At her words, Kyla’s eyes filled with tears, her expression teetering on the edge of breaking down.
“I’m sorry for intruding and causing you distress. This is all my fault,” she murmured, her lip quivering and her shoulders shaking, as though she had been deeply wronged.
Sadie watched her, the feigned vulnerability from Kyla unsettling the peace in her heart.
She found herself at a loss for words, sensing that whatever she might say would be inconsequential.
Suddenly, the silence of the room was broken by the health monitor beside the bed, which started beeping sharply.
Jim entered swiftly, a look of concern etched on his face.
“The patient needs to be undisturbed for her rest,” he said firmly.
A flicker of irritation crossed Jim’s face as he glanced pointedly at Kyla.
Caught in her act of exaggerated frailty, Kyla seemed uncomfortable. She hadn’t anticipated her actions would lead to accusations of disturbing Sadie.
Her eyes welled up again as she looked to Noah for support, biting her lip in apparent distress.
Noah remained focused on Sadie, ignoring Kyla’s emotional display, as he asked Jim, “Have the test results come in yet? What’s the status of Sadie’s health?”
Sadie felt a pang of despair at his words.
Tightly gripping the quilt, she attempted to sit up, her movements laced with anxiety. “Dr. Archer…”
She harbored a secret she didn’t want Noah to discover-her pregnancy. Jim glanced at Noah and then at Kyla, allowing a heavy silence to settle before he said, “Her life isn’t in danger. She needs to focus on resting.”
Noah’s expression darkened with concern, his voice tinged with skepticism. “She’s been experiencing nausea and fainting. Are you sure she’s fine?”
Jim met Sadie’s anxious gaze, took a deliberate breath, and affirmed with certainty, “She’s alright, just overly fatigued and in need of rest.”
Noah’s frown deepened. He sensed something was off in Jim’s assessment but respected his medical expertise.
The room fell into a tense silence.
Sadie felt a slight burden lift from her shoulders. She exhaled wearily and murmured, “Please, everyone, leave. I need to rest.”
Noah hesitated, words on the tip of his tongue, but he restrained himself, recalling Jim’s earlier advice. He rose, his presence looming over Sadie, and whispered reassuringly, “Rest now. Don’t worry about anything. The man from last night won’t bother you again; he’s been arrested.”
Sadie was momentarily stunned, a mix of emotions flickering in her weary eyes.
For a fleeting moment, she nearly convinced herself that Noah had rescued her, yet Kyla’s earlier remarks echoed in her mind-the police were the true rescuers, not Noah.
As Noah exited, Kyla trailed behind him. The echoing click of Kyla’s heels on the floor slowly receded, and with them, the fleeting comfort brought by Noah’s seemingly concerned words dissipated from Sadie’s heart.
She then looked toward Jim, who had purposely stayed behind, and summoned her strength, calling out, “Dr. Archer…” Her voice was raspy. “Thank you.”
Jim paused and turned, caught off guard. “For what?”
“For keeping the baby a secret from Noah.” Her grip on the quilt intensified, whitening her knuckles.
Jim wore a look that conveyed mixed emotions. He paused, weighing his words, then asked, “Sooner or later, the truth will surface. What’s your next move?”
Sadie’s eyes lingered on the pristine white of her quilt. A resolve solidified within her as she said, “I will divorce Noah as soon as possible. And this child? I’m raising them by myself.”
Jim, visibly startled, struggled to grasp her resolution. “You… you’re planning to raise the baby on your own?” he asked, stunned. “That won’t be easy.”
Beneath the quilt, Sadie caressed her abdomen, feeling the stir of new life. A small, yet resolute smile formed on her lips. “Each child is a blessing,” she said softly, her voice resonant with determination. “This child picked me to be their mother, and I will shoulder that responsibility. They may not have a father, but I will make sure they feel double the love from me.”
After a brief silence, Jim nodded, accepting her choice. “Okay, if you’re sure that’s what you want.”
Sadie nodded in return, a small smile of gratitude forming on her face.
Jim exited the hospital room quietly, softly clicking the door shut. He pondered whether Noah would one day regret losing such a remarkable woman. Unlikely.
Recalling Noah’s lack of empathy, Jim shook his head in disappointment and sighed softly. He pulled out a prescription pad and wrote down the names of some medications. On the surface, they appeared to be simple vitamins to help Sadie recover, but in reality, they were meant to protect her pregnancy.
Later that day, as Sadie sat in the hospital canteen, her phone rang with an unexpected call from a nurse.
“Miss Hudson, your grandmother is now awake.”
At the news, Sadie felt a surge of happiness replace her grief instantly. “Is that true? I’m on my way!”
She rushed toward Laura’s hospital room.
A clinical scent lingered in the air, and the stark white linens contrasted sharply with Laura’s pale complexion.
As Sadie gripped Laura’s delicate hand, her tears began to flow.
“Grandma, it’s such a relief to see your eyes open! I was terrified when you collapsed. What caused your heart attack?” Sadie’s voice trembled with emotion.
Laura had always been healthy, with no history of heart issues, making the attack even more baffling to Sadie.
With her other hand, Laura reached out to brush away Sadie’s tears. Her own eyes brimmed with tears, too.
“Sadie, have you been keeping secrets from me?” Laura whispered weakly.
Frozen by the question, Sadie responded, “What?”
Laura’s eyes searched Sadie’s, filled with deep concern.
“Have you been involved with another woman’s man?” Laura’s words were heavy with grief, and her tears flowed freely. “It’s my fault. I failed to keep you safe.”
Confusion clouded Sadie’s expression, and her anxiety mounted. “Grandma, why would you think that? Who has been filling your head with such lies?” Sadie’s voice rose in frustration.
Laura continued, “Someone delivered photos and a letter to my doorstep. They showed you being held by a man as you entered his car.”
Sadie gasped.
A man was holding her? Entering a car?
“And the letter accused you of stealing this woman’s husband,” Laura said with effort, each word seeming to drain her strength. “It warned that you must end it, or suffer the consequences.”
A chill crept down Sadie’s spine, leaving her momentarily speechless as she scrambled for the right words.
Laura’s eyes locked onto Sadie’s forehead, and her face paled with horror. “You’re injured? Did that person come after you to settle the score?”
Her voice quivered, thick with fear and panic. “Sweetheart, listen-stay out of someone else’s marriage. You need to cut ties with that man immediately.”
With each word, Laura’s anxiety swelled, her breaths growing ragged as her chest rose and fell in frantic waves.
Sadie felt as though an invisible fist had clenched around her heart, squeezing until it became hard to breathe.
“Grandma, it’s not like that,” she said, her voice shaky despite her best efforts to steady it.
But Laura’s doubtful gaze didn’t waver, and Sadie exhaled deeply, the weight of misunderstanding pressing down on her. “Where are the photos?” she asked softly.
Laura pointed towards her clothes. “In my pocket.”
After she left the resuscitation room, a nurse had swapped her clothes for a sterile patient gown. The nurse had then placed her belongings in this ward.
Sadie stepped over to the clothes, her hands fumbling through the fabric until her fingertips brushed against something stiff and glossy.
She pulled out the photos.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
Leave a Reply