Jared adjusted the tailor-made suit he was wearing for the first time today.
"Father has grown old, and his thinking can’t keep up with the times. Adrian and I have joined forces to get him to ’peacefully’ hand over the shares in his possession. Of course, Auntie Linton played a crucial role too. I hold 31% of Blackstar’s shares, Adrian holds 20%, and with Father having no heart for managing the company and deeply missing Mother, Auntie Linton arranged for them to have a private room in the psychiatric hospital, where they are together every day now."
Juliana understood the meaning behind his words.
Being pressured by his two sons and stripped of his chairman position, Victor Langley surely took it hard, causing him mental distress.
Coincidentally, Leona Sheridan was also in the psychiatric hospital, putting him next to his ex-wife was considered a kindness, allowing him to keep her by his side until the end.
Yet Juliana did not accept the invitation to fly to Kenton.
In her late pregnancy, everything was centered around ensuring the safety of the fetus. She painstakingly prepared expensive gifts for both Jared and Adrian.
As for Elias Langley’s impersonation that night, she decided not to pursue the matter after calming down.
After all, his presence made her sleep soundly.
At nine months pregnant, although her physical evaluation was still fine, Mrs. Sinclair suggested a cesarean section for precautionary reasons.
Juliana had no objections.
Throughout the pregnancy, all her decisions revolved around what was best for the child.
But during this long six months, Elias Langley, who had once shown her endless tenderness, did not appear again.
Juliana was forced to slowly accept the reality that he might never return.
Despite Mrs. Sinclair arranging a top-notch surgical team, Elias Langley became increasingly silent once Juliana was admitted to the hospital.
He was almost inseparable from the ward but rarely spoke; instead, his gaze lingered heavily on her.
The night before the surgery, Miles Monroe, Jared, Adrian, and Auden Hughes all came.
They surrounded Juliana with warm words and greetings, pushing the "main spouse" to the very edge, unable to squeeze in.
Even Evan Grant from overseas made a transatlantic phone call.
Finally, Elias Langley, worried that the crowd would disturb Juliana’s rest, controlled his temper and "invited" everyone out of the room.
The ward finally quieted down.
Elias Langley closed the door and stood a few steps away from the bed, his back straight, maintaining a strong demeanor, but his gaze secretly fell on Juliana’s face, with a trace of barely noticeable anxiety.
Juliana could see he was concerned that chasing those people out might upset her, so she said, "Come here."
Elias Langley walked to the bedside, still standing straight, yet his shoulders slightly hunched inward.
Underneath that intentionally maintained hardness, leaked a submission that only appeared when faced with her.
"Hold me," Juliana said.
Elias Langley was momentarily surprised, then immediately sat down by the bed, carefully pulling her into his arms.
Juliana leaned against his chest, listening to his heart beating slightly faster than usual.
"Are you nervous?" she asked.
Elias Langley nodded.
"I... want to have a vasectomy."
Juliana paused, looking up at him, "Don’t go doing random surgeries. Getting pregnant this time was probably a fortunate accident from consuming random substances. But it fulfilled my wish of becoming a mother. If you’re really concerned, take precautions in the future."
Elias Langley’s arms tightened a bit more, his chin gently rubbing the top of her head, as his voice muffled in her hair.
"I’ll do my best to be a good father. If I do anything wrong, teach me, and I’ll change."
Juliana said nothing and simply rested quietly against him.
Over these months, this inherently strong, dictatorial man, for her, softened his edges, learned to be accommodating, learned to be considerate.
She observed all these awkward yet genuine changes.
These changes were enough; she no longer demanded more.
The next day, Juliana was wheeled into the operating room.
Elias Langley stuck close to the operating room door, lost in thought.
The Sinclairs seemed calm, but since Juliana was ushered into the operating room, they hadn’t spoken a word.
Being unconcerned was a lie.
Half an hour later, two babies were carried out.
The Sinclairs rushed forward to receive the babies.
"Congratulations, the girl is the elder sister, and the boy is the younger brother."
