Third person's POV
Derek finished paying the bill and walked out of the restaurant with Tabitha.
At this moment, it was already pitch dark outside, with the streetlights emitting a dim yellow glow that illuminated the swirling white snow.
The snow scene looked particularly romantic, but Derek and Tabitha's moods were complex at this moment.
Derek drove and took Tabitha to the hospital.
Forrest was waiting in the corridor, and upon seeing Tabitha, he quickly greeted her respectfully, saying, "Tabitha, you're here."
Tabitha didn't have time for small talk and anxiously asked, "How is Wilmot?"
"Last night, he had dialysis, and he's still in the intensive care unit, but don't worry, he's out of life-threatening danger," Forrest replied.
Tabitha, unable to enter the intensive care unit, could only see a vague outline of a man lying on the hospital bed through the glass.
She felt a slight relief in her heart.
Subsequently, Tabitha took out her phone, transferred a sum of money to Forrest, and instructed him, "You must take good care of Wilmot. He has done me a favor." For Wilmot, Tabitha had no romantic feelings in her heart, only a deep sense of gratitude.
After instructing Forrest, Tabitha walked out of the hospital.
She saw Derek leaning against the car smoking, with the crimson tip of the cigarette flickering on and off at his fingertips.
The white smoke curled around his face, making his features somewhat indistinct.
Derek probably didn't expect Tabitha to come out so quickly. He fumbled to extinguish the cigarette butt, and without caring about the snow falling on him, he quickly opened the umbrella and walked briskly towards Tabitha.
"He has passed the critical period and will be fine after a period of rest. As I said before, I won't hurt him," Derek said, with a hint of expectation in his eyes, hoping to gain Tabitha's approval.
After confirming that Wilmot was fine, Tabitha felt completely relieved. She nodded and said, "Alright, take me home, please."
"Tabitha, can I see my son?" Derek's face was full of longing, and his eyes revealed deep yearning.
On the boat, he could play with his daughter every day, but the mischievous little guy Helios, after a brief meeting, was separated.
He longed to see Helios again.
Tabitha checked the time and said, "It's late. He's already asleep."
"Just let me take a look, Tabitha..." Derek's voice carried a hint of pleading.
"There's no need," Tabitha coldly refused.
She inwardly admonished herself that since she had decided to take this path, she must not be soft-hearted, not look back, and not be indecisive.
The snow was falling heavier and heavier, and Derek slowed down the speed.
Several cars were following behind them, forming a scenic line on this snowy night.
There were few people in the deep winter night, and because of Christmas Eve, small colored lights were hung everywhere, making the world quiet and gentle.
The inside of the car was deathly silent, and Derek didn't know what to say.
Tabitha was looking at the scenery outside the window and thinking.
As they were about to turn, Derek slowed down in advance.
At this moment, a car from another road rushed over and aimed straight at Derek's car, charging over.
This sudden change made Derek quickly turn the steering wheel to avoid the car to the side of the sidewalk.
Even though his reaction was very quick, when the other car collided, it still grazed the edge of his driver's side.
The other car was a medium-sized truck, and with its strong force, it diagonally pushed their car out.
Seeing the glass storefront ahead that was about to close, the car had already lost control.
Everything happened too quickly, and by the time Tabitha reacted, she heard Derek shout, "Tabitha, be careful."
Tabitha's eyes went dark.
Immediately followed by a huge collision sound, almost bursting her eardrums.
She closed her eyes. There was the sound of glass breaking in her ears.
Tabitha didn't know when Derek lunged over, and she only felt a solid wall of flesh blocking everything for her.
The windshield and the storefront glass shattered, and it seemed like her hand was pierced by glass.
It hurt a lot.
But she didn't care about that. The car was violently shaking, and the airbag popped out, tightly enveloping her.
After a while, when the car calmed down, she felt warm liquid flowing onto her cheeks.
Tabitha opened her eyes and met the eyes of the man who was close at hand.
His forehead was injured, and blood flowed down his chin and dripped onto Tabitha's cheeks.
It was blood. Tabitha's eyes widened in horror.
She thought of Joanna's death again and looked at Derek's face.
His forehead was injured, and the blood was flowing down from there.
Tabitha's pupils dilated. The wound on Derek's face was not the most serious. His back was embedded with many glass shards, like a hedgehog.
It was he who used his body to block all the glass shards for her.
"Derek, how are you?"