"So what does my Sweet Peanut want?" Rebecca pulled back slightly, tilting her head so she could see Jeremy's face clearly.
"All you have to do is mention it and Momma will definitely get it for you." She beamed, her eyes softening as she rubbed his cheek with tender affection.
Though it broke her heart to see him so fragile and weak, the very thought that he might soon live without constant pain, and without relying on painkillers every single day made her chest swell with a joy she could hardly explain.
"If I were you, I'd think twice before making promises like that. Be careful he doesn't end up asking for something you can't give," Timberlake teased, his voice carrying a playful edge.
"Why should I worry when his guardian angel is standing right here?" Rebecca winked mischievously at Timberlake. Her gesture earned a faint chuckle from Jeremy, a sound so small yet so precious it made her heart ache with gratitude.
"So now you're both ganging up on me?" Timberlake clutched his chest as though betrayed, though the laughter tugging at his mouth gave him away.
Seeing Rebecca so lively again after Dante's unsettling encounter, and after all the nights of silent despair while Jeremy lay unconscious, lifted a weight from his shoulders. Relief washed over him like a tide, loosening knots he hadn't realized he'd been carrying.
'You've known more sorrow than anyone should bear. May the rest of your days be filled with nothing but laughter and light,' Timberlake thought, his gaze fixed on her glowing face, her eyes sparkling with life again.
"So," Timberlake leaned closer, his tone shifting to something gentler, "have you made up your mind on what you want Momma and your guardian angel to get for you?"
Jeremy opened his mouth, ready to answer, when the door swung open and two nurses entered the room.
"Our little prince is finally awake," Nurse Lily teased warmly. Of all the nurses who had tended to him, she was the only one Jeremy allowed close, the only one who could draw even the faintest response from him.
"Yes," Timberlake joined in, his grin lighthearted. "He seems to be in pretty high spirits for someone who's just regained consciousness." He stepped back into the corner, giving the nurses space to work.
"That's a clear sign our little prince is getting healthy again," Nurse Lily murmured as she bent down, her hands steady as she took Jeremy's vitals.
"Congratulations, little prince," she added softly. "You've done so well through all of this. Keep being strong, and in just a few weeks you'll be running around with your friends again."
Her words made Rebecca's throat tighten. She and Timberlake exchanged a silent glance, both knowing the truth Nurse Lily couldn't have guessed… Jeremy had no friends, no playmates waiting for him.
"I bet he can't wait to explore," Rebecca managed with a faint smile, masking the ache in her heart.
The nurses were just stepping out when Dr. Philip entered with another physician at his side. After a careful examination, he assured Rebecca that Jeremy's body was responding exceptionally well to treatment.
His words felt like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. For once, hope didn't feel dangerous.
Still, the shadow of Maxwell loomed. Rebecca knew he and his men would be combing Flora City's streets, hunting for her. For two days she hadn't stepped beyond the hospital walls. Timberlake made sure every need was met, his quiet devotion wrapping around her and Jeremy like a shield.
Later that afternoon, Rebecca carried their flask down the corridor, heading to refill it. The smell of disinfectant clung to the air, and her footsteps echoed faintly against the polished tiles.
It was at the spot she was refilling the flask she noticed him.
A tall man, broad-shouldered, walking past with two muscular figures trailing him. His black shirt clung neatly across his frame, and something about his side profile froze her mid-step.
"That person… looks like Sal," she murmured.
"How can a girl with an injured leg slip away under the watch of four men twice her size?" the man's voice carried back, sharp with irritation, clearly directed at the muscular men trailing behind him.
Her pulse jumped, her eyes fixed on the broad line of his back. But no matter how long she stared, she couldn't catch his face. Finally, she forced herself to shake it off, convincing herself it was just a trick of resemblance.
She filled the flask, tightened the cap, and turned to head back to Jeremy's room.
But as she made her way down the corridor, the same man stepped out of a VIP room to her right. This time, there was no mistaking him.
"Salvador!" The name tore from her throat. Her eyes widened, almost bulging in disbelief.
"H-how… W-what~" Her voice broke into stammers, her body trembling as her legs threatened to give way.
Before her mind could even process what was happening, Salvador turned, his gaze snapping toward her as he started in her direction.
Panic slammed into her chest. She spun on her heel, nearly stumbling, and hurried back the way she'd come before he could see her.
But she had barely taken five steps when another figure appeared ahead.
"D-Divian!" The word slipped from her lips in a gasp.
Her pulse roared in her ears. Divian and Salvador, Maxwell's most trusted men. Maxwell considered Salvador closer than a brother, and the two had lived under the same roof for years. Either man could recognize her from a single glance, even just from her profile.
If they saw her here, Maxwell would know within minutes. And once he came, she and Jeremy would be trapped.
A violent shiver raced through her body, cold fear pouring through her veins. Her lips trembled, her legs felt boneless, but the thought of her son's identity being exposed sharpened her terror.
"They must never see me here," Rebecca whispered hoarsely. Her eyes darted left, then right, her mind racing, but both men were already only a few steps away, leaving her with no escape route.