"You guys returned just on time." As both Jack and Sophie entered the fifth-floor hallway, they saw Teddy coming toward them.
His eyes glanced at the file in Sophie's hand and he nodded.
"Sophie, you brought her documents right?" Teddy pointed at the file with a questioning look on his face.
Although he could tell the file contained Meadow's document, but he still asked out of politeness.
Sophie looked at him and nodded.
She then handed the file to him.
"Did they bring back mom out of OT?" She asked.
Last night she wasn't able to meet her mother as she was in OT and she was desperate to see her condition.
Teddy listened to her and smiled, "Yes, she is in the ward, has woken up just now, and was asking for you."
Teddy pointed at the room in which Meadow was kept before the operation and now she has returned.
A smile formed on Sophie's face and she ran towards the wooden door.
"Mom." Opening the door she looked at her mother sitting on the bed, sipping on some soup.
Tears moved through Sophie's eyes as she ran towards her and embraced her lightly.
Cassie, Pearl, and Jack's mom were also standing nearby, and when they saw Sophie's tearful eyes, tears also formed in their eyes.
They could tell how hard it has been for the family of two.
Meadow looked at her daughter and tears also came from her eyes. "Sophie, I am ok now, don't cry or I will be sad." She said as she placed the soup bowl away and started patting Sophie's head.
"No Mom! Let me hug you, I thought I will lose you!" More and more tears dripped from Sophie's eyes.
"I am sorry Sophie, Mom has made you face such troubles. I regret it." Finally, Meadow also started to cry.
Tears also started dripping like a river from Cassie's eyes.
Pearl and Jack's mom on the other hand were also sad, but somehow composed.
They were adults after all.
Jack then entered the room and saw the sad scene happening in front of him.
He didn't interject and quietly stood aside while letting everything happen.
He knew that it was a moment of bonding between a mother and a daughter.
His eyes then glanced at Meadow and his heart skipped a beat, seeing tears in her eyes, somehow made him sad too.
'I have to help them, no matter what!' He decided in his heart that he would help both the mother and daughter with the help of his system.
He can't bear to see them sad.
This was extremely painful for him.
After a few minutes of sobbing, everyone wiped their tears away.
Meadow also wiped her eyes, "Now now, everyone is looking, you have to be strong." she consoled Sophie and made her stand up from her lap.
Sophie nodded and stood beside her bed.
"Mom, I will make sure that nothing like this happens in the future, and from now on you will be under my strict diet. No more eating burgers." Sophie scolded Meadow, making everyone smile at her.
A daughter berating her mother out of care, this was a wholesome moment for everyone.
"Ok." Meadow nodded with a smile.
Her eyes then landed on Jack, who was standing by the side, and a warm smile formed on her face.
"Jack, I heard from Cassie that you helped a lot. I am very grateful to you. I don't know how I will pay this favor back." She said with a warm and grateful expression.
Jack listened to her and was about to reply, however, a panel flashed in front of his eyes.
[1. "How can I not help you? You were my first love after all. (+3 Hearts, +20 Ero Points.)
2. "This is the least I can do, after all, we are like a family." (+2 Hearts.)]
Jack looked at the options and raised his brows, he could see that Meadow has great susceptibility to hearts.
However, his eyes glanced over at the first option for few times.
Everyone was present in the room, so if he choose the first option then what will they think?
However soon enough he realized that everyone in the room knew that Jack used to have a crush on Meadow, after all, Sophie told everyone about the Valentine's Day event.
Although at that time everyone laughed at him, however, he don't know how they will react this time.
'I don't care how they will react, I have to make her mine.' He thought and looked at Meadow, she was his first love, and now he has a chance to make her his.
A smile formed on his face and he chose the first option.
He looked Meadow in the eyes. "How can I not help you? You were my first love after all."
Just as this statement left his mouth, everyone in the room turned quiet.
Even Sophie and Cassie who was sobbing suddenly stopped and looked at Jack with bewildered expression.
Pearl and Jack's mom also looked at Jack with their mouth open.
They couldn't believe what they were hearing.
Jack's mother raised her brows and was about to scold her son when a hefty laugh resounded in the room.
It was beautiful and serene, giving one's soul the peace it wants.
Everyone looked at Meadow, who was laughing her heart out, she looked ethereal.
Her voice was angelic.
"You are so funny. Thanks for making me laugh."
It was only then that everyone realized that Jack was cracking a joke.
"Oh my god, Jack! Stop spewing nonsense like that." Jack's mother sighed in relief.
Pearl also chucked from the side. "Hope, your son knows how to lighten the mood, don't be angry at him." She said as she looked at Jack's mom.
Jack's mother's name was Hope.
Cassie on the other hand looked at Jack with her eyes narrow.
And it was only Sophie, that looked at Jack with complicated expression. Out of the group only she remembered how Jack came and gifted Meadow a rose, expressing his love on Valentine's Day.
'He might not be Joking.' She thought, and refrained from voicing her opinions.
Meadow who was laughing looked at Jack and had a warm feeling rose in her heart, she also remembered the day Jack gifted her the rose.
At that time she could tell that he was really in love with her, however, because she was already married she laughed it off.
And today was the same condition, however today she laughed it off to ease the tension in the room.
'He has become so brazen. He used to be so shy.' She thought.
Jack on the other hand looked at the Ero meter above her head.
(20/100)
And three hearts were filled.
He also felt his phone vibrating and took it out.
His eyes almost popped out of his sockets when he looked at the money that came with a third heart.
The first heart gave him ten thousand dollars.
The second heart gave him fifty thousand dollars.
And then the last one, Jack gulped his saliva as he read the message again and again.
'Five hundred thousand!!' He screamed internally.
He wanted to jump up and kiss Meadow right this instant.
'Thank you.' He looked at Meadow and gratefulness bloomed in his heart.
.....
After a few more hours when it was almost nighttime, Jack was standing on the hospital balcony alone, with the phone in his hand.
He called Nicole.
Soon enough she picked up the call.
"Hey, pervert! So you remember me again? My ass still hurts."
Jack chucked at her words. And then a panel popped up in front of his face.
[1. "I love you." (+1 Heart, +10 Ero points.)
2. "I will make your ass hurt again if you keep talking to Daddy like that." (+50 Ero points.)]
He chose the first option, as Hearts matter the most to him.
First, they gave him money in return, which is never bad.
However, the main reason was love, the heart made the girls fall in love with him.
"I love you," Jack said while cutting her next sentence.
Suddenly silence fell on the other side of the phone.
Jack could feel her breathing change.
After some time she regained her composure, "Stupid, it's not the time to joke around!"
"Are you gonna come to the shop tonight?"
It was only then Jack realized that he forgot about his night duty.
It was already 6 pm and he only had two hours left.
"Nicole I won't be able to come." He said with an apologetic tone.
He braced himself to hear her scolding.
However, her next words surprised him.
"Ok, I will close the shop tonight too, but you have to give me an explanation tomorrow." She said.
Jack chuckled, "Don't worry, girl, Daddy will give you lots of explanation tomorrow."
Nicole understood the hidden meaning behind his words and snorted.
"Humph!"
She then hung up the phone.
And just as she did so, she felt her heart beating like crazy.
Her cheeks flushed red.
'I love you.' His words came to her mind again.
"This guy! He knows how to play with my heart, I have to teach him a lesson next time!"