Chapter 3 Scars All over Her Body
975 Words
Andrew bowed slightly, watching as Enzo disappeared down the hall into his study. Only after the door closed did Andrew head for Leah's room, followed by a couple of house staff.
When he entered and saw Leah Gatlin lying there, unconscious, her face slick with sweat from the pain even in her sleep, Andrew's heart skipped a beat.
He knew she wasn't in great shape to begin with, but he didn't expect her to be this bad—especially on her first day with the Molan family.
'God, don't let this be something serious,' he thought. After all, Elisa still needed Leah's bone marrow match.
It wasn't long before Lucas Emerson showed up, lugging his medical kit with him.
"Andrew, why summon me in the middle of the night? Is Enzo finally kicking the bucket?"
Andrew ushered him in. "Mr. Emerson, don't joke about that. We've got an emergency, but it's not about Mr. Molan."
"Not Enzo? Damn, what a letdown. I was hoping to see him finally getting what he deserves," Lucas muttered, chewing his gum as he hauled his graffiti-covered medical kit up the stairs.
"Then who else in this house needs my personal care besides Enzo and Elisa?"
Halfway up, Lucas suddenly stopped, turning to glance at Andrew behind him.
Thankfully, Andrew was quick to react and pulled up short before bumping into him.
"Wait a second, Andrew. You didn't drag me out here for Lauren, did you? If I'm here to check on her, I'm charging you double."
Andrew shook his head quickly. "Relax, Mr. Emerson. Your patient's not her."
"Hmph. Good. I don't get why Enzo married her in the first place. A woman who could abandon her own daughter for three years? No way she's a decent person."
At Leah's door, Andrew knocked lightly. A maid opened the door, her expression tight.
"Is she dressed?" Andrew asked.
The maid gave a hesitant nod. Andrew frowned slightly, but he chose not to say anything in front of Lucas.
"After you, Mr. Emerson."
Lucas cast a quick glance towards the end of the hall where Enzo's study was and scoffed before following Andrew into the room.
The second he saw Leah's face, he paused, his expression confused.
'How weird. Where have I seen her before?' he wondered.
But he quickly pushed the thought aside. His doctor's instincts kicked in when he noticed how bad her condition was. Lucas immediately began his examination—listening to her heart and lungs and checking her temperature.
"She's got a serious stomach condition, possibly with internal bleeding," Lucas said as he pulled the stethoscope from his ears. His usual smirk was gone, replaced with genuine concern. "She needs to go to the hospital. Now."
Andrew didn't waste a second. He arranged a car and informed Enzo right away.
Instead of reporting back to Enzo, Lucas hopped into the car and followed Leah straight to the hospital.
Enzo frowned slightly. "Is it that bad?" For Lucas to drop everything like that was unusual.
"Dr. Emerson said she should get a full checkup, especially since it's important for Ms. Molan's bone marrow match. If there's any issue, we need to catch it early."
Enzo nodded slowly. "Keep me posted on everything."
By the time dawn rolled around, Andrew returned with news from the hospital.
"Open-heart surgery?"
Enzo blinked, caught off guard.
Andrew didn't look much calmer. "Yes. The doctors found more than a dozen scars on her body, most of them from sharp objects. The longest one runs down her back, and it had stitches—it's from open-heart surgery."
Enzo recalled how light her body had felt in his arms and drifted into silence for a long moment.
Finally, he spoke, "Tell the hospital to do whatever it takes to get her healthy. And keep looking for potential donors with rare blood types. Just in case."
Andrew nodded but hesitated before adding, "The doctors also found... she's given birth."
Enzo wasn't particularly interested in Leah's private life. Still, he didn't want her background to be too messy—it could create problems down the road.
He didn't mind dealing with problems, but he hated anything he couldn't control.
"Complete her background check as soon as possible. I want every detail, especially everything before her prison time."
Leah woke up in a hospital bed, staring at the oversized gown she wore and the bright, spotless VIP room around her.
It took her a few moments to piece things together. She vaguely remembered passing out... and the owner of the villa entering her room just before she lost consciousness.
Did he save her?
The machines next to her showed steady, normal vitals. Leah had just managed to sit up when a nurse entered.
After checking her over, the nurse relayed a message. "Mr. Molan said you can walk around the hospital, but please don't do anything reckless. Someone will be watching you at all times. He also asked that you take care of yourself and get back to full health as quickly as possible."
Leah nodded, knowing full well her health was the most valuable bargaining chip she had right now.
After lunch, Leah left her room, hoping to feel the sun on her face out on the lawn.
It had been three long years since she'd seen the outside world. Even with Enzo's restrictions, at least she didn't have to fear the constant beatings she'd endured in prison.
As she approached the elevator, she heard a little girl's piercing cries from down the hall.
"No! Get away from me! I want my daddy! I want my mommy!"
Her crying for mommy hit Leah like a punch to the chest.
It made her think of the daughter she hadn't seen since the day she was born. Without thinking, Leah found herself walking towards the source of the voice.
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