Chapter 254

The office fell silent.

Christina took a deep breath before speaking, her voice shaky. "Doctor, if we stop the chemo now, how long does my mom have?"

"At most, a month," the doctor replied, giving her a grim timeline.

This was way shorter than Christina had expected.

"Doctor, is there any other way to extend her life? Money's not an issue. Whatever treatment might help, I'll do it."

"Ms. Windsor, I understand how you feel. I've considered all options, but given your mom's current condition, there's nothing more we can do. My advice is to make her remaining time as comfortable as possible. Let her eat what she wants and fulfill her wishes."

The doctor was blunt but compassionate.

Elisa's cancer had progressed to a point where money didn't matter anymore. No amount of money could change the outcome.

"I understand. Thank you, doctor." Christina wasn't sure how she made it to the hospital room.

She opened the door and saw Elisa lying in bed, her face pale. The sight made Christina's heart ache even more.

"Christina, come here. Let me take a good look at you," Elisa beckoned her over.

Harper was there too.

Elisa looked at her daughter, then at her granddaughter. "Christina, I know my condition. Just tell me the truth. Do I have much time left?"

"Mom, don't think about that now. Focus on your treatment. We might still beat this," Christina said, not ready to tell her the truth.

She wasn't sure if Elisa could handle it. If Elisa's spirit broke, she might not even last a month.

Elisa smiled. "Don't try to comfort me. I know the reality. If the treatment isn't working, let's stop. It's too painful. Can you grant me one last wish?"

"Tell me," Christina said, tears streaming down her face.

"Spend the rest of the time with me. Let's travel and see the beautiful sights of our country," Elisa said.

Christina agreed.

It was her mother's only wish, and as her daughter, she had to fulfill it. "I'll talk to Harper's teacher and get her a leave of absence. We'll make the most of our time."

Harper listened quietly.

She liked going to preschool, but the idea of traveling with her mom and grandma sounded fun too.

"Harper needs to go to school, and I want you to be with me. Let's just go, the two of us," Elisa said, ruffling Harper's hair.

"Sweetie, tell Grandma. If you had to choose between school and traveling, which would you pick? You're young and will have plenty of chances to travel. This is my only chance to go out with your mom."

Harper understood that her grandma didn't want to take her along.

She answered, "Grandma, you and Mom can go. I'll go to school and play with my friends."

With Harper and Elisa both agreeing, Christina wanted to respect their wishes.

But the problem was, Harper's preschool wasn't a boarding school. Someone needed to take her to and from school.

If Christina traveled with Elisa, who would take care of Harper?

Her first thought was Kaitlyn. Given their relationship, Kaitlyn would surely agree if she asked.

But Kaitlyn was also very busy lately and might not be able to help.

"Christina, are you worried about who will take care of Harper?" Elisa saw through her thoughts.

She held Christina's hand. "Isn't there an obvious choice? Call William and ask him to take care of Harper for a while. He'll definitely agree."

"Mom, I don't want to," Christina started to protest.

Elisa began coughing violently.

Christina had to drop the subject for now. She handed Elisa a tissue and waited for her to finish coughing. When she looked down, she saw blood on the tissue.

Elisa was coughing up blood.

Christina couldn't say anything more. She decided to go along with it for now and figure out another solution later.

But to her surprise, William showed up at the hospital.

He brought supplements that were good for Elisa's health.

"William, I don't have much time left. Before I die, I want Christina to take me traveling," Elisa said. "Can you take care of Harper for a while?"

William agreed immediately.

Christina watched, feeling a deep sense of helplessness.

Even now, Elisa was trying to push her and William together.

But could she argue with someone who was dying?

If she upset Elisa and something happened, she'd never forgive herself.

William could see Christina's reluctance. He pulled her aside and spoke softly. "Christina, Harper is my daughter. I'll take good care of her. I have the ability to do so. If you leave her with someone else, will they care as much as her father? Plus, Harper likes me."

Christina knew he was right. He genuinely wanted to be good to Harper.

But she couldn't forget the past and how he had failed them before.

"I promise I won't fight for custody. Never," William added.

Christina glanced at Elisa and saw the worry on her face.

In the end, she relented. "Take care of Harper for a month. When we get back, remember your promise. Don't interfere in our lives anymore."

"Okay," William agreed.

He cherished every moment with Harper, even if it was just for a month.

After they made the arrangements, Christina took Elisa out of the hospital and booked their flights.

William took Harper home, made her dinner, told her a bedtime story, and put her to bed. The next morning, he took her to preschool.

At the school gate, Harper saw Isaac.

"Harper, you're back!" Isaac was thrilled and ran over to hold her hand. "Let's go in together."