Love at First Sight? Mr. Harrison Has Been Scheming All Along-Chapter 193: "Haven’t Seen You in Years, and Your Kid Is This Big Already?
Rory Linden took a deep breath, trying to keep her expression as placid as possible.
She turned her head to the man beside her and asked, "President Harrison, is there anything else?"
Upon hearing the name "President Harrison," the man’s expression clearly soured with a hint of irritation.
The hallway was quiet, with no one else passing by.
Sean Harrison lowered his gaze to the woman before him. After a moment of silence, he spoke. "You’re returning to Celestria tomorrow, is that right?"
"Yes." Rory Linden’s tone was completely businesslike. "Regarding the patient’s condition, if you have any follow-up questions, you can just ask the doctors at Sanctum Hospital. I was only here to perform the surgery. Now that it’s done, I have to go back."
She spoke quickly, as if afraid he would ask questions she didn’t want to answer.
"Alright, I understand." Sean Harrison kept his eyes downcast. "It’s nothing, then. I wish you a safe journey."
"...Alright."
"Let’s leave it at that. I know we’re over. Don’t worry, I won’t disturb your life again."
The man’s tone was sincere and gentle.
Just like how he had treated her countless times in the past.
Except this time...
He was saying he wouldn’t disturb her anymore.
Rory Linden suppressed the turmoil in her heart. "Okay, President Harrison. I hope everything goes well for you in the future."
They walked past each other, and neither of them looked back.
-
That evening, Rory Linden took Leo Linden for one last skateboarding lesson.
Knowing they were leaving the next day, Leo Linden’s spirits were low all night.
Back at the hotel that night, Rory Linden finally asked him, "Leo, do you... like Celestria?"
Leo Linden bit his lip gently, hesitating for a long while before shaking his head.
Rory Linden was surprised. "You don’t like it here?"
Leo Linden looked up, his gaze fixed on Rory Linden’s face, and said very seriously, "I like Mommy. Wherever Mommy likes, I like."
As soon as he finished, he asked her, "So... where does Mommy like?"
’Where does Mommy like...’
When Rory Linden heard the question, the answer surfaced in her mind in less than a second.
She was from Celestria and had lived in Veridia for twenty years.
Her classmates and friends were here, as were the familiar language and the comforting culture.
Just when Rory Linden didn’t know what to choose...
Leo Linden’s question had effortlessly made the choice for her.
"Mommy likes it here." Rory Linden took Leo Linden’s hand. "Leo, let’s stay here, okay?"
Leo Linden could hardly believe what he was hearing.
He looked at his mother doubtfully, his big, clear eyes blinking. "Stay... here?"
"Mhm! We’ll stay here, go to school here, and live here. And you can have a skateboarding lesson with Mr. Sterling every week. How does that sound?"
Rory Linden was able to make this decision so firmly largely because of Sean Harrison’s attitude earlier that day.
’Knowing Henry Lancaster’s personality, he has probably already told him about Leo.’
’Maybe I was just overthinking everything.’
’Perhaps Sean Harrison never intended to fight me for custody of our child from the very beginning.’
"Really?!"
Leo Linden was so happy he started jumping up and down on the spot!
"Really!" Rory Linden confirmed, then added, "But you still have to go back with Mommy tomorrow first. Mommy has some things to take care of, like submitting my resignation, handing over my work, checking out of our apartment, and so on. It will probably take a month or two. Is that okay?"
She spoke to Leo Linden as an equal, not just demanding he obey her.
"Okay."
Leo Linden nodded eagerly, his beautiful eyes curving into crescents and his chubby-cheeked face breaking into an adorable smile.
Rory Linden rarely saw her son show his emotions so openly.
’It seems...’
’He really does like it here.’
-
On her first day back at work after returning, Rory Linden submitted her resignation to the hospital.
For the next two months, Rory Linden’s main task was to choose her next hospital to work at.
There were three top hospitals in Veridia.
They were Veridia Crestwood Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Celestria Medical University, and a military hospital.
Rory Linden didn’t meet the qualifications for the military hospital.
The other two hospitals were both very eager to have her join.
In the end, Rory Linden chose the First Affiliated Hospital of Celestria Medical University.
The main reasons were that she had studied at this university for eight years and was very familiar with the surroundings. Plus, a professor who had been very fond of her was now the vice president of this hospital.
Everything was more conducive to her career development.
Once her job was secured, Rory Linden downloaded a local real estate app and began researching housing prices and rental options around the hospital in Veridia.
Due to economic changes in Celestria over the past few years, real estate prices had been nearly cut in half, and rental prices had also dropped considerably.
She had saved some money from working abroad, and with the hospital’s housing subsidy, her range of rental options was very large.
With Sherry Walsh’s help, she found an apartment less than two kilometers from the hospital that perfectly met all her requirements.
Not only was it in a high-end complex with respectable residents and a gym, but it was also directly across from a private kindergarten with an excellent reputation.
After signing the contract, Rory Linden started ordering daily necessities online and having them shipped over.
The property management helped place the items inside her new home.
During this period, Rory Linden also settled all her affairs abroad, and on May 16th, she and Leo Linden flew back to Celestria.
The plane landed in Veridia at 11:00 AM local time.
Leo Linden had woken up from a nap and was now glued to the window, staring outside.
He didn’t say a word, but his actions clearly expressed his heartfelt anticipation.
After a while...
"Mommy!" Leo Linden turned and tugged on Rory Linden’s hand, pointing out the window. "Is that Veridia?"
Rory Linden leaned over slightly. Through the airplane window, she could already see the buildings of Veridia.
Before she could answer, an announcement came over the plane’s intercom, informing passengers that they would soon be landing at Capital Airport.
Leo Linden bent down, trying to grab his shoes from the floor.
He was too small to reach them.
Rory Linden picked them up for him. As Leo put on his shoes, he asked, "Is Godmother coming to pick us up?"
"Mhm, your godmother is probably already outside waiting for us."
Rory Linden had originally considered that it was a weekday and didn’t want to trouble Sherry Walsh to pick them up.
But Sherry Walsh had insisted, telling her not to be so polite.
After getting off the plane and collecting their luggage, Rory Linden pushed the baggage cart toward the airport’s arrival hall.
She had just stepped out...
"My darling Leo!" Sherry Walsh said, ruffling Leo Linden’s hair.
Leo Linden quickly pulled a neatly folded piece of white paper from his pocket and handed it to Sherry Walsh.
Sherry Walsh unfolded it. Drawn on the paper was a cute little kitten.
"For me?" After confirming, Sherry Walsh squatted down and gave Leo Linden a hug. "I love it! Thank you, my little Leo!"
"Let’s go," Rory Linden suggested.
Leo Linden walked ahead by himself, wearing his small backpack.
Capital Airport was bustling with people coming and going.
Leo Linden was quickly swallowed by the crowd.
"Leo!" Rory Linden called out, a little anxious.
"It’s okay, I’ll go find him," Sherry Walsh said before running off.
Rory Linden had to move more slowly with the baggage cart.
She had only taken a few steps forward when she spotted Leo Linden in the crowd.
Sherry Walsh was standing beside the little boy, and with them were two other people...
When Rory Linden got a clear look at their faces, she quickly stopped in her tracks.
Several meters away.
Sherry Walsh never would have imagined that Leo Linden would run into Noah Sterling, and Sean Harrison of all people!
She snatched Leo Linden up, clamped a hand over the little boy’s mouth, and was about to leave...
...when Noah Sterling suddenly remarked, "Haven’t seen you in a few years. Your kid is this big already?"
