Fortunately, both Holly Summers and Miles Quinn were close by. They caught her at the same time and helped her to a nearby chair.

"Clara, are you okay?" Holly Summers asked worriedly as she sat down beside her.

It was as if all the strength had been drained from Clara Grant’s body. Even shaking her head felt like a monumental effort. She managed a slight movement of her head and gave a faint response, "I’m fine."

She was just so incredibly worried about Seth Quinn in that operating room!

"Sister-in-law," Miles Quinn began, his voice tinged with concern. He saw her vacant eyes fixed, unblinking, on the three illuminated words on the operating room door: "Surgery in Progress." "How about I get you a hospital room? You should get some rest. We can’t have my brother pull through just for you to collapse. Then he’d have to worry about you."

’He was genuinely afraid she wouldn’t be able to hold on and would collapse.’

"No, don’t," Clara Grant replied softly, her gaze never wavering from the three words "Surgery in Progress." "Don’t worry. I can hold on. I won’t collapse until I know for sure that he’s safe."

Holly Summers and Miles Quinn exchanged a look. Knowing they couldn’t convince her, they didn’t press the matter.

Holly Summers looked at Clara Grant with concern. There were still streaks of blood on her friend’s hands and face, and her lips looked dry. She stood up and said to Miles Quinn, "Miles, you stay with Clara. I’m going to go buy some water and wet wipes."

Miles Quinn nodded. Holly Summers gave Clara Grant one last look before turning to leave.

Miles Quinn sat down beside Clara Grant. He couldn’t stand to see her like this and tried to comfort her. "Sister-in-law, don’t worry. My brother is a good man; he’ll pull through. He’ll be fine. Besides, the doctor Rowan Linden brought is the best in all of Novaria, and he went into the operating room too. With the best surgeon and him—the top specialist in cardiology and neurology—there’s no way they’ll let anything happen to my brother."

’Though he was also incredibly worried about his older brother, he was a man; he had to keep a level head. Besides, Clara was already worried sick, so all he could do was try his best to comfort her.’

After a few moments, Clara Grant seemed to regain a bit of her strength. She nodded firmly. "I know. He’ll definitely be okay."

But even as she said it, her hands were anxiously twisted together.

Miles Quinn paused, glancing at her clothes. "I just got in touch with Linden and River," he said. "I asked them to bring a change of clothes for you. You really need to get changed."

At his words, Clara Grant’s eyes finally shifted. She looked down at herself, then replied obediently, "Okay."

Then she looked back at him, her expression hesitant. "What about... your parents...?"

Miles Quinn knew what she was asking. "I haven’t told them," he said. "Let’s wait until my brother is out of surgery. Notifying them now would only make them worry."

’There was another reason he didn’t mention. His brother had gotten into this accident trying to save Clara. If their parents found out, they would probably blame her for it.’

He didn’t say it, but Clara Grant understood anyway. She nodded and said, "Thank you."

’She couldn’t say for sure about her father-in-law, but her mother-in-law would certainly blame her. Besides, she knew her mother-in-law already disapproved of her because of her family background. If they came now and saw Seth Quinn hovering between life and death, it was entirely possible they would cause a scene and demand she and Seth separate on the spot.’

"Clara, about what happened today... what are your thoughts?"

Miles Quinn fell silent for a few seconds before finally bringing it up.