple. Not only that, there was information at the bottom left indicating when the photo was taken. It was taken today about two hours ago.

Clara’s fingers trembled. However, she tried to remain as neutral as possible. Uncle Joe had woken up from his coma, but Doctor Gaston and Mrs. Linn remained silent. What were their true intentions? Clara’s chest felt tight realizing that the people she trusted were willing to hide Joe’s condition from her.

“Clara, what’s wrong?” her grandfather asked. He noticed the different expression on his granddaughter’s face.

“N-nothing, Grandpa!” Clara denied. She closed the screen of the sleek and sophisticated device. “I’ll go to my room first, Grandpa. There’s something I forgot,” she excused herself.

Freedy Lim nodded.

Clara hurried to her room. Walking quickly. Once in her bedroom, she closed the door tightly and immediately called Nadia.

After waiting for several minutes, Nadia finally answered her call.

“Hello,” Nadia greeted.

“Hi, Nad, what’s the meaning of the photo you sent me?” Clara couldn’t wait to ask.

“Yes, Uncle Joe has woken up, Clara. I attended a meeting with my parents this afternoon, and I saw Uncle Joe with my own eyes!” Nadia explained excitedly.

“Yes, it’s him,” Clara replied. There was a scar on his right temple, and the suit he was wearing was the one Clara had chosen for him when they went shopping together.

“I’m sorry!” Nadia blurted out. She felt guilty for not wholeheartedly seeking news about Uncle Joe.

“It’s not your fault, Nad. Thank you for the information!” Clara replied and quickly ended the call.

Next, Clara began to call Doctor Gaston, Mrs. Linn, and Joe’s number alternately.

However, the phone numbers of the three people were no longer active.

To Be Continued.