Chapter 16
Back at Acreport Hospital, Selena paced anxiously. Megan’s blood type was negative, which was extremely rare.
When Megan said she wanted an abortion, Selena had suggested preparing some blood in advance, just in case. That hadn’t been long ago, and the stock hadn’t yet been transferred over. If Megan needed blood now…
Selena and Megan met as children and had been close friends ever since.
Born into a family of doctors, Selena had grown up surrounded by medical knowledge. As a child, she had only picked up bits and pieces from books or her parents. She’d only gained a deeper understanding later.
One day, Selena and Megan snuck out to play. Selena, an adrenaline junkie from a young age, stole her brother’s motorcycle. She drove Megan around, feeling cool and brazen with such a beautiful passenger.
But her reckless joy quickly turned to terror when she crashed.
Selena got away with only a few scrapes, but Megan was thrown into a large rock, sustaining a deep gash on her leg.
The wound was deep and bled profusely. Terrified, Selena called an ambulance.
But they were on the city outskirts. By the time help arrived and Megan reached the hospital, she had already lost a dangerous amount of blood.
That was the first time Selena understood what Megan meant when she said her blood type was rare–Rh–negative. The tiny hospital had no supplies.
Watching Megan slip into shock, Selena sobbed and begged her father to save her. Fortunately, Megan pulled through, but the memory haunted Selena for life.
Even now, the scar remained on Megan’s leg. Despite multiple cosmetic treatments, it was too deep to erase.
To ease Selena’s guilt, Megan had once dragged her to a tattoo parlor so they could get matching tattoos over their scars.
“Meg…” Selena muttered, then pulled out her phone and began calling every contact she had.
“Yes, it’s me, Selena…”
“Yes, there’s a pregnant accident victim here. She needs blood urgently!”
“Hello, is this the mutual aid society?”
“Yes, the more people you send over, the better. We may not need it now, but it’s better than nothing!”
“Yes, thank you…”
After making countless calls and ensuring help was on the way, Selena finally calmed down a little. But the uncertainty of Megan’s condition kept her
restless.
She asked the female police officer for details, and when she heard what had happened, cold sweat broke out across her back.
“Are you saying someone tried to kill Meg?”
But who? Selena racked her brain for an answer.
It could be an old enemy of the Stafford family. Or perhaps Megan was targeted as Howard’s wife because of Larson Group.
It could also have been a deranged fan of Alyssa’s, especially with the recent online frenzy surrounding Alyssa’s impending death. Selena had seen fan
attacks before.
Work, daily grudges, jealousy–there were too many possibilities.
In the emergency room, Megan drifted in and out of consciousness. She heard the muffled voices of people moving around her, the electronic whirring and beeping of machines, and the sharp clinking of metal instruments.
Someone was saying something. Megan could only hear bits and pieces of it. In particular, the words “blood loss” and “pregnant” stood out to her.
Her baby… What about her baby?
Memories rushed back. With every ounce of strength left, she said, “Doctor… please save my baby.”
Regret pierced her. Before fainting at the police station, she had been overwhelmed by fear and sorrow.
She had once dreamed of having a child to prove her love with Howard. When she gave up on Howard, she gave up that dream too.
But after days of feeling life stirring inside her, hesitation grew. Now, faced with the possibility of losing it, she realized how unwilling she was to let go.
This was her flesh and blood. Just as her father’s Rh negative blood flowed in her veins, hers flowed in her child’s.
The child belonged to her. It had nothing to do with Howard.
The baby was hers alone, and she wanted to keep it.
Chapter 16
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Howard drove at full speed. Alyssa clutched her seatbelt beside him, careful not to speak too much for fear of slipping up.
She had faith in her acting, but Howard…
She glanced at his profile. His expression seemed calm, but his tightly pressed lips and white–knuckled grip on the wheel betrayed him.
He still cared about Megan. She turned away, closing her eyes and feigning weakness, while her mind raced.
The car soon arrived at Acreport Hospital. Howard immediately jumped out. Alyssa followed quickly, pretending to cough up blood as she got out.
“I’m fine,” she said weakly, wiping the fake blood from her lips. “I’m already dying anyway. Go check on Megan, Howard.”
Concern flickered across his face. But Alyssa gently pushed him toward the hospital, acting as though Megan’s condition was more important than her
Own.
Howard pursed his lips. “I’ll check on her first. Take care.”
Alyssa nodded. Once he disappeared inside, she pulled out her phone to check her notifications.
Howard’s steps grew faster and faster until he was sprinting down the corridor, not even aware of how anxious he was.
After asking for directions to Megan’s room, Howard headed down the hall. His journey was cut short, though, when Selena, who had been waiting outside the door, stopped him.
Howard’s brow furrowed in a frown. “How is she?”
Selena didn’t answer at once. Instead, she studied him carefully.
“What’s wrong?” Howard asked, barely restraining his impatience.
Selena recalled the police officer’s account. Could Howard have tried to kill Megan to marry Alyssa? He had ignored all of Megan’s desperate calls. Suspicion gnawed at her, but she didn’t know how to phrase it.
Finally, she tested him. “Howard, are you really so desperate to marry Alyssa? So desperate you can’t wait?”
Howard narrowed his eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Selena didn’t know how to answer him.
Howard’s patience snapped at her hesitation. Panic edged into his voice. “Move!”
Chapter 17
