The hospital room was quiet.
Too quiet.
Sebastian sat on the edge of the hospital bed, dressed in a loose medical gown. The bright white lights made his already pale skin look even paler. His posture was rigid, but Lillian could see the tension in the way his fingers gripped the mattress.
She stood near the window, arms folded.
"You should lie down," she said.
"I'm fine."
"You said that yesterday," she replied flatly.
Sebastian didn't answer. He simply stared ahead.
Lillian sighed and walked over to him. "The surgery is in two hours, Mr. Wolfe. You're supposed to rest."
His eyes flicked toward her.
"You're very persistent, Miss Parker."
"Someone has to be."
A small silence settled between them.
Sebastian suddenly spoke.
"Why did you stay?"
Lillian blinked. "What?"
"You were at my mansion all night," he said calmly. "You drove me here. You're still here."
He looked directly at her now.
"You could have gone home."
Lillian shifted awkwardly.
"It's my job."
Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
"You stayed because it's your job?"
"…Yes."
He studied her for a moment longer, clearly unconvinced.
Before he could respond, the door burst open.
"LILLIAN!"
Both of them turned.
Chloe rushed into the room, slightly out of breath. Her eyes immediately landed on Sebastian sitting on the hospital bed.
She froze.
"Oh my god."
Sebastian frowned.
Chloe slowly walked closer, staring at him like she was seeing a rare animal.
"You look… human."
Sebastian's eyes narrowed.
"I assure you I always have been."
Chloe leaned toward Lillian and whispered loudly, "This is terrifying. The scary CEO is in a hospital gown."
"I can hear you," Sebastian said dryly.
Chloe straightened quickly.
"Right. Of course you can."
She cleared her throat.
"So… you're having surgery?"
"Yes."
"Spine surgery?"
"Yes."
"And you're… calm about that?"
Sebastian looked unimpressed. "Should I be screaming?"
Chloe blinked.
"…Fair point."
A nurse knocked lightly and entered the room.
"Mr. Wolfe, we'll be taking you to pre-op shortly."
Sebastian nodded once.
The nurse left again.
The room fell quiet.
Chloe gently grabbed Lillian's arm and pulled her aside toward the corner of the room.
"You didn't tell me it was this serious," she whispered.
"I didn't want you to panic."
"PANIC?" Chloe whispered loudly. "He's having spinal surgery!"
"I know."
"Why are you so calm?!"
"I'm not calm."
Chloe studied her face.
"Oh."
Lillian looked down.
Across the room, Sebastian watched them silently.
A few minutes later, two nurses entered with a wheelchair.
"Mr. Wolfe, it's time."
Sebastian stood slowly.
The movement clearly hurt.
For a moment his hand pressed against his lower back.
Lillian noticed immediately.
"Careful," she said softly.
"I'm fine," he replied automatically.
The nurses helped him sit in the wheelchair.
As they began to wheel him out, Sebastian suddenly looked at Lillian.
"You'll be here?"
The question was quiet.
Almost hesitant.
Lillian nodded immediately.
"Yes."
Sebastian held her gaze for a moment… then allowed the nurses to take him away.
The doors closed.
The hallway suddenly felt much quieter.
Chloe exhaled.
"Well… that was intense."
Lillian sat down in one of the waiting chairs.
Her leg bounced slightly with nervous energy.
Minutes passed.
Then an hour.
Then two.
Chloe brought coffee.
Lillian didn't drink it.
Her eyes stayed fixed on the surgery doors.
Finally, a doctor walked toward them, his expression serious.
Lillian stood immediately.
"How is he?" she asked.
"The surgery is going well so far," the doctor said. "However, we've run into a complication with the spinal rod. To stabilize it properly, we'll need to perform an additional procedure."
Lillian's stomach tightened.
"What kind of procedure?"
"Nothing unexpected for this type of surgery," he reassured her. "But hospital policy requires a consent form before we proceed."
He held up a clipboard.
Lillian frowned slightly. "Then give it to Sebastian when he wakes up."
"I'm afraid that's not possible," the doctor said calmly. "He's already under anesthesia."
A quiet pause settled between them.
"Normally," the doctor continued, "a close family member signs in situations like this."
Chloe glanced around the waiting room. "Well… he doesn't have anyone here."
The doctor nodded.
"Yes. His mother passed away years ago."
Lillian's chest tightened slightly. She already knew that part.
"But his father…" the doctor continued, "…is currently very ill and unable to travel."
Lillian blinked.
"His father?" she repeated.
The doctor nodded once. "Yes. Unfortunately, that leaves us without immediate family present to authorize the procedure."
He extended the clipboard toward her.
"You brought Mr. Wolfe to the hospital and have been listed as his emergency contact before. That makes you the only person available who can legally sign."
For a moment, Lillian simply stared at the paper.
Sebastian Wolfe — the powerful CEO everyone feared — had no one here.
No family sitting beside him.
No one waiting anxiously outside the surgery doors.
Just her.
She took the pen.
Her signature was steady.
"Please take care of him," she said quietly.
The doctor gave a reassuring nod.
"We will."
He took the clipboard and disappeared back through the operating room doors.
The hallway fell silent again.
Chloe leaned back in her chair, eyebrows pulled together.
"…His father is sick?" she said after a moment.
Lillian slowly sat down again.
"I didn't know he even had one."
Chloe shook her head slightly. "Neither did I."
Lillian stared at the closed surgery doors.
Sebastian had never talked about his family.
Never mentioned anyone.
She had always assumed it was because he didn't want to.
Now she wondered if it was because there was no one left to talk about.
Her chest felt strangely heavy.
Maybe that explained why he worked like he had something to prove.
Why he refused help.
Why he looked so guarded all the time.
Because when something happened to him…
There was no one waiting for him.
Lillian swallowed quietly, her eyes still fixed on the doors.
For the first time since meeting Sebastian Wolfe, she didn't just see a cold, distant boss.
She saw someone who had been alone for a very long time.
And the thought hurt more than she expected.