abcnovels
Chapter 398
Chapter 398
Chapter 398
Chapter 398
Herman gazed at Pattie, who was lying weakly on the hospital bed. “These ignorant people,” he murmured, “they believe that Pattie’s life is somehow intertwined with their son’s. They thought that by killing her, they would bring their son back.”
Anastasia felt a shiver of fear mixed with anger at these words. Had they arrived any later, Pattie might not have been alive.
Katelyn was outraged. “How could they harm such a sweet girl?” she exclaimed. Her voice was shaking with fury.
Feiman chimed in. His tone was equally livid. “This is sheer ignorance! This is murder, Herman. We must ensure that the law punishes those who harmed Pattie.”
A cold glint appeared in Herman’s eyes. “Attempted murder will land them in prison for decades, he promised. Herman would never let anyone harm Pattie.
Pattie needed rest, so Katelyn and Feiman left the hospital after a while, not wanting to disturb her.
As they were leaving, Katelyn turned to Herman. “Take good care of Ana,” she advised.
Herman escorted the two to the hospital entrance. He didn’t mention a word about Joseph in front of Feiman. Feiman, however, looked guilty. It was only after he left the hospital that he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Upon Herman’s return to the ward, he discovered that Pattie was awake. Her wound was causing her great pain, and she was crying, but she was trying not to wail too loudly for fear of exacerbating the pain.
Pattie nestled in Anastasia’s arms, whimpering softly. As Herman returned, she suddenly burst into louder sobs. “Dad, it hurts so much,” she cried.
The sight of Pattie in such pain broke both Anastasia’s and Herman’s hearts.
Herman gently took Pattie from Anastasia’s arms and cradled her in his own. “There, there, Pattie,” he soothed. “Don’t cry, honey. Crying will only make your wound hurt more. You’ll feel better soon, I promise. Would you like me to tell you a story?” He hoped that a story would distract Pattie from her pain.
“I don’t want to hear a story,” Pattie whimpered. Her expression was more vulnerable than ever. She just wanted to be held by Herman. “Just hold me, Daddy.”
“Alright, sweetheart. Daddy will hold you,” Herman agreed. His voice was soft.
Anastasia watched them. Her heart was in agony. Every parent would do anything to take the child’s pain away.
Once Pattie had calmed down a bit, Anastasia managed to get her to eat a few bites of food and drink some soup.
After dinner, an exhausted Pattie fell asleep in Herman’s arms. She was holding onto his shirt so tightly, even in her sleep.
Herman held her, pacing around the room, talking to her softly. He didn’t put her down even when he was tired. He just sat down for a while, still holding her.
Anastasia suggested quietly, “Why don’t we put her in the bed?”
Herman shook his head. “It took her a while to fall asleep. If she wakes up, the pain might keep her from falling back asleep. I can hold her, Ana. You should go lie down and rest for a bit.”
“I can’t sleep,” Anastasia replied. She sat down on the edge of the bed, watching Herman and Pattie. “Pattie is really lucky to have you,” she said.
Herman looked down at Pattie, who was asleep on his shoulder. A softness came over his face. “I don’t know why, but I just want to protect this little girl. It feels like howe her something. Every time she calls me Daddy, I feel this indescribable warmth.”
Anastasia felt the same way. She smiled at Herman, joking, “I bet your future son will be jealous.”
Herman laughed. “If we have a son, me and the son can protect you and Pattie. If we have a daughter, I’ll protect all three of you.”
Anastasia laughed, knowing that Herman was capable of doing just that. Suddenly, she remembered Pattie’s past and her smile faded. “Herman,” she said hesitantly, “there’s something I need to talk to you about.”