Substitute Bride: Utterly Pampered by Her Billionaire Husband-Chapter 883: I Wish I Could Hold You Forever

Chapter 883: Chapter 883: I Wish I Could Hold You Forever

Little Willow Crawford looked at her daddy with big, bright eyes and smiled sweetly, "Daddy~ Mom and I, and brother, miss you very much~"

Hayden Crawford kissed Serena Sterling’s cheek, then lowered his handsome eyelids to look at little Willow Crawford. His exquisite features softened, tender beyond words, "Willow~"

He reached out to gently pat little Willow Crawford’s small head, full of affection.

Time stopped at that moment, as the family of three reunited, wrapped in deep emotions amidst the sadness.

"Serena, I wish I could hold you and our daughter like this forever," Hayden Crawford murmured.

Serena Sterling lowered her long eyelashes, she felt the same.

She wished he would hold her like this forever.

"Was it you in Justin Xavier’s room earlier? Can I come find you later?" Serena carefully tested.

She didn’t know how his health was, but she knew he didn’t want her to see him.

But she wanted to see him.

She missed him.

One thousand times, ten thousand times, she missed him, regardless of how he had changed.

Listening to her soft voice, Hayden Crawford kissed her long hair, "Don’t come looking for me, go to bed early and be good."

He didn’t want her to find him.

Serena Sterling pouted her red lips and nodded sullenly, "Oh, I got it."

Hayden Crawford slowly released her, "Don’t look back; I’m leaving first."

He left.

Serena Sterling didn’t turn around, but she heard the rustling sounds, his struggle to get up, and then his slow departure.

A bright full moon hung in the sky, casting its glow as she saw his silhouette.

His tall, broad figure was now bent, extremely thin; once so tall and proud, his body now rapidly waning with age and frailty.

Serena Sterling choked, her eyes filling with tears that burned, bringing pain to her eyes.

Painful to the core.

Pain for him.

Pain because of him.

Just then, a small, white, tender hand reached over and wiped her tears, "Mommy, don’t cry~ Daddy is back now, and from now on, our family can be together forever, never apart again~"

Serena Sterling lowered her eyes to look at little Willow Crawford in her arms. Little Willow was wiping her tears, sweetly and thoughtfully.

Serena Sterling suddenly smiled through her tears, holding little Willow Crawford tightly. Yes, he was back, and everything was better now.

...

Justin Xavier rushed into the room, his handsome face quite grim, shrouded in a layer of icy gloom as if squeezing it could make it drip water.

Serena Sterling didn’t like Justin Xavier as a person, but there was no denying Justin Xavier had always had Hayden Crawford’s back, the two having grown up together.

Arriving at the room entrance, Justin Xavier kicked the door open, and a burst of antiseptic smell hit them instantly.

"Is he dead or not?" Justin Xavier grabbed a doctor’s collar, "If anything happens to him, you won’t even need a coffin, just jump into the ground washed and ready for burial!"

"..." The doctor wiped the cold sweat furiously, "Pre...President Xavier, we just gave the patient an injection and treated his wounds; we’ve barely stabilized his condition, but... his body really can’t take any more of this, please spare us!"

The doctor was on the verge of tears; Hayden Crawford, in such a state, had caught someone falling from the second floor with his bare hands, utterly reckless.

He might not care, but the doctors did.

Justin Xavier’s face was dark, "Get out!"

"Yes."

The doctor felt reprieved, quickly exiting with the nurses.

At that moment, someone arrived outside the door; it was Serena Sterling.

After dropping little Willow back, Serena Sterling hurried over, even though Hayden Crawford forbade her to come, she still came.

Serena Sterling peered inside with her bright eyes and saw Hayden Crawford.

Though she’d seen him twice already, once on the bus and just now downstairs, she hadn’t looked straight at him.

This was her first real look at him.

Hayden Crawford lay on the bed, his handsome face still striking, but he had lost so much weight.

His complexion was ghostly pale, devoid of any color, his whole being seemingly drained of life by his illness; his body no longer tall, stately, or robust but seriously emaciated.

He used to be the top aristocrat in Aethelgard’s business world, the world’s leading mogul, a born emperor.

Now he was a sickly person maintained by Western medicine, sheltered from sunlight all day.

Even though Serena Sterling was mentally prepared to see him like this, the sight still churned her heart like a knife, leaving her raw and wounded.

She hadn’t expected him to be this bad.

He was Hayden Crawford, but now...

Serena Sterling’s gaze fixed on Hayden Crawford on the bed, unable to shift away, wanting to rush in and hold him tightly, never letting go.

But she didn’t dare.

She didn’t know if his body could handle her strong embrace.

And she knew he didn’t want her to see him like this.

Justin Xavier’s handsome features were clouded with anger; he pointed with slender fingers to Hayden Crawford on the bed, "Look at you, clinging to life by a thread, yet you still run around stirring trouble, do you have a death wish?"

Justin Xavier was extremely upset, suppressing the fury in his chest.

Hayden Crawford’s handsome face remained expressionless, merely pulling his pale lips into a slight smile, "Justin Xavier, why do I feel like you’re... looking frustrated?"

"..." Was he that obvious?

Justin Xavier snorted, "Just so you know! Do this a couple of more times, and you’ll scare me right into impotence!"

"Enough, don’t take an inch just because you’re given a foot, if you’re capable, go find Leah Thorne to relieve yourself, not fire at your brother."

"..."

As the two men exchanged barbs, the room fell quiet.

Then Hayden Crawford turned his head and saw Serena Sterling standing at the door.

Their eyes met, and Serena Sterling froze.

She hadn’t managed to retract her teary gaze, instead staring at him entranced.

He saw her.

Though Hayden Crawford was unwell, his deep, narrow eyes still held small whirlpools, seemingly able to draw one’s soul in.

He hadn’t lost any of his presence.

At that moment, Justin Xavier turned, his cold gaze falling on Serena Sterling’s face, pursing his thin lips and speaking in a low voice, "You."

Who was Justin Xavier calling?

Serena Sterling lifted her small head to look at Justin Xavier.

Justin Xavier was also staring at her, "I’m talking to you! Get out now!"

Get out.

Justin Xavier told her to get out.

"..."

Serena Sterling’s temper flared; she already disliked Justin Xavier, and now he was high-handedly telling her to get out.

Before Serena Sterling could speak, Hayden Crawford’s cold, displeased voice reached her ears, "Watch your tone; you scared her!"