Chapter 309: Chapter 309: "Dr. Linden is so happy.

When they entered the hospital room, Charlotte Rhodes was propped up against the headboard, staring out the window with a wooden expression.

She only turned her head when she heard Leo Linden’s voice.

The little boy’s face was wreathed in a beaming smile, like a small flower blooming brightly in spring.

"You..."

Charlotte Rhodes’s features twitched slightly.

She had thought she would never see this grandson again.

Leo Linden let go of his father’s hand and held out the drawing. "Grandma, I drew this for you at preschool. I hope you get well soon."

Charlotte Rhodes looked down at the little boy’s artwork, and her nose began to tingle.

Sean Harrison stood at the door and said, "It was Leo who said he wanted to give this to you. That’s why I brought him."

"Mhm!"

Leo Linden nodded emphatically.

Charlotte Rhodes looked at her grandson, at the eyes and brows that so closely resembled Sean Harrison’s when he was a child.

But when Sean had been this age, his eyes were always full of fear whenever he looked at her.

Charlotte Rhodes didn’t speak. Thinking she wasn’t feeling well, Leo Linden said, "Grandma, Mom is still at work, so I’d like to stay and keep you company for a little while. Is that okay?"

For a moment, Charlotte Rhodes was silent.

Given her relationship with Sean Harrison, she knew he probably didn’t want his son having too much contact with her.

The rooms at Celestria University Affiliated Hospital weren’t very large.

Even a private room could barely fit a hospital bed and a few chairs.

Sean Harrison stood at the entrance. "I’m going to step out and make a call. I’ll be back in a bit."

He had no intention of reconciling with Charlotte Rhodes.

He just didn’t want to disappoint his son.

The caregiver standing to the side brought a chair over for Leo Linden.

The little boy sat down and pointed a small finger at the drawing, smiling. "Mom said she’s going to take me to see the pandas in a little while."

Charlotte Rhodes gazed at Leo Linden’s small face.

When she was younger, she hadn’t been particularly fond of small children, and she certainly had no patience for them.

Now that she was older, her health was gradually declining.

It was only after seeing young children at the hospital or in her residential community that she realized she could no longer remember what Sean Harrison looked like as a child.

Not until she saw Leo Linden.

Only then did she realize she hadn’t forgotten what Sean Harrison looked like as a child after all.

The Leo Linden before her was almost identical to the young Sean Harrison.

Except that when he mentioned his "mom," his face was filled with a blissful smile.

"Does your mom often take you out to play?"

Charlotte Rhodes asked.

"Um... no." Leo Linden shook his head gently. "Mom is very busy with work."

Charlotte Rhodes watched him quietly.

She thought back to her own past. She had never held a job; aside from some dividends from family shares, most of her income had come from Sean Harrison’s father.

She’d had all the time in the world, yet she had still sent Sean Harrison away to boarding school.

She certainly never promised to take him anywhere to have fun.

’It was as if this child, born to a man she didn’t love, was a stain on her life.’

As for Sean Harrison’s childhood...

All she could remember was a young boy standing ramrod straight, his hands clenched tightly behind his back, his eyes cast down at his own feet.

Even on the rare occasions he looked up, his eyes were filled with terror, panic, and fear.

"Mom used to always apologize to me for not having time to spend with me. But I know she’s just busy with work, it’s not that she doesn’t want to be with me." Leo Linden beamed. "I want to grow up fast so I can take Mom traveling!"

Charlotte Rhodes looked at her grandson.

The little boy looked so happy whenever he mentioned his "mom."

"You don’t blame your mom?"

Charlotte Rhodes asked softly.

"Why would I blame Mom?"

Leo Linden tilted his head, his big, dark eyes filled with sincerity.

"Because... because your mom wasn’t with you..."

As Charlotte Rhodes said this, she was thinking of herself.

Even though she had treated Sean Harrison poorly, it seemed the young boy had never complained about her.

Every time he made progress, he would cautiously hand her his report card.

Then he would stand before her with his head bowed.

"Because Mom is busy with work." Leo Linden repeated what he had just said. "Mom is the best mom in the whole world. She loves me very much, and I love her very much too."

The little boy’s innocent voice echoed, word by word, through the small hospital room.

Even the caregiver on the side felt a pang of emotion.

She had been following Sean Harrison’s arrangements and taking care of Charlotte Rhodes for several years now.

She was all too aware of Charlotte Rhodes’s attitude toward Sean Harrison.

Even though Sean Harrison ensured her life was comfortable and had bodyguards patrol regularly, she showed not an ounce of gratitude.

And yet, if Evan Hollis showed even a hint of concern, she would be immensely pleased.

Just then, Sean Harrison opened the door and walked in.

"Dad!"

Leo Linden waved happily at him.

Sean Harrison walked over, bent down to scoop his son into his arms, and asked, "Mom’s almost done with work. Should we go pick her up?"

The man’s gaze was gentle as he spoke to his son, his dark eyes holding a clear smile, and his tone was even softer.

"Okay!"

Leo Linden wrapped his arms around the man’s neck, then waved to Charlotte Rhodes. "Bye, Grandma! We’re going to get Mom!"

The caregiver saw the two of them out.

Charlotte Rhodes lay still, but she could faintly hear the father and son’s conversation.

"What did you and Grandma talk about?"

"We talked about Mom!"

The father and son walked to the elevator bank.

As the elevator doors opened, several doctors in white coats stepped out.

Jason Stone was among them.

"President Harrison."

Jason Stone greeted Sean Harrison politely.

"Hi, Uncle Stone."

Leo Linden chimed in with his own greeting.

Jason Stone looked at the little boy’s soft, cherubic face and couldn’t resist ruffling his hair. "Well, look who’s here! Little Leo."

"Mhm!"

Leo Linden nodded earnestly.

Jason Stone smiled. "If you’re looking for Dr. Linden, there’s no need to go up. Her surgery is finished, so she should be down any minute. Why don’t you come to my office with me?"

The three of them walked toward the office together.

Leo Linden didn’t understand. He tilted his head and asked, "Uncle Stone, do you perform surgery with Mom too?"

"No, Uncle Stone is learning how to do surgery from your mom." Jason Stone explained with a laugh. "Your mom is incredible. The surgeries she can do, this uncle can’t."

In truth, Leo Linden didn’t understand how difficult surgery really was.

But hearing Jason Stone say that, he couldn’t hide the pride on his face.

Rory Linden only returned to the office half an hour later.

The father and son were already waiting for her there.

She went to the changing room to get out of her scrubs, ready to head home with them.

As she passed the nurses’ station, she caught a few nurses during their shift change.

One of the nurses saw Rory Linden and smiled. "Dr. Linden, you’re so lucky. Your husband and son pick you up from work every day. We can only dream of that."