Chapter 377: Adrian Lancaster, You Must Wake Up
The night was still and silent.
Lucia Lancaster and Wren Sutton were sharing a bed. Lucia lay on her side, her back to Wren, unable to sleep with her eyes wide open. Her mind was filled with nothing but Caleb Caldwell.
’For her sake, he’d slammed his fist into those blond punks. The veins popping on his arm, the sharp line of his handsome profile.’
’When she was panicking, he had soothed her back with one hand, pulling her into his arms. His voice was gentle and patient as he comforted her, making her feel completely safe.’
’The way he opened the passenger door for her, the faint scent of cedar as he leaned over to fasten her seatbelt...’
But what made her heart pound the most was his confession—the second time he’d blurted it out.
The first time, she had played dumb, passing it off as a joke between friends.
This time, Caleb Caldwell’s eyes had been too earnest—so earnest she didn’t dare to dismiss it.
But she still hadn’t said yes. It wasn’t that she wasn’t moved; she just wasn’t completely ready. She hadn’t been able to cross the "best buds" hurdle.
Caleb Caldwell had been wonderful about it. He hadn’t pressured her or made her feel awkward. After her silence, he had just said softly, "It’s okay, Lucia. I’ll wait for you. I’ll wait as long as it takes."
’Caleb Caldwell...’ Lucia Lancaster whispered his name in her mind, the sound so soft it felt as if it would be swallowed by the night.
After what felt like an eternity, Lucia Lancaster’s eyelids grew as heavy as lead. Her consciousness began to blur until, finally, amidst a thousand tangled thoughts, she drifted into a deep sleep.
That night, she dreamed of Caleb Caldwell for the first time.
The dreamscape shattered the shackles of reality, casting off all restraint.
On a street corner, Lucia Lancaster emerged from a bubble tea shop.
In the distance, she saw Caleb Caldwell leaning against his car, waiting for her. His posture was ramrod straight, his features sharp and defined.
He looked up at her, his gaze intense and full of affection, holding a restrained yet fervent possessiveness—the kind a man feels only for his woman.
Without a word, he started walking toward her, each step seeming to land in time with the pounding of her heart.
The surrounding din, the traffic, the voices—everything faded away, leaving only the two of them.
The air was thick with the cloying scent of bubble tea and his own unique fragrance. It was so quiet they could hear every hurried breath, every thunderous heartbeat.
The real-world "Lucia, I like you" transformed in the dream into a gentle kiss.
It wasn’t a conquering kiss, but a tender reassurance.
His warm lips brushed gently against her forehead. In that instant, it felt as if he had branded her with an exclusive seal, the searing heat piercing her skin and sinking straight into her heart.
Lucia Lancaster didn’t pull away.
In the dream, she was startlingly lucid, realizing that she was willing. Willing to be Caleb Caldwell’s girlfriend, willing to be with him.
The rational defenses she normally kept up, the prim and proper walls she’d built—at this moment, they crumbled into dust, shattering completely.
She was following her feelings, following her heart completely.
She raised a hand, her fingertips lightly brushing his warm cheek. The smooth skin sent a tremor through her heart.
"Caleb Caldwell, will you love me forever?" Lucia’s voice held the soft, sweet quality unique to dreams.
Caleb Caldwell leaned in, pressing his forehead to hers. Her reflection was captured in his dark eyes.
"Yes. I will love you forever. And I will only ever love you."
"You’d better not lie to me." Lucia wrinkled her nose in a cute, threatening way. "Or I’ll have my two brothers beat you to a pulp!"
Caleb Caldwell chuckled, his voice a low, doting murmur. "I wouldn’t dare. You’re my little queen, my precious darling. All I want to do is love you; how could I ever lie to you?"
"That’s more like it." Lucia’s lips curled in satisfaction. She tilted her face up and rose onto her tiptoes.
"Come here, let this lady kiss you..."
The corners of the sleeping Lucia Lancaster’s mouth curled up unconsciously, a sweet smile blooming on her face. She mumbled indistinctly, "Caleb Caldwell..."
Her voice was faint, but in the dead silence of the night, it was exceptionally clear.
Beside her, Wren Sutton, who had only just drifted off, felt her eyelashes flutter before she slowly opened her eyes.
She had heard it.
She didn’t turn or move, lying perfectly still so as not to disturb the sleeping Lucia Lancaster.
The corners of Wren Sutton’s mouth lifted, and a gentle smile warmed her eyes.
