Chapter 3

3

Darkness began to cloud my vision as the pain became unbearable.

The last thing I saw before blacking out was a figure rushing toward me.

When I finally opened my eyes, I was staring at a sterile white ceiling.

I realized that after Xavier hung up, I had managed to send a desperate text to my best friend.

Blythe had found me.

I threw off the covers, every inch of my body screaming in protest.

"Where is Xena?"

"She's in surgery."

I pushed past Blythe's attempts to stop me and collapsed outside the operating room.

I pressed my forehead to the cold floor, praying to a God I hadn't spoken to in years.

When the doors finally opened, I scrambled to my feet.

The surgeon just shook his head, his face grim.

He handed me a piece of paper―a critical condition notice.

"The infection is rare and aggressive. We've done all we can..."

I grabbed his coat, sobbing and begging.

"Please! She's just a little girl! Save her!"

The doctor sighed, looking truly sorry. "There is one specialist who could help, but he works exclusively for the Lennox family."

"If you can get them to send him, she might have a chance. But you have to hurry."

An exclusive specialist? I had never even heard of such a person.

With trembling fingers, I dialed Xavier's number.

He answered after two rings.

"Xavier, Xena has a bone infection. She's dying. The doctors say there's a Lennox specialist who can save her―"

He cut me off with a harsh, cynical laugh.

"You really need to work on your lies. You were at a ranch for a few days. How could she be dying?"

"You've gotten bold, Rosalie, using our daughter's life as a pawn to get my attention."

I screamed into the phone, "I'm not lying! She was kept in a cage! Her bones are full of holes!"

His voice grew even colder.

"Enough! I arranged a luxury suite for you. There was no cage. You are disgusting for stooping this low!"

He slammed the phone down. Every subsequent call went straight to voicemail.

Xena was wheeled out, her tiny body wrapped in white bandages.

Blood was already soaking through the gauze.

Her voice was a ghost of a whisper, thinned by days of starvation.

"Mommy... am I going to go to sleep now?"

I squeezed her hand, terrified that even a light touch would hurt her.

"No, baby. Mommy won't let you go."

Suddenly, she began to cough up thick, dark blood.

I hit the emergency bell repeatedly, but no one came.

I ran into the hallway, but the entire floor was deserted. No nurses, no doctors.

I searched frantically until I reached the VIP wing on the top floor.

I overheard two nurses gossiping near a private suite.

"Mr. Lennox is so devoted. He called every doctor in the building just because his wife had a stomach ache from iced coffee."

"I know, right? She's so lucky to be loved like that."

The irony was a knife in my gut. The real Mrs. Lennox was anything but lucky.

Through the glass door, I saw Xavier leaning against Sienna's belly, a look of pure joy on his face.

I tried to burst in, but two security guards grabbed me.

"Who do you think you are?"

"I need a doctor! My daughter is dying!"

One guard laughed and looked me up and down.

"Your daughter is nothing compared to Mr. Lennox's son. If you disturb them, you'll pay with your life."

They threw me to the ground and kicked me until I lost consciousness.

When I woke up again, Blythe was sitting by my bed, her eyes red from crying.