When Love Dies, I Rise

Chapter 9

John wanted them to stay a bit longer, but when he caught sight of Sophia struggling to hold back tears, his grip on her hand slackened, and he let her go, albeit reluctantly.

Sophia, carrying Mia in her arms, strode out of the private room without looking back. Caught up in her emotions, she barely noticed the light touch on her forehead. Startled, she glanced down to find her daughter gently wiping away the sweat from her brow.

Catching her mother's gaze, Mia smiled sweetly. "Mom, your forehead is all sweaty. You must be exhausted. Let me down—I can walk by myself."

Sophia's heart softened at her daughter's thoughtfulness. Her eyes brimmed with affection. "Mia, Mommy's not tired. You just got over being sick, and it's so windy tonight. If I carry you, you'll stay warm."

Despite her careful attention—holding Mia close to shield her from the wind and switching on the heater the moment they got home—her daughter still ended up falling ill.

Back at the apartment, Mia grew noticeably worse. At first, she still managed to tease and chat with her mother, but before long, her energy drained, and her little face turned an alarming shade of red.

When dinner was ready, Sophia went to call her daughter. One glance told her something was wrong. Panicked, she rushed over to the sofa. The moment her hand touched her daughter's forehead, she knew. Burning up. And now, her baby was convulsing.

Tears welled up in Sophia's eyes as she scooped Mia into her arms and sprinted for the hospital, ignoring the biting cold of the night.

In the emergency room, the doctor didn't bother hiding his frustration.

"Her pneumonia wasn't fully treated last time. How could you let her catch a chill again? Now her condition's worse. She needs a few days in the ICU, and we'll monitor how she responds to the injections. You need to stay alert around the clock. Any changes, call me immediately. Where's her father? You'll need his help. Handling this alone will wear you down."

The doctor's words felt like a punch to the gut, but they couldn't compare to watching her daughter struggle to breathe. Tears streamed freely down her face. "It's my fault. It's all my fault. Why couldn't it be me instead? I'd give anything to trade places with her."

The doctor sighed, seeing her on the verge of collapse. "Right now, what matters most is keeping her stable. Save the guilt trip for later." He shook his head and left the room.

Feeling utterly lost, Sophia tried calling John, but every time, the line was busy. On the hospital bed, Mia moaned softly in her feverish state. Putting the phone aside, Sophia sat by her side, gently patting her back to soothe her.

It took a while, but eventually, her daughter calmed down. Then her phone buzzed—a message. She quickly picked it up, but it wasn't from John. It was from Olivia.

The message contained a photo: John, lounging on a sofa with his feet propped up, grinning from ear to ear. The accompanying text stung like salt in an open wound.

Olivia: Was that you calling John just now? Haha, he's too busy spending time with me.

Pain stabbed at Sophia's chest. She wanted to call and scream at them, hurl every insult she could muster at these shameless people. But the sight of her daughter lying in bed stopped her.

Mia needed peace right now. That was the only thing that mattered.

So she swallowed her anger and pushed through the night, keeping a close eye on her daughter—checking her temperature every hour, watching for any signs of trouble.

Finally, as dawn broke, the fever subsided. Relief washed over her like a tide going out.

When Mia stirred awake, she reached up to touch her mother's forehead, her small hand trembling. "Mom, you worked so hard."

A smile tugged at the corners of Sophia's lips. "As long as you're okay, Mommy doesn't mind."

"Mom, I feel so much better. I think I want some soup now."

Chuckling softly, Sophia kissed her daughter on the forehead and went downstairs to grab some soup.

While her mother was gone, Mia grew restless lying there alone.

Last night's feverish nightmares had left her shaken. Now, the emptiness of the hospital room only made things worse. Her eyes landed on the phone her mother had left behind.

Without hesitation, she picked it up and called her dad.

The line connected quickly.

In a hoarse voice, she said, "Daddy, I had a fever last night. I miss you…"

But the voice on the other end wasn't her father's. Instead, a woman chuckled mockingly.

"Oh, so now you're using your daughter, huh, Sophia? You think that'll bring him back? Newsflash—it won't work. Quit the pity act. Soon, my son and I will replace you two. Just wait."

Her words were venomous, and for a moment, Mia didn't understand. But the tone alone was enough to terrify her. She broke into sobs, weeping so hard she began retching.

When Sophia returned with the soup, her heart dropped at the sight of her daughter vomiting and crying uncontrollably. She rushed over, gently patting her back. "Mia, baby, what's wrong? Tell Mommy."

Through tear-streaked cheeks, Mia choked out, "Mom… does Daddy not want us anymore?"

That single question shattered something inside Sophia. She glanced down at her daughter clutching the phone and immediately pieced everything together. Forcing herself to stay calm, she gently comforted her child, humming softly until the little girl drifted into an uneasy sleep.

Only then did she check the call log. Sitting there in the dim hospital light, staring out the window, she made a decision.

She couldn't keep enduring this for the sake of appearances. She had to leave. For Mia's sake, and her own.

No matter how tough things got, as long as she had her hands and feet, she could make a life for them. She had clung to this marriage, swallowing every insult and injury, only to make her daughter suffer alongside her. She wouldn't let that happen anymore.

This was the end of the line.

Sophia took a deep breath, her resolve hardening. She would file for divorce.