’She offered a silent blessing, hoping Lucia would soon understand her own heart and find peace, joy, and everlasting happiness with Caleb Caldwell.’
...
Sunlight streamed into the hospital corridor in the early morning, chasing away the night’s chill.
After a full night of observation and testing, Adrian Lancaster’s vital signs were stable, showing no abnormalities.
As they had agreed the day before, the doctor allowed Wren Sutton to visit the intensive care unit for a second time.
"You have half an hour. You must adhere to the sterile protocols."
"Thank you, doctor."
Wren Sutton nodded at the doctor gratefully before taking out two items.
"Doctor, I’d like to bring these two items in with me. One is a laminated family photo, and the other is an unopened pack of sterile medical wipes. I want to wipe my husband’s hands and face. Is that alright?"
The doctor carefully inspected both items. After confirming they wouldn’t compromise the sterile environment of the ICU, he nodded his approval.
"You can take them in. Try to talk to him as much as possible to stimulate his consciousness. Be gentle when you wipe him, and don’t touch any of the medical lines."
Wren Sutton took his words to heart.
"Thank you, Doctor. I’ll be sure to remember."
Then, following procedure, she changed into a full set of sterile visiting scrubs, tucked all of her hair into a cap, thoroughly disinfected her hands, and put on a surgical mask.
As she stepped through the heavy, sterile doors, the sounds of the machines in the intensive care unit grew sharper.
Wren Sutton walked softly, heading straight for Adrian Lancaster’s bed. Her gaze immediately fell upon his pale face, and a wave of heartache washed over her as she fought back tears.
She carefully placed the family photo by Adrian Lancaster’s pillow, then leaned close to his ear and began to speak softly.
"Adrian Lancaster, I’ve come to see you again. To talk to you again."
"I brought our family photo today. This was taken in the yard with everyone, the day you came home safe after being missing for over a year."
"You must remember it. You were finally back with your family. You were smiling so happily that day."
"That was the first day you met Owen and Nina. You were so overwhelmed you didn’t know what to say. You wanted to hold them but you were too scared, afraid you might drop them."
"But you got better and better at holding them. You became a pro, one in each arm. Owen and Nina loved playing in your arms. They felt so safe with you."
"I’m putting this photo by your pillow to tell you that the whole family, just like before, is waiting for you to wake up and come home soon."
"We’re all waiting for you. You have to wake up. Our family needs to be whole, all of us together. Not a single one of us can be missing."
Wren Sutton called Adrian Lancaster’s name again and again, trying to pull him from his deep slumber.
She took out a sterile wipe and, with light, gentle movements, began to clean Adrian Lancaster’s fingers, his palm, the back of his hand, his forehead, and his cheeks.
She continued to speak to him as she worked.
"You always like to be clean. Don’t worry, I’ll get you cleaned up so you can be more comfortable."
"Adrian Lancaster, you have to wake up. We still have so many years to spend together. This family can’t lose you. I can’t lose you. And Owen and Nina need you more than anything."
"I want you to take me to the beach for a vacation. I want you to teach me how to surf, take me diving to see the coral reefs, collect seashells with me on the sand, watch fireworks on the shore at night..."
"Adrian Lancaster, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Because... I love you. I’ve loved you since the moment I first saw you."
"You have no idea. I had a secret crush on you for years. I turned down several men who pursued me, all because of you..."
For the entire half-hour, Wren Sutton barely paused, continuously murmuring to Adrian Lancaster.
She spoke of their past, of trivial things at home, of all her hopes for the future. She called his name over and over, her gentle, persistent words a lifeline, trying to pull him back to consciousness.
Meanwhile, a fierce war of public opinion was erupting online.
Wren Sutton had no idea she was already at the center of the storm.
...
Even in broad daylight, not a single ray of sun penetrated Claire Bennett’s apartment; the heavy curtains were drawn tight.
She sat in the darkness of her study, in front of her computer, her fingertips ice-cold. She stared as "Ready" messages flooded the chat group for her overseas troll farm, a sinister glee swirling in her eyes.
She had planned everything meticulously: the malicious photo edits, the fabricated rumors, the coordinated deployment of her troll army to control the narrative, even using overseas servers to avoid being traced. Every step was flawless, all designed for one purpose: to destroy Wren Sutton.
At 9:00 AM sharp, the order was given to detonate the campaign. The entire internet erupted instantly.