"The baby has lost his mother's companionship. He can't lose yours too."

"You must take care of them both, Christian. Do you hear me?"

Patrick's words had brought Christian to his senses like a wakeup call.

Patrick stopped talking and sighed, and then he walked out of the room.

Christian needed some time to calm down, just like himself. No one knew how much courage it had taken for him to process so much bad news in such a short time.

Patrick sat at the door, exhausted. He could only stop pretending to be strong in places where he wasn't seen.

The clock was ticking. But time stood still for Christian.

Vivian had survived the operation and her body became normal. Finally she didn't have to suffer from heart disease anymore.

But she was exhausted and she refused to open his eyes to see the world again. Whatever or whomever she had loved or hated were now buried deep in her long sleep.

"I'm sorry..."

Christian burst into tears in the empty room.

...

Two months later, Vivian was released from the hospital.

Christian had almost recovered and the plaster had been removed from his arm. He looked much more mature, but he had somehow lost his sparkle.

In the past two months, Christian had actively cooperated with the doctor's treatment, trying hard to get well soon.

Patrick was right. He must hold on for Vivian and their baby. He had decided to take good care of her and wait for her to wake up.

Christian stood by Vivian's bed and listened to her quiet and steady breathing. He felt warm and hopeful.

He knew Vivian didn't like the hospital. She didn't want to lie in the cold room and sleep alone.

He looked at her peaceful face and kissed her on the forehead.

"I'm taking you home."

Then Patrick walked in with the baby in his arms. The baby hadn't seen Vivian for two months, but he was excited to see his mother.

"I'm taking them home."

"Ok."

Christian froze at his quick answer. But he wasn't happy about it.

"We agreed that we'd compete with each other fair and square."

"Yes, we did. But you are the father. How could it be fair?"

Patrick looked at the baby wriggling in his arms who now looked more and more like Christian.

"I'll work in the hospital. I don't have the time to look after him. So you have to look after them both."

Patrick handed the baby over to Christian. The baby smiled happily when he saw Christian.

Christian knew Patrick had been working round-the-clock, trying to find the solution to Vivian's coma.

"I certainly will."

He would take good care of them both and wait for her to wake up someday. They would, as a family, live happily ever after.

...

In order to take better care of Vivian, Christian converted her old room into a ward which was exactly the same as the one in the hospital. It was fully equipped with medical apparatus and instruments and on-call doctors.

After that he converted his own room into a baby room. He was officially a new father.

At his command, Vivian and the baby would be the center of the whole household.

"Hope, Daddy is here."

Christian held the baby clumsily with his strong arms, trying to learn how to take care of a baby.

He had named the baby Hope North because he genuinely hoped that Vivian would wake up one day. He would never give up on her.

In the daytime, after the doctor gave Vivian a medical checkup to make sure her condition hadn't worsen, Christian would run her a bath and help her change into her favorite clothes, and then put a bouquet of fresh lilies by her bed.

Then he would work from home so as to take better care of Vivian.

There were experienced maids in the house who would take very good care of the baby for him.

In the evening, he would feed the baby and put him to sleep.

In the dead of night, He would stay with Vivian and tell her everything that had happened during the day.

"Our baby has grown taller."

"The florist asked me why I'd always bought lilies. I told her my wife loved them."

"Patrick came to see you today. He bought the baby a new set of toy, but he is too young to play with it."

"Patrick said he had made some progress in his research. He was sure you would wake up soon."

"When would you be able to wake up to see us, stupid?"

"I've missed you so much..."

Christian lay next to her in his clothes, feeling her steady breath and warm skin.

"Vivian, I dreamed of you again. You'd better wake up soon. Did you know our baby called you mother the other day?"

"Please wake up soon. Our baby misses you and we all miss you very much."

The moonlight was shining on the bed through the windows. Christian unconsciously fell asleep.