When Love Finds Its Way Back (Cassienne and Dreston) novel Chapter 172

Chapter One Hundred And Seventy–Two: She Might Lose Him.

Cassienne remained on the cold hospital floor long after the chaos had quieted.

Aurora knelt on one side of her, one arm wrapped around her shoulders. Daisy crouched on the other side, rubbing Cassienne’s back slowly in an attempt to calm her shaking body.

Cassienne’s sobs had faded, but the exhaustion remained.

Her strength seemed to have drained out of her completely.

Her eyes were swollen and red. Her face was pale. She hadn’t moved.

Across the hallway, Tina sat against the wall on a chair someone had pushed toward her. Her head leaned back weakly. A tissue was pressed against her nose where the blood from Cassienne’s slap had finally stopped.

Her eyes were just as red. Her breathing is uneven. She hadn’t said another word since Cassienne threatened her. Everyone else stood scattered around the waiting area.

Joseph stood near the window, his arms folded tightly across his chest. His face was calm, but the tension in his jaw revealed the fear he was trying to hide.

Abigail sat beside Sheila, whispering quiet prayers under her breath.

Ray had spoken briefly with one of the nurses earlier, his expression grim, but now he stood silently beside Garry.

Even Merrick and Corren remained nearby. No one wanted to leave.

Every few minutes someone glanced at the digital clock on the wall. The red numbers felt like they were moving too slowly.

Time stretched painfully. Aurora leaned closer to Cassienne. “You should sit in a chair,” she whispered gently.

Cassienne shook her head weakly. “No.” Her voice sounded hoarse. “I’ll stay here.”

Daisy sighed softly but didn’t push her further. She simply tightened her arm around Cassienne’s shoulders.

Another fifteen minutes passed. Then twenty. Then thirty. Every second felt heavier than the last. But finally, the double doors of the surgical unit opened.

Everyone immediately looked up.

A doctor stepped out, still wearing his surgical cap and mask hanging loosely around his neck. Two nurses followed behind him.

Joseph walked forward immediately.

Charter One Hundred And Seventy–Two She Might Lose Him.

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“Doctor?”

Everyone else slowly stood.

Even Cassienne forced herself to look up.

The doctor removed his gloves calmly.

“The surgery was successful.”

The words hung in the air for a moment before they fully registered. Abigail let out a relieved gasp.

Sheila covered her mouth as tears filled her eyes. Garry exhaled heavily.

Ray closed his eyes briefly in quiet relief. And Aurora squeezed Cassienne’s arm.

But Cassienne herself remained frozen.

The doctor continued. “Mr. Tremont suffered severe impact trauma from the accident. There was internal bleeding around the skull, which required immediate surgical intervention.”

Joseph listened carefully.

“But we were able to stabilize the bleeding,” the doctor said. “The swelling has been controlled for now.”

Joseph nodded slowly.

“Will he recover?”

The doctor paused. “For the moment, he is stable. But the next twenty–four hours will be critical.”

Cassienne finally found her voice. “…Can we see him?”

The doctor turned his gaze toward her. “You must understand that he is still unconscious.”

“That’s fine,” she whispered.

The doctor nodded. “He will be moved to a private VIP recovery room shortly.”

Ray stepped forward slightly.

“Doctor, what about neurological damage?”

The doctor looked at him with recognition. “You’re a surgeon, correct?”

Ray nodded.

“There was a moderate concussion and trauma to the temporal region of the brain,” the doctor explained. “We will need to monitor brain activity carefully over the next few days.”

Cassienne’s stomach tightened.

“What does that mean?”

Chapter One Hundred And Seventy–Two She Might Lose Him

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“It means,” the doctor said gently, “that when he wakes up, we will conduct several cognitive evaluations.”

Joseph frowned slightly.

“You suspect memory impairment?”

The doctor did not answer immediately. But then he answered. “It is a possibility.”

The hallway fell silent again.

Cassienne lowered her eyes slowly. The thought terrified her.

“However,” the doctor continued, “it is far too early to draw conclusions.”

He looked at all of them.

“For now, the best thing you can do for him is remain calm and allow his body to recover.”

Joseph nodded. “Thank you, doctor.”

The doctor gave a short nod before leaving the hallway with the nurses.

For the first time since the accident, the atmosphere shifted slightly. Relief mixed with exhaustion.

Cassienne slowly allowed Daisy and Aurora to help her stand. Her legs felt weak. But she needed to see him.

About twenty minutes later, a nurse guided them down the quiet corridor toward the VIP recovery suite.

The room was large, quiet, and softly lit. Medical machines hummed quietly in the background.

Dreston lay on the hospital bed, motionless. His head was wrapped with clean bandages.

A breathing tube had been removed already, but oxygen still flowed gently through a mask over his nose.

Bruises darkened parts of his face. Scratches ran along his jawline. Cassienne stopped walking the moment she saw him.

Her breath caught painfully in her chest. The man who had been laughing with her just hours ago now lay silent and fragile under hospital lights.

Aurora squeezed her hand softly.

“Go.”

Cassienne stepped forward slowly. Her fingers trembled as she reached the bedside.

She didn’t touch him at first because she was afraid. She was afraid that if she did, something might break.

The Hum 100 And seventy w Sher Marght

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