Sebastian Sinclair held his granddaughter, filled with excitement.
"These two look just like Juliana did when she was born."
Mrs. Sinclair laughed while holding the little grandson, "With their parents’ good looks, these two won’t be lacking."
"Where is my wife?" Elias Langley showed no interest in holding the children, asking with a tense face.
The nurse quickly responded, "The mother is still undergoing postnatal suturing and will need to be monitored for two hours before being sent back to the ward."
"Why do they need to be monitored?" Elias Langley asked.
The nurse explained, "To prevent postpartum hemorrhage."
Elias Langley’s expression darkened.
In the next instant, he turned calmly to Zachary York standing nearby.
"Immediately check the stock of AB type blood in the hospital’s blood bank and simultaneously contact the city’s blood center, asking them to prepare emergency allocation plans. Activate our emergency support procedures, notify all matching blood type personnel in the system to be on standby nearby, ready for temporary blood collection."
Such decisiveness, logical precision, instantly covering potential risks—this side of Elias Langley hadn’t been seen for a long time.
Zachary hesitated for a moment, then quickly responded with "Yes" and went to execute the orders.
Everyone present was surprised.
When did that long-absent Elias Langley, capable of steering calmly through rough seas, come back?
Juliana underwent general anesthesia and was fortunately spared from postpartum hemorrhage.
When she woke up, it was six hours later.
A strong wave of nausea rose in her throat, and she couldn’t help but retch.
Elias Langley, who was by her bedside, never leaving, immediately supported her shoulders and back with one hand, using the other to quickly take a soft cushion prepared by the bedside to support her.
His actions were swift yet not at all panicked, his palm gently soothing her back with just the right amount of pressure, his voice low, calm, and reassuring.
"Breathe slowly, it’s okay, this is a normal reaction after anesthesia."
Once Juliana recovered, she rested against the bedhead for half a minute, opened her eyes, and asked, "Where are the children?"
"In the newborn observation room."
Elias Langley spoke while gently moistening her chapped lips with a wet cotton swab, then carefully fed her lukewarm honey water.
"Dad and mom are watching over them there, they’re healthy, a boy and a girl, don’t worry about them, drink some water first."
But how could Juliana not worry about her own children?
This persona of Elias Langley had a faint concept of familial bonds, which Juliana could understand.
"I want to see them."
Juliana tried to get up, but sharp pain from her abdomen scar made her wince.
At the same time, Elias Langley supported her upper body to steady her.
"You’re not allowed to move now, please listen."
He quickly pressed the call bell, then adjusted the bed angle to let her lie down in the most comfortable position.
Nurses and the ward physician soon entered.
Luckily, after checking, it was confirmed to be just superficial pull pain, nothing serious, but they repeatedly stressed the need for bed rest, avoiding movement.
After the medical staff left, Juliana looked extremely despondent.
Yet Elias Langley patiently straightened her quilt and tidied up her tousled hair.
"I’ll have mom and dad bring the children here right away. When you first meet the children, we need to tidy up, let them know their mom is the most beautiful."
Juliana was amused by his words.
A thought suddenly flashed through her mind, and she looked at him in surprise.
"...Husband?"
Elias Langley adjusted the collar of her hospital gown, a smile reaching his eyes.
"Yes, get well, our family can’t be missing anyone."
His speech was coherent, actions decisive, logic clear—he must be fully recovered.
Soon, Sebastian Sinclair and his wife brought the children over.
The two infants naturally had fair skin, and at birth, they were clean and incredibly good-looking.
But tradition dictates they should be called "ugly," "very ugly."
Elias Langley couldn’t bring himself to say such words and stood silently watching Juliana caress one child, sniff the other.
Suddenly, Juliana thought of something and looked at him.
"Have you held the babies yet?"
Elias Langley, "..."
Can I hold my wife first?
A thousand peaks had blocked the lonely moon shadow, yet he had finally embraced the stars and moon.
The children were heaven’s gift to him, but his beloved wife was his lifeline.
Elias Langley realized: in this life, he was completely devoted to these three.