Let Me Go, Mr. Howard Chapter 180

When Scarlett awoke, the overhead lights hurt her eyes. She instinctively closed them and turned away, immediately drawing attention from someone nearby.

"Ms. Seymour?"

The voice was cautious, carrying a slight tremor.

Scarlett opened her eyes to see Libbie with tear-stained eyes. Seeing Scarlett awake, she immediately smiled. "Thank goodness, Ms. Seymour, you're finally awake. Is anything still uncomfortable?"

With no obvious physical discomfort, Scarlett instinctively shook her head.

Seeing this, Libbie sighed with relief but still pressed the call button beside the bed.

Scarlett took the opportunity to observe her surroundings by turning her head from side to side.

She was in a bedroom that included a sofa lounge area and an entertainment zone. But looking around the bed, she noticed monitoring equipment typically found in hospitals.

Almost instantly, Scarlett realized she was in a hospital—most likely a high-end private facility.

Back home, Evercrest Memorial Hospital had rooms designed this way: spaces that functioned as both hospital rooms and bedrooms, with luxurious and distinct functional areas.

Though Scarlett had been unconscious for some time, she hadn't lost her memories. On the contrary, she had vivid recollections of leaving the country, especially that satellite phone call on the plane.

After her ordeal, her perception of past events had become even sharper.

Scarlett's fingers pressed against the subtly embroidered bedsheet beneath her. The soft bedding and familiar scent might have convinced her she was still at home, if not for the clarity of her memories.

A foreign doctor with thick eyebrows and large eyes entered, speaking in Seraphine that Scarlett couldn't understand at all. Despite enjoying Seraphim films, without formal study of the language, comprehension was difficult.

Fortunately, Libbie spoke Seraphine.

"Ms. Seymour, the doctor needs to examine you. Please lie flat and bend your knees."

At the instruction to lie flat with bent knees, Scarlett nervously clutched the blanket. 

Though not inexperienced sexually, Sebastian had been her only partner. The thought of a male doctor performing a gynecological examination made her intensely uncomfortable.

Luckily, Libbie noticed her discomfort. After a brief exchange, the male doctor nodded and left, soon returning with a female colleague.

With the female doctor's assistance, the examination concluded smoothly.

Though her condition had stabilized, the series of incidents had made Scarlett's pregnancy unusually fragile.

Therefore, whether she liked it or not, she needed to remain under observation at the hospital.

Libbie provided Scarlett with a phone, though without a SIM card. She could only connect with friends through social media platforms using wireless internet.

From Libbie and the doctors' conversations, Scarlett confirmed she was indeed in Seraphim.

As for whether she was in the north or south, that remained unknown.

She quickly shared this information with Chris.

[Seraphim? Perfect timing. Are you in the north or south? I'll be flying to southern Seraphim in a week for a friendship rally race.]

Chris's message came through quickly.

But Scarlett couldn't provide a precise answer to his question.

She had asked both Libbie and Teddy, but neither seemed inclined to answer. Libbie gently deflected, while Teddy repeated the same response:

"Ms. Seymour should focus on her pregnancy. You needn't concern yourself with other matters."

This was clearly evasive, but Scarlett had no way to press them.

She never had an opportunity to speak with doctors or nurses alone, so this state of being kept in the dark continued for several days.

Until Sebastian called from back home.

This was the first time Scarlett had received a call from Sebastian since leaving the country.

"Scar." As soon as Sebastian spoke, Scarlett could hear obvious fatigue in his voice.

With the phone pressed to her ear, Sebastian's breathing seemed incredibly close. Scarlett pressed her lips together and lowered her head, her fingertips tracing patterns on the sofa's texture, the slightly fuzzy feeling irresistible to her touch.

"Fallen asleep?" After hearing no response from Scarlett for a long while, Sebastian spoke again. This time his voice was stronger, the fatigue seemingly vanishing—perhaps it had been Scarlett's imagination.

Scarlett licked her lips, glancing around to confirm she was alone in the room.

Whenever she spoke with Sebastian, Libbie and the others would deliberately leave, giving the "young couple" privacy.

That term had first come from Libbie's lips.

Hearing it, Scarlett felt conflicted emotions. Though the term was sweet, it spread a sourness through her heart that gradually extended throughout her body before slightly subsiding. She couldn't bring herself to acknowledge it—after all, that title wasn't truly hers.

"No," she replied, her voice dry. At first, no sound came out at all, catching in her throat before she finally managed the simple word.

Hearing her voice, Sebastian's fingers tapped lightly on the rim of his glass, his eyes darkening slightly. "Aren't they taking good care of you?"

The caring question naturally pleased Scarlett, but her happiness didn't last long.

She quickly recalled the conversation she'd overheard that day, remembering how Sebastian only cared about the baby inside her. Taking a deep breath, she gritted her teeth. "No, no, I just haven't spoken in a while."

This wasn't untrue.

Due to her emotional state, Scarlett had barely spoken recently, even to Libbie.

Sebastian was well aware of this obvious change.

He had made time for this call specifically because of Libbie's report that Scarlett seemed deeply melancholic.

Hearing this news, Sebastian had grown restless. He'd thought of several beautiful sights she might enjoy and called immediately.

"Are you bored?" Sebastian took a sip of his drink. Cold droplets of condensation clung to his fingertips, but as he clenched his fist, warmth returned. "Why not go out for a while tomorrow? The doctor says you've been recovering well."

Scarlett had assumed she would be confined until delivery. Hearing this, her fingertips instinctively contracted before she asked, "Really?"

"Yes, though you can't go far. Your health isn't strong enough," Sebastian said, his tone softening as if coaxing a child.

Scarlett felt no sweetness from this, only a stabbing pain in her heart. She parted her lips slightly, exhaling in small, measured breaths to prevent Sebastian from detecting any change in her demeanor.

"I understand, but what interesting places are nearby?" Her voice remained tight and dry, but to gain more information, she forced a smile.

"There's not much particularly exciting in the north, but..." Sebastian answered quickly, then paused. "You might enjoy the collections at the Vanderlyn Institute of Fine Arts."