Chapter 7
1122 Words
Alex was driving the children to Camila’s apartment.
Camila had requested more time to bond with them, and Alex had agreed,she truly loved children, and he could see how much she longed for that connection.
As he dropped them off, his phone began to ring.
The moment Alex answered, his expression shifted, his face darkened shade by shade as he listened in silence. The more the voice on the other end spoke, the more tension filled his jaw.
Without another word, he ended the call abruptly and slammed the car door shut, startling Camila.
She blinked, watching him grip the steering wheel tightly. What could’ve happened? she wondered, unease crawling through her chest.
Alex drove off recklessly, violating every speed limit on the road until he reached the largest hospital in the capital.
He parked the car right where the sign read “No Parking.” He couldn’t care less about rules now, his assistant would deal with that later.
He had already called his assistant on the way.
Alex stormed into the hospital, his fury practically radiating through the air. People stepped aside as he passed, his eyes sharp, his movements tense.
“Where is she?” he thundered at the receptionist.
The young woman froze, her breath caught. Who is she? the receptionist thought, panic flickering in her eyes. She didn’t know what to say, her voice trembled as she tried to form words.
Before she could answer, a man stepped forward. “Sir, please follow me,” he said quickly, saving the terrified receptionist, who released a shaky sigh of relief.
This life saving job is getting life threatening , she muttered under her breath as they walked off.
The man led Alex down the hall, it was Mr. Jared.
Inside the hospital room, Isabella lay motionless on the bed, pale and lifeless.
Alex froze. His heart hammered against his ribs.
“What happened to her?” he demanded, his tone dark and threatening.
“I.....I.. don’t know, sir,” the young maid stammered, trembling. “I only found Madam Isabella on the floor in the bathroom. I don’t know how it happened, I swear.”
Her voice cracked, desperate to clear herself of any blame.
Alex clenched his fists, eyes still fixed on Isabella’s still body.
“Get out,” Alex ordered, his jaw clenched as he struggled to cage the frustration spilling from within.
He turned toward Isabella, lying motionless on the bed.
Her once plump red lips now looked pale, drained of all life.
Alex stepped closer, his eyes fixed on her.
“Isabella,” he whispered softly, his trembling hand tracing the outline of her lips, not missing a single curve.
The doctor who met him earlier had said it was a combination of fever and extreme stress, they were still running tests.
Alex reached for a bowl, filled it with water, and dipped a towel inside.
He began wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead, careful, gentle, as if any extra pressure would make her disappear.
When he was done, he set the bowl aside and checked the drip. His thoughts raced in a storm.
What could’ve happened before this? What kind of stress had she gone through in just one day?
Alex couldn’t make sense of it. He needed answers.
And why was she even in the bathroom? he thought, forgetting that he had placed her in Helena’s care.
Suddenly, Isabella’s breathing grew heavier, uneven. Her chest began to heave erratically, her lips parting as she gasped for air.
Large beads of sweat rolled down her face, followed by tears. Then she started thrashing weakly in her sleep.
Alex froze, terror flooding through him. His hands trembled as he struggled to think straight.
“Doctor,..?!” he called out, voice cracking. “Doctor!”
Then it dawned on him, this was one of the hospital’s new systems; you had to ring the emergency bell.
He darted toward it and slammed his hand against it, pressing over and over as if his life depended on it.
Moments later, the door burst open.
The doctor rushed in with nurses and a stretcher. They quickly transferred Isabella from the regular ward to a treatment room.
Alex was left outside, pacing restlessly in the hallway. His phone kept ringing, but he couldn’t hear anything beyond the pounding in his chest.
He wiped the sweat from his face with his thumb, his eyes locked on the closed door.
The doctor had told him he couldn’t go in, that his presence might worsen her condition.
Alex’s frustration mounted. His chest burned with helplessness.
What exactly happened to her?
He lowered himself onto a chair, hands clasped, staring blankly at the floor.
Alex’s phone buzzed again.
This time, he had no choice but to answer.
He glanced at the caller ID, Camila.
I just dropped her off... why is she calling already? Panic twisted his gut.
“Hello......”
“Alex!” Camila’s voice came through in a rush, breathless and shaky. “Sophia’s been crying nonstop, she won’t eat anything. I’ve been trying to console her, but she just keeps saying ‘Daddy’...”
Her voice softened. “Please, Alex, can you come back?”
Alex exhaled, rubbing his temple, exhaustion weighing heavy on his shoulders.
Then suddenly,.... a loud crash echoed through the phone, followed by the sharp cry of children.
“Hello? Camila! Hello!” Alex shouted frantically.
But the line went dead.
He stared at the screen, his heart hammering. What’s happening to my kids...?
At that moment, the doctor stepped out of the treatment room.
“My assistant will be here in a few minutes,” Alex said quickly. “Explain everything to him.”
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and strode out of the hospital. His steps were uneven, anger, fear, and confusion boiling inside him.
"Today’s one hell of a cursed day", he muttered under his breath as he slid into the car.
He drove recklessly, his thoughts spiraling, until the red of a traffic light forced him to stop. His hands gripped the steering wheel tight.
He couldn’t go through another tragedy, not again.
As soon as the light turned green, Alex sped off. When he reached Camila’s apartment, he jumped out before the car even came to a full stop.
“Camila! Camila!” he shouted as he ran inside. No response.
He sprinted through the hallway, heart in his throat, until he reached the room,
Camila was on the floor, screaming.
“Sophia! Sophia!!!”
Alex froze for a heartbeat, then lunged forward, grabbing the limp child from Camila’s trembling hands.
“Sophia!” he shouted, shaking, his voice breaking.
The world seemed to stop around him.
- Writer
