Love Contract

The phone

on the table began to ring. Mary answered it and found that it was Doctor Cao.

"Hello, Doctor Cao. What's wrong? Is... Is my mother alright?" Mary asked, her voice shaky..

"Calm down, Miss Lu," Doctor Cao said. It sounded like he was smiling. "I have good news. Your mother has woken up. Do you want to come over?"

"Really?" Mary exclaimed, a trace of disbelief still lacing her words. . At these words, relief filled Mary, though her voice was still ringing with barely concealed surprise. "I'm on my way! Thank you, Doctor Cao!" Mary hung up the phone and knocked on the door to the CEO's office..

"Come in."

"Mr. Lan," Mary said, swallowing nervously as she came to stand before William's desk. "Could I get a half day's leave?"

"What's the matter?" William said, not looking up..

"My mother is awake. I want to go to the hospital to visit her." A brief pause before William raised his head and said, "Go ahead. Do you need me to go with you?"

"Ah... No. No, I can go by myself." Mary paused, as if wanting to say something, but then bit her lip and said, "I'll go then."

William frowned as he stared at her retreating back.

The door of the office slammed shut, the sound ricocheting off the walls. William stood up suddenly, grabbed his suit jacket from the sofa, and strode out after Mary.

Mary had just stepped into the elevator and the doors were about to close when a pair of big hands appeared and stopped them.

William walked in, his face stoic, and pressed the button.

"Mr. Lan... Wh-what are you doing?" Mary stuttered in surprise..

"Going to the hospital with you. As your husband, it's my duty to do so. It is also my duty according to the contract."

Mary was touched. All she could say was, "Okay."

It was usually a half an hour's drive, but it took less than twenty minutes because William recognized that Mary was in a hurry. "You go upstairs first. I'll be there soon. Don't forget to tell your mother that I'm coming," William said softly..

"Okay," Mary nodded before running into the hospital, not caring in the moment where he was going..

When she arrived at the intensive care unit, Mary saw her mother chatting with two nurses with a smile on her face. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Mom..." Mary's voice wobbled as she walked over to her mother and threw her arms around her..

"Mary..." Mary's mom lovingly touched Mary's head as she said, "You've suffered a lot, Mary...

Mary swiped at her tears unsuccessfully as she said, "As long as you recover. That's all I want. It's no suffering at all."

"Honey. My baby. Let me take a careful look at you...".

Mother and daughter were busy reuniting when William walked in. He had put on an insulation garment, and had a lot of bags and fruits in his hands. "Nice to meet you, Mary's mom."

Mary's head snapped up at his voice and she spotted a smile dancing on the corners of William's mouth. So that was where he had gone off to! "Mary, this is?" Mary's mom looked at her questioningly, but it looked like she had guessed the answer..

"He is my boyfriend. William Lan," Mary said, blushing, and not daring to look at William..

"Nice to meet you, William," Mary's mom said, smiling warmly. William walked up to her and said respectfully, "It's nice to meet you too.". Mary's mom smiled widely. "Thank you for taking care of Mary." "No, not at all. It's an honor," William said, smiling affectionately at Mary..

Mary was taken aback at this statement, almost believing it.

"Mary has been taking care of me of late," Mary's mom sighed. "I was afraid that her marriage would be delayed because of me. But I'm really happy now that she has found a boyfriend."

"Don't worry. I will take care of Mary for the rest of my life," William said.

"Very nice," Mary's mom said, smiling approvingly, though her eyes glistened with tears as she took William's hand in hers..

Mary noticed that William had been stunned for a second. 'Oh my God!' Mary thought, scared, as she stared at their tightly clasped hands, cold sweat breaking out on her forehead. 'What if William couldn't bear it anymore and shook off Mom's hand?'

"Why don't you sit down, William?" said Mary, dragging a chair over to him.

"Mary's right," Many's mom nodded and let go of William's hand. "Have a seat. I fully intend to talk to you quite a bit."

"That's okay," William said. He wanted to refuse, but Mary made him sit down anyway..

Mary sat down beside him, breathing a sigh of relief.

"What do your parents do, William?" Mary's mom asked. It felt like she had been waiting to come to this point after indulging in all the small talks they just had.

"My father runs a small company. I work for him, "William answered.. Mary took a deep breath, which sounded like a tiny hiss. On one hand, she was thinking, 'Is a company with an annual revenue of more than 100 million a small company?' On the other hand, she was moved by his white lie. She knew that if he had brought out the truth at once, her mother probably wouldn't have been able to stand it.

"What about your mother?".. "My mother divorced my father when I was a child," William said, his tone indifferent, his expression blank.. Mary's shock mirrored her mother's. She hadn't expected that his parents had been divorced as well! He looked so glorious on the surface that it was difficult to comprehend that his heart would hold so much sadness.. "Oh dear William! I don't know what to say," Mary's mom said, her face crumpling a little..

"It doesn't matter. It happened many years ago," William told her, his smile comforting..

Mary's mom nodded, relieved. "You and Mary are both children of such lives. I'm relieved that you two are together."

William nodded. "Yeah, I'll take care of Mary." The look in William's eyes was firm, as if he was telling the truth.

"As long as you don't dislike Mary..."

"Mom! Why would he dislike me?" Mary said, pretending to be angry..

"I don't dislike her," William said. Mary's mom smiled and continued to chat with them, a happy look on her face that Mary hadn't seen in a long time.

"Visiting hours are up. The patient needs to rest. Please come back another day," a nurse said, bustling in to clear them out. Barely half an hour had passed.

Mary held back her tears as she said, "Mom, please take good rest. I'll come see you soon." "I will come along with Mary to see you," William said, smiling warmly at Mary's mom.. Mary's mom nodded, smiling as she held back her tears and waved them goodbye.

Mary reluctantly walked out of the intensive care unit, wiping the tears on her face.

'Be strong! Don't cry!' she told herself.

"Here you are," William said, handing her a white handkerchief. .

"I'm OK," Mary said. "Thank you so much for today."..

"It's my duty," William said, shrugging. The white handkerchief was clenched tightly in his right hand as he strode towards his car.

He was annoyed and unhappy. 'Don't do something stupid again, William. No one cares, ' he berated himself.

He threw the handkerchief into a trash can.

Mary was stunned. What was wrong with him now?