Template placeholder with Chapter 244

Chapter 244:

A flicker of uncertainty crossed Amelia’s face as Marc finished speaking. She looked ready to ask for clarification, but the butler arrived just then, ushering Bryce and an elderly woman into the room.

Although she had already lived past eighty, Gemma carried herself with a strength and energy that seemed to shave decades off her age. Spotting Wyatt and Marc, Bryce straightened and greeted them with respect. Their exchange was brief. Marc then wasted no time and began examining Gemma.

The moment he finished, Bryce asked, “Dr. Chapman, is there anything wrong with my mom? She’s been passing out a lot lately, and none of the doctors can figure out why p>

Instead of answering him, Marc looked directly at Gemma. “Mrs. Francis, have you had nights recently when you couldn’t sleep and your head was pounding p>

That question made Bryce speak up at once. “Dr. Chapman, my mother’s always slept fine. Are you sure…” He trailed off, uncertain, doubting Marc’s judgment slightly, but he held his tongue, remembering how respected Marc was.

Marc said nothing, his attention fixed on Gemma.

Catching the direction of Marc’s gaze, Bryce turned to his mother. Unease and embarrassment flickered in Gemma’s eyes.

“Mom!” Bryce said, frustration rising as he sensed something was off.

“Don’t yell at me!” snapped Gemma, her voice sharp enough that Bryce lowered his tone, though he was clearly upset. “Why didn’t you say anything about how you’ve been feeling? I p>

Pо𝗉𝘶𝗅𝗮𝗿 stо𝗿ieѕ on

“What’s the point in telling you that? The doctors couldn’t find out what was wrong with me after all these visits. You won’t be able to do anything, either.” Having only her son to lean on, Gemma hated putting him through stress, but she never let it show. She had kept her troubles to herself, hoping he wouldn’t have to worry.

As Bryce’s eyes filled with tears, Gemma tried to comfort him. “Look, I’m getting older. Things like this just happen, so please stop worrying so much p>

“But I care about you deeply!” Bryce said, torn between frustration and fear.

He was angry with Gemma for having kept her symptoms hidden, choosing to face long, painful nights just to shield him from worry.

“Dr. Chapman, since you know what’s wrong with my mother, is there a way to treat her?” he asked.

“What she’s dealing with is poor blood flow to the brain, caused by a rare heart defect called a cardiovascular malformation. The only fix is heart surgery to straighten out the twisted blood vessels. But she’s not young, so any surgery like that is a big gamble. If you don’t go ahead with it, the worst she’ll face are restless nights and headaches. She won’t feel much else p>

Those words left Bryce torn, unable to decide what was best for his mother.

Amelia, who had been quiet, said, “If Mrs. Francis has had this heart problem for so long, why are the symptoms showing up only now p>

“Malformations like hers rarely cause trouble on their own. But as the years go by, blood vessels can become partially blocked, making it hard for the heart to get enough blood. That’s why doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong before,” Marc said.

He then turned to Bryce again. “You and your mother should discuss this together. If you both want to go ahead with the operation, let me know. I’ll handle the surgery myself p>