###Chapter 5
461 Words
Evangeline was rushed into the emergency room, but the bleeding wouldn't stop. Fresh blood gushed out in waves, staining the white sheets crimson.
"The patient is hemorrhaging. We need emergency surgery! Contact the family for consent!"
Evangeline dialed Jackson's phone number. The first call was rejected, and so was the second.
On the third attempt, the line finally connected. But instead of Jackson, Aveline's saccharine voice came through.
"Jax, does Evangeline know she's just my replacement?"
"Of course not. Don't say another word, understood?"
The phone slipped from Evangeline's grip. All color drained from her face.
For seven years, she had endured hardships with Jackson, living in basements, and surviving on scraps. She had lost her hearing saving his life.
And he had sworn, over and over,"I'd die without you."
She thought it was love. She thought it was redemption. But all along, she had just been a replacement.
"Doctor... my husband is dead. I'll sign for myself."
With the last of her strength, she scrawled her name on the consent form, her hand shaking violently.
Just as her consciousness began to fade, she heard Jackson's commanding voice echo through the ER.
"Hurry! My girl isn't feeling well." His tone brooked no argument."Dr. Gurney, you're the top specialist. I want you to handle Ava's case. Best equipment. Best room. Now."
The familiarity of his voice pierced through her haze, jolting her awake for one brutal moment.
So, he used his privilege for his unforgettable love.
While she lay bleeding, fighting for her life, he was pulling strings to pamper his mistress.
When she opened her eyes again, the doctors told her the baby was gone.
"Moreover, the trauma has significantly reduced future pregnancy chances. What a pity. If only we'd had the imported smart equipment and Dr. Gurney had done the surgery, the outcome might've been better."
Evangeline was consumed by despair, her fingers gripping the hospital gown involuntarily.
That equipment and specialist had been commandeered by Jackson at the critical moment.
"Jackson, do you know that our baby is gone?" she asked silently.
Her palm pressed against her flat abdomen. The heartache far eclipsed the physical pain.
The door of the ward was slightly ajar. Nurses' chatter drifted in.
"Mr. Daugherty in the next room is the ultimate doting husband! Not only did he secure the most expensive equipment for Ms. Wagner, but also booked the VIP suite and top specialists. Three days cost hundreds of thousands.
"And let's not forget how that gorgeous man is attending to her every need! He's head over heels for her."
"Some women get all the luck. The patient here was admitted the same day. She's been unconscious for three days after surgery, yet not a single family member has come to visit her."
- Writer
