Chapter 243
Elle’s POV
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The phone call felt like a punch to the gut. I nearly stumbled as Amy caught my arm, her worried face swimming in my vision.
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“I’ll be right there, right away!” I gasped into the phone, my voice shaking.
As soon as I hung up, I pushed Amy’s steadying hand away and headed for the door. The human maids immediately stepped in front of
me, blocking my path.
“What the hell is this?” I exploded, my emotions spiraling out of control. “I need to get out of here! I need to get to the hospital!”
Amy’s eyes filled with tears. “Mrs. Rayne, we’re not trying to stop you from leaving! But look at yourself right now. You’re sweating so much–if you go out like this, you’ll catch cold!”
I looked down at my disheveled state, forcing myself to take a shaky breath. “Fine. Get me ready as fast as possible. I need to get to the
hospital! Quickly, quickly, faster!”
The maids scrambled around me, changing my clothes, drying my hair, making me presentable. Every second felt like an eternity. All I could think about was Susan lying in some hospital bed, and the panic in that doctor’s voice.
When I finally burst through the hospital room door, my heart nearly stopped. Susan lay there connected to what seemed like dozens of machines, her face pale as death itself. I started toward her, my lips trembling, but a human nurse stepped in my way.
The nurse opened her mouth, probably to scold me, but then she noticed the ten or so assistants and bodyguards behind me. Her tone immediately softened. “If you have business, please discuss it outside. The patient needs rest.”
I quickly gestured for my entourage to disperse, and the attending physician emerged from the room. I rushed toward him, desperate for
answers.
“I’m Susan’s daughter,” I said, grabbing the doctor’s arm. “What happened to her?”
The doctor looked at me meaningfully, his gaze lingering on my pregnant belly before he sighed heavily. “I see. That explains why she was so determined to have the surgery today.”
“What? Surgery?” Confusion washed over me.
The doctor’s expression turned accusatory. “You gets pregnant, so you force your mother to have an abortion? Even though this is a family
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Chapter 243
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matter, don’t you realize she’s already a high–risk pregnancy at her age? An abortion could cause irreversible damage to her body. How
can a daughter be so selfish?”
My face went white as I gripped his arm tighter. “What did you say? My mom had an abortion?”
The doctor looked puzzled. ‘You didn’t know?”
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I shook my head frantically, my mind reeling. Why would Susan have an abortion? She had been so excited about the pregnancy, so happy
when she called to tell me the news…
The doctor studied my shocked expression and seemed to realize I genuinely had no idea. “The patient’s condition is complicated. Come
to my office.”
I told the others to wait outside and followed the doctor with only Amy accompanying me.
He handed me Susan’s medical file. “Did you know your mother’s health was poor?”
I nodded, still trying to process everything.
“Did you know she had taken large amounts of birth control pills in the past? But if she has a daughter your age, how is this her first
high–risk pregnancy?”
“I’m adopted,” I explained numbly. “She’s not my biological mother. Our family situation is….. complicated. Doctor, what exactly is wrong with my mom’s condition?”
The doctor sighed deeply. “During the surgery, complications arose. Her bodily functions are now declining rapidly. We haven’t identified the specific cause yet. When the surgery went wrong, she refused to have anyone with her. Only after her condition deteriorated did we forcibly access her phone. There were only two contacts–you and someone named Malcolm, but we couldn’t reach Malcolm, so we called
you.”
Malcolm. My mind started spinning.
The doctor’s voice became distant as my thoughts spiraled. Everything was connected. The Blair family, the mysterious bloodline, Susan’s sudden pregnancy and now this rapid decline…
“I understand,” I said, cutting through his explanation. I’m taking her to another hospital.”
The doctor stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “You want to discharge her?”
I turned to Amy. ‘Call the director at Rayne Medical Center. Tell them I’m coming back immediately. Prepare the best emergency equipment and a room. Tell Alex to arrange the helicopter. We’re leaving now.”
“Yes, Mrs. Rayne,‘ Amy replied promptly.
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The doctor finally caught on. “You… you’ve already arranged another hospital?”
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“Yes. I’ve already made arrangements,‘ I said coolly. “Please process the discharge papers quickly. If there’s any hospital in the world that
can slow her bodily deterioration, it would be Rayne Medical Center.”
I didn’t wait for his response. There was no time for explanations.
I barely acknowledged Elizabeth when we arrived at Rayne Medical Center, rushing Susan directly to the specialized ward. After extensive testing, the director and attending physician presented me with a detailed report. The situation was grim.
“Mrs. Rayne,” the attending physician said gravely, ‘Susan’s condition is extremely serious. Even with IV nutrition, her bodily functions continue to decline. We’ve detected a mysterious substance in her blood that’s literally consuming her life force. We’ve never seen anything like this before, but there is one similar case I’ve heard of.”
“What case?” I asked urgently.
“A few years ago, Dakota Blair from the Blair family had similar symptoms–bodily functions being forcibly depleted. However, the Blair family has their own treatment methods and knowledge of ancient alchemy and witchcraft. They never sought outside medical help, so we can’t confirm if it’s the same condition. Our hospital has no way to treat Mrs. Susan’s symptoms. Perhaps you should try contacting the Blair family to see if they have better treatment options.”
“That’s enough,” I interrupted, dismissing the medical team. “Everyone leave. I need to be alone.”
I stood by the window, staring out at Moonshade Bay’s skyline as it blurred through my tears. The Blair family. Everything always came back to the Blair family. Was I really destined to bow to them, to shoulder responsibilities that were never meant to be mine?
I placed my hand on my belly, feeling the movement of the mchild inside me. How could I abandon any of it?
Why does fate keep forcing these impossible choices on me? I thought desperately. Why can’t everyone just be happy?
If I chose my own happiness, the Blair family would let Susan die, and I’d spend the rest of my life drowning in guilt and regret. If I abandoned everything here and returned to fulfill the bloodline oath, my future would hold nothing but sorrow,
How can I make everyone happy? How can I find a solution where no one has to sacrifice everything?
Just as despair threatened to overwhelm me completely, my smartwatch buzzed with an incoming message. I glanced down at the screen, and my eyes widened in absolute shock.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
