The CEO's Hidden Love: Midnight Temptations and Deep Desires novel Chapter 463

Dorothy gazed at her son, Langston, in shock as he flashed a row of tiny and even teeth, winking at her.

"You've got to bring him back, Mom. I'm wasting away here without his cooking!"

"I will... I promise I'll find him."

Kenneth and Karen couldn't make out what the mother and son were discussing, but the smile finally breaking across Dorothy's face was enough to let them breathe a sigh of relief.

The relentless toil of recent days had aged Kenneth by more than a decade.

"Kenneth, leave this to me. You need to get some rest!"

Karen, too, felt for her cousin. The weariness in his eyes was unmistakable, his clothes unchanged for days. He'd been Dorothy's steadfast guardian, and nobody could keep up that pace forever.

"But she..."

"Don't worry! Before you wake, I'll be right here." Karen patted his shoulder. "You resting now means you can take better care of Dorothy later."

Kenneth glanced at Dorothy lying in the bed and nodded reluctantly. Before leaving, he couldn't help but fuss, "She's emotionally fragile right now, so don't upset her! Call me immediately if anything happens, and keep an eye on her bandages for any bleeding."

"Jeez, I can take care of her! Plus, we've got the doctors here."

When had he turned into such a worrywart?

Helpless, Kenneth managed a half-smile, then approached Dorothy's bedside and spoke gently, "I'll just crash at a nearby hotel and come back once I've rested. Have a good chat with Karen and Langston."

Dorothy nodded and murmured her thanks, which Kenneth wished he didn't have to hear. It only reminded him that he was still an outsider.

...

Outside the operating room, the anxious wait continued.