The Man Who Waited vs. The Man Who Wasted novel Chapter 139

Jocelyn slowly turned around.

The man standing before her was elegant and gentle, his long black overcoat lending him a sharp, commanding presence.

Like a beam of pure light cutting through the absolute darkest abyss of her life, he looked at her and spoke with quiet, unwavering certainty.

"He will wake up."

Jocelyn's tears broke free, streaming down her face unstoppably.

Julian subtly shifted his stance, blocking the stares of passing strangers.

Sheltered in his shadow, Jocelyn let herself cry, completely falling apart.

She was terrified—haunted by the chilling possibility that Adrian's prediction would manifest and her father would never wake again. But beneath the terror, a searing fury took hold. She loathed herself for the sheer blindness it took to waste her love on a monster like Adrian Lowell.

When a warm, elegant hand gently wiped the scalding tears from her cheek, Jocelyn finally snapped back to reality, realizing she had completely lost her composure.

She covered her eyes, taking two deep breaths to steady herself.

"I just don't understand why Dad never told me Adrian was trying to buy the company."

Julian looked down at her, a shadow crossing his eyes.

"Maybe he didn't want to drive a wedge between you and your husband. Or maybe he just didn't want you to worry."

"Heh. My husband? What relationship do I even have with him?" Jocelyn sneered through her tears. "I used to think he just didn't love me. I never realized he was plotting to devour my family's company the whole time."

Just as she finished speaking, a sharp pain shot through her stomach.

Jocelyn gasped, clutching her abdomen and doubling over.

Julian's calm demeanor instantly shattered.

"What is it?"

"My... my stomach hurts," Jocelyn gasped, gripped by a terrifying panic.

Julian didn't care who was watching. "Pardon me."

He scooped her up into his arms and practically sprinted down the hall.

Jocelyn wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. Staring up at his sharp, tense jawline, for a brief second, she completely forgot the pain.

His arms were solid. His chest was unyielding.

It gave her an overwhelming sense of absolute security.

Aside from Adrian, this was the second time Jocelyn had ever been this physically close to a man.

When they walked out of the ER, Jocelyn desperately pretended nothing had happened.

Mercifully, Julian didn't ask a single question.

That allowed Jocelyn to finally breathe again.

Julian shifted the topic.

"I know a cardiovascular specialist who uses integrative medicine, combining natural healing with modern medical techniques. He's successfully treated quite a few patients with conditions identical to this. It might be worth a shot."

Like grabbing onto a lifeline, Jocelyn instinctively seized Julian's wrist.

"Are you serious? Where is he? I'll go beg him right now."

"He works at a rural clinic."

"A rural clinic?"

Julian explained.

"Dr. Abram Weldon used to be one of the top specialists at a major hospital in D.C. When he retired, the hospital begged him to stay, but he refused. He wanted to bring world-class care to lower-income communities, so he intentionally moved to a rural clinic to practice."

"People travel from all over the country just to see him, so it is incredibly difficult to get an appointment."