When Love Finds Its Way Back (Cassienne and Dreston) novel Chapter 375

The hospital corridor remained quiet despite the number of doctors and nurses moving from one department to another. The atmosphere was still heavy with tension and everyone who walked past the intensive care unit seemed to do so with noiseless footsteps, as if loud noises alone could disturb the patients fighting for their lives.

Ray Simpson stood a few feet away from the ICU doors with a medical folder in his hand. Two senior surgeons stood beside him, carefully reviewing Dreston's latest reports.

One of them pointed at the chart.

"His blood pressure has become more stable compared to yesterday. That is encouraging, but we are still far from saying he is out of danger."

Ray nodded as he studied the report himself. "The internal bleeding has stopped completely?"

"It has."

"And the surgical repair is holding well from what I can see here."

"It is."

Ray remained thoughtful. "The next challenge is whether his body can recover from the trauma. The bullet may have missed the vital organs, but he still lost a dangerous amount of blood before arriving here."

The second surgeon folded his arms. "We've already discussed reducing some of the medication little by little, but only if his condition remains stable."

Ray looked through the glass window leading into the intensive care unit.

Dreston remained unconscious. Machines surrounded him, each one doing its own part in keeping him alive.

Ray had spent enough years in medicine to understand what those numbers meant.

As a doctor, he remained hopeful.

But as Dreston's friend...

He was praying.

"I'll continue checking on him throughout the day," Ray finally said.

The two surgeons nodded. "We appreciate your input, Doctor Simpson."

Ray smiled politely. "We all want the same thing."

The older surgeon placed a reassuring hand on Ray's shoulder. "He is young and strong. And more importantly…..He has too many people waiting for him to give up now."

Ray returned the smile. "I believe that too."

The two surgeons excused themselves and continued down the corridor.

Ray closed the folder before letting out a slow breath. And that was when he noticed someone standing several feet away.

Daisy.

She had been standing there quietly for longer than she realized.

She watched him without blinking.

At first she had only wanted to know if there was any improvement in Dreston's condition. But somewhere during the discussion between the doctors, her attention had shifted completely.

She found herself watching Ray instead. She watched the confidence in his voice as he spoke. Even the calmness in his decisions and the respect he showed to other doctors.

What surprised her more is the way he carried responsibility without seeking recognition.

Her heart warmed.

She had always known Ray was handsome and intelligent.

But watching him stand there as both a brilliant doctor and a loyal friend somehow made her fall in love with him all over again.

Perhaps...

She never stopped loving him. She had only been too afraid to admit it.

She was still lost in those thoughts when Ray slowly walked toward her.

A gentle smile rested on his face. He stopped directly in front of her. "I believe you have something to say to me."

Daisy blinked. "W-What?"

Ray chuckled softly. "You've been looking at me for quite a while."

Heat rushed to her cheeks. "I wasn't..."

She stopped immediately. There was no point lying.

Ray had already caught her.

So she lowered her eyes awkwardly. "I didn't realize I was staring."

"I noticed." The corners of Ray's lips lifted slightly. "And judging from the way you were looking at me..." He tilted his head. "...I think you've been trying to tell me something."

Daisy's mouth opened, but she couldn't say a word.

Ray waited to hear her say something. She still couldn't speak.

Instead of making her even more uncomfortable, he reached out gently and held her wrist.

His touch was warm and comforting. "Come with me."

Without waiting for an answer, he led her down the corridor. A few moments later, they entered a small family lounge that happened to be empty.

Ray quietly closed the door behind them.

"I saw Cassienne. I saw the way she broke down. And then I saw you."

Ray frowned slightly. "Me?"

She nodded. "You never left. But stayed and comforted everyone. You stayed beside your friend and forgot yourself.”

She smiled through tears. "You carried everyone's worries as though they were your own."

Fresh tears blurred her vision again. "While I was standing there...I realized something." She smiled sadly. "I wasn't afraid of loving you anymore. I was only afraid of losing you before telling you how much I love you."

Ray's breathing became uneven.

Daisy took one step closer. "I love you, Ray." She smiled through her tears. "I have loved you for a long time. I was simply too scared to stop running."

Silence followed. Ray looked at her for several seconds. Then he smiled. "I've been waiting a very long time to hear those words from you."

He slowly lifted his hand and gently wiped away the tears on her cheeks. "I love you too. And I never stopped."

He leaned forward, very slowly, giving her every opportunity to pull away. But she didn't. Instead...

She closed the remaining distance herself, and their lips met gently. She poured all the months, weeks, and days of waiting Years of waiting into the kiss.

Daisy reached for his shirt as if reassuring herself that he was truly standing before her.

Ray wrapped one arm around her waist, and the kiss deepened naturally. Neither of them cared how much time passed.

For those few precious moments...

The hospital disappeared.

The investigation disappeared.

The fear disappeared.

There were only two hearts that had finally stopped running from each other.

When they finally separated, their foreheads rested together.

Both of them smiled.

Ray looked into her eyes. "My answer hasn't changed."

She laughed softly. "I know. I still want to marry you."

Silence returned into the room again and this time, it was Daisy who stepped closer. She gently cupped his face, then she smiled, the brightest smile Ray had ever seen. "Yes, Raymond Simpson. I will marry you."

Ray simply stared at her. Then he laughed. “I love you, Daisy. And you know it.”