Chapter4
1510 Words
NATALIE’S POV
By the time I reached the emergency room, my hands were shaking so badly I could barely sign my name.
“What happened to her?” My voice was shaky, and I was already out of breath from running up the stairs.
“She said she was having a bad tummy ache, so I gave her a pill and—”
My eyes widened. “What pill did you give her?”
“Why didn’t you call me first? Were you trying to kill my daughter?”
I didn’t give her a minute to speak. I didn’t want to hear her out, I just wanted my daughter.
“No no, I'm sorry. I was just trying to help.”
“You could’ve called me first!”
Two nurses rushed over to us. One immediately wrapped her arms around me, trying to calm me down. The other led the teacher out. She looked like she was about to cry, and I hated myself for yelling, but I had every right to.
“Oh my God.”
“It’s okay, Miss Hart.”
“No it’s not, where is my daughter? I need to see her.”
“You will soon, you just need to relax.”
I sat down and placed both hands on my chest, just trying to regulate my breathing.
“Is there someone you'd like to call? Her dad, maybe?”
I slowly looked up at her and froze for a few seconds.
“No…I’ll call her godmother.”
“Okay that’s fine. I’ll go get the doctor now so you can see her.”
I nodded my head. For some reason, I calmed down after she mentioned her dad.
I pulled out my phone from my purse and dialed Mia’s number.
She picked up instantly.
“Hey. Any news?”
“They won’t let me see her,” I replied in a low voice.
“What the hell? Why?”
I shook my head and held back tears. “I don’t know. Can you please come here?”
“Of course. Send me the address.”
“Okay.” I ended the call and sent her my location.
I tried to relax after that, even though my head was in different places all at the same time.
Less than ten minutes later, the doctor came out to speak to me.
Immediately I stood up, I saw Mia running towards me. She came just in time.
“I’m here,” she held my hand. “What’s the problem?”
“She had food poisoning, but we detected a drug in her system that she shouldn’t have taken. If you brought her in any later, she would’ve had serious problems.”
“W-w-what does that mean? Is she okay?” I asked.
“She’s sleeping now, you can come see her.”
“Yes please,” Mia answered, and immediately pulled my hands towards the room.
I barely heard the rest of what the doctor said.
The moment he opened the door, I rushed inside.
Ava looked so small lying in the hospital bed.
There was an IV attached to her arm, and her stuffed bunny rested beside her other arm.
My chest tightened painfully.
“Baby…”
I sat beside her and carefully brushed a strand of hair from her forehead.
Mia quietly closed the door behind us.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke. I just sat there staring at Ava. Making sure she was breathing, making sure she was really okay.
The fear still hadn’t completely left my body.
Mia pulled a chair beside mine.
“She’s okay.”
I nodded. “She’s okay.”
My voice cracked.
The tears I’d been holding back all day finally escaped.
Mia immediately wrapped her arms around me.
“Oh, Nat.”
I buried my face in my hands.
“I thought something happened to her.”
“I know.”
“I wasn’t there.”
“You couldn’t have known.”
“I should have been there.”
“You were at work.”
I laughed bitterly.
“My first day.”
“Exactly.”
I wiped my eyes.
“My first day and I already had to leave early.”
Mia winced. “About that…”
I looked up. “What?”
“What happened back there?”
I immediately knew what she meant.
Just hearing his name in my head made my stomach twist.
For a moment, I considered lying.
Then I looked at Mia. She had been there through everything. There was no point hiding it.
“The CEO.”
Mia frowned. “What about him?”
I swallowed. “It’s him.”
Her eyebrows pulled together.
“Who?”
“The man from five years ago.”
She didn’t say anything at first, or even changed expressions. Then her eyes widened.
“No.”
I nodded. “Yes.”
Mia stared at me, then at Ava, then back at me.
“No way.”
“I almost dropped dead when I saw him.”
“You dropped your coffee.”
“I know.” I laughed weakly.
“Oh my God.”
Mia leaned forward. “Are you absolutely sure?”
“One hundred percent.”
“You never told me his last name.”
“I didn’t know his last name. I didn’t even know his actual name. I just saw the name Lucas on his card that night and it stuck.”
“Nat, you barely knew anything about him.”
“I know that.”
“Then how are you so sure?”
I looked at Ava sleeping peacefully.
Then back at Mia.
“Because I never forgot him. You know this.”
Mia fell quiet.
I hated admitting it, but it was true. Five years later and I am still thinking about him and what we could’ve been if I wasn’t so scared.
Mia slowly leaned back in her chair. “This is insane.”
“I know.”
“What are you going to do?”
I laughed. “What can I do?”
“Tell him?”
The suggestion made my entire body tense.
“No.”
“Nat—”
“No.”
My voice came out sharper than intended.
Mia raised both hands.
“Okay.”
“He doesn’t need to know.”
“He’s her father.”
“He was a stranger.”
Mia looked away. I knew she disagreed, but she also knew why I was terrified.
The truth would change everything. And not necessarily for the better.
I was scared of rejection for years, but now, I am terrified. All the time, Mia told me about how cold her boss was, even the way he carried himself in the office. I knew telling him was going to be a mistake.
Ava stirred slightly in her sleep.
Both of us immediately stopped talking.
A few seconds later, she settled again.
I let out a breath.
Mia smiled softly.
“She looks like you.”
I smiled.
“Thankfully.”
“Except for the eyes.”
My smile disappeared.
“Are you going to be okay here? I need to go back to work.”
“Of course, I’ll be okay. As long as I don’t get fired by the end of today.”
“You won’t. He wasn’t even in need of a personal assistant. His mother hired one without his permission, so she’s the one you should be worried about.”
“I know but still, what if...”
“You won’t get fired, Nat. Don’t you find it surprising that you were chosen? Maybe fate brought you both back together.”
I chuckled. “Fate? After five years?”
“The timing doesn’t matter. What matters is that Ava’s father is back in your life. I understand you’re terrified, but Ava needs a father figure too.”
I sighed.
“Tell me if she wakes up okay?”
“Okay”
She left, and I began thinking of what she said. I never really thought about Ava needing her father. She just seemed so happy with me that it never occurred to me.
I had an eternity to think about that. I wasn't doing it now.
Hours seemed to pass.
The sun had already started setting outside by the time the nurse informed us Ava could go home later that evening.
For the first time all day, I finally felt like I could breathe.
My phone suddenly vibrated in my lap.
Unknown Number.
My entire body went rigid.
Jason.
It had to be Jason. But I blocked him.
The phone continued vibrating.
I hesitated.
Then answered.
“Hello?”
There was silence.
For a moment, I thought nobody was there.
Then a deep voice spoke.
“Miss Hart.”
Every muscle in my body locked.
I knew that voice. I would know that voice anywhere.
My grip tightened around the phone.
“Mr. King?”
A brief pause followed.
Then—
“How is your daughter?”
My heart stopped.
- Writer
