Chapter 0822
Alden’s stomach dropped. “What do you mean by that?”
Maximus hesitated before saying, “I’m sorry, Alden… Celeste… But we have to be prepared for the fact that he might not wake up.”
“He will wake up,” Celeste said firmly, her voice trembling with emotion. “He promised me. You said it yourself- Peter is stubborn. He wouldn’t do this to us!”
“Celeste, please… Calm down. This stress isn’t good for the babies,” Maximus urged.
Alden nodded. “Uncle’s right. You need to rest. You can’t stay here like this.”
Celeste turned to him, her eyes blazing. “I already told Maximus, and I’ll tell you–I’m not leaving. I promised Peter I’d be here when he came out, and I won’t break that promise. My babies and I are strong. We’ve been through too much to give up now. I’m not leaving this hospital unless it’s with Peter.”
Maximus studied her for a moment. She was dead set on staying, and he knew there was no changing her mind. She was just as stubborn–if not more–than his brother.
He let out a heavy sigh. “Fine. But at least let me get you something to eat. If you’re going to stay here, you have to take care of yourself. If anything happens to you or Peter’s children, he’ll never forgive me.”
Without waiting for a response, he stood up and walked toward the hospital cafeteria.
On the way, he passed by a small chapel.
Maximus had never been a religious man. How could he be given the kind of family he had grown up in? He had never believed in prayers, miracles, or divine intervention.
But today, for the first time in his life, he felt the need to step inside.
Slowly, he walked to the front of the chapel, staring at the flickering candles and the cross on the altar. He had no idea how to pray, no idea who he was even speaking to.
But he whispered anyway, his voice thick with emotion.
“I don’t know what people do in these situations… But if you’re listening, just hear me out.
“The man lying in that hospital bed is my brother.
“We never had the chance to be close when we were kids. We were oil and water–completely different. And even now, we still clash. But somehow, we figured out how to be brothers anyway.
“He’s an idiot… but he’s my idiot. And I’m his.
“We’re not related by blood, but these past few months, we’ve spent more time together than we ever did growing up. Please… don’t take him from us. Don’t take away our chance to make up for lost time.
“When we were kids, Peter dreamed of traveling the world. He wanted to climb the tallest mountains. Me? I just wanted a family. A home. A dog and a cat.
“I still want that. But I want him to be there too. I want him to live–to see his children grow, to watch his grandchildren take their first steps. To finally have a family of his own.
Once, he had a chance at that. And life took it away from him.
“Please… don’t take it away again.
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+25 BONUS
Chapter 0827
“There’s a woman carrying his children right now. Don’t rap them of the chance to meet their father. Don’t rob him of the chance to hold them in his arms.
“I know Peter has made mistakes. So have 1. But he’s a good man. I don’t say that just because he’s my brother–I say it because I’ve seen it. I know it.
“So please… just this once… let us keep him.
“Let him live.”
Maximus didn’t even realize it, but his face was streaked with tears. He had never asked for anything, never believed in anything. But this time–this time–he needed something to hold on to. He needed to believe in something.
Because if Peter didn’t make it.. he didn’t know how to go on.
His children, his grandchildren, Peter’s children–the entire family needed him. Whether he had meant to or not, Peter had become the one who held them all together, despite his constant attempts to push them away.
After several minutes of silence, Maximus finally stood and left the chapel, his mind clouded with fear.
The thought of losing his brother–of what that loss would do to their family–filled him with dread.
Celeste would be shattered.
Peter’s children would never get to meet their father.
He would never get to meet his grandchild.
And life as they knew it would never be the same.
No.
After losing Peter twice, he had to wake up.
He couldn’t afford to die–not when his life was only just beginning
