The emergency ward doors banged behind me as I stumbled inside, heart pounding so violently it hurt. My eyes darted wildly until they landed on Leyla. She was standing near the nurse’s desk, her whole body trembling, tears running down her face.
“Leyla!” I gasped, rushing to her. “What happened? Where is she? Where’s Scarlett?”
She turned to me, her lips quivering, eyes swollen with tears. “Amelia, I—I don’t know. We were at home and she told me to get her something on my way back from the grocery store. I got her some chocolates, and next thing, she said her throat was itching, then she started coughing. I thought it was nothing, but then… she couldn’t breathe. She collapsed in my arms.” Her voice cracked as she pressed a hand against her chest. “I panicked real bad Amelia, and I just ran here with her. A doctor grabbed her and carried her in.”
The words shredded me. My baby. My Scarlett. Unconscious.
I grabbed her shaking hands, trying to steady her though my own were trembling. “It’s okay, you did the right thing. She’s going to be fine, Leyla. She has to be.” My voice broke at the end, betraying the fear clawing through me.
Leyla buried her face in her palms, sobbing. I pulled her into my arms, holding her as tight as I could, though my own chest was caving in from what I’d just heard. My daughter was behind those closed doors, and there was nothing I could do. Nothing.
Minutes stretched into an hour which later stretched into more hours, and yet no word from the doctor that took her in. Every tick of the clock scraped against my nerves. I paced the hallway, arms wrapped around myself, whispering prayers under my breath. Leyla sat slumped in a chair, rocking slightly, tears still slipping down her cheeks.
The helplessness I felt was overwhelming. I was a doctor, trained to save lives, yet right now I was just a mother locked out of the room where my child was fighting to breathe.
“Amelia!”
I snapped my head up at the sound of my name. Lewis burst into the waiting area, his tie loosened, panic etched across his face. He strode quickly toward me. “Where is she? Is Scarlett okay?”
Shock ran through me. “Lewis? What are you doing here? How did you even know?”
He hesitated, glancing briefly at Leyla, then back at me. His jaw tightened. “Leyla called me. She thought I
should know.”
I stared at Leyla, my heart twisting at the sight of her guilty expression. But before I could demand an explanation, the ER doors swung open.
We all rushed forward. A doctor stepped out, pulling off his gloves, his face calm.
“Doctor!” I cried, desperation cracking my voice. “Please, how is she? How’s my daughter?”
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Chapter 35
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He looked at me, then at the others. “She’s stable now. It was an allergic reaction, severe, but we managed it. She’s resting, breathing fine, and we’ll keep her overnight for observation.”
Relief crashed over me in a tidal wave. My knees nearly buckled. I covered my mouth, tears of gratitude spilling down my cheeks. “Thank you… thank you so much.”
Leyla let out a sob of relief, burying her face in her hands. Lewis dragged a hand over his face, exhaling shakily.
The doctor added, “We’ll need to run tests to confirm, but likely peanuts or something similar. Make sure she avoids them completely. It could be fatal next time.”
I nodded quickly. “I’ll make sure. Thank you.”
I felt like crying for the whole hospital to hear. My baby wasn’t dead, she was alive and healthy.
When the doctor disappeared again, I sank into the nearest chair, my chest heaving. Scarlett was safe. For
now.
I nodded, crying. I was just glad that she was alright, and that was all that mattered.
Lewis moved beside me, resting a hand gently on my shoulder. “She’s okay. That’s what matters.”
I nodded, wiping my tears quickly, though my hands wouldn’t stop shaking. “I should be with her. She’ll be scared when she wakes up.”
He gave me a small, knowing look. “You’ll get to see her soon.”
After a moment, he straightened, glancing at his watch. “I should go.”
I jumped up. “Lewis, wait.” My voice was tight with urgency. I lowered it, glancing toward Leyla, then back at him. “You didn’t tell Edmund, did you?”
He paused, his brow furrowing. “No. I wouldn’t do that.”
Relief washed through me, but it was shaky, fragile. “Good. Please, don’t. Not yet. I’m not ready.”
Lewis’s gaze softened, though his tone was firm. “Amelia… you can’t hide this forever. He’s going to find out one way or another. And if it doesn’t come from you, it’ll be worse.”
I bit my lip, fighting the sting in my eyes again. “I know. I just… I need more time.”
He sighed, shaking his head as though he already knew I was running out of it. “Do what you need to, but don’t wait too long.” With that, he left.
****
Later that night, Scarlett was finally cleared to go home. She was groggy, but stable. I cradled her in my arms as we left the hospital, Leyla walking close beside me.
When we reached the house, a car was parked out front. My brows furrowed. “Do you know whose car that
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Chapter 35
is?” I asked Leyla softly.
She shook her head.
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Before I could process it, the front door opened, and my mother rushed out. Tears shone in her eyes as she gathered both Scarlett and me into her arms.
“Oh, my baby,” she cried, kissing Scarlett’s hair, then clutching my face. “I was so worried. Thank God she’s alright.”
I hugged her tightly, whispering, “She’s fine, Mum. She’s resting now.”
She nodded quickly, then carried Scarlett inside to settle her in bed. I lingered behind for a moment, pressing a hand to my chest, steadying myself.
When I finally stepped into the living room, I froze.
Edmund was sitting on the couch.
My breath caught, shock slamming into me like ice water. “Edmund?” My voice shook. “What are you doing here?”
His eyes lifted to meet mine, steady, unreadable.
And just like that, the ground felt unsteady beneath my feet.
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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.
