Chapter 4 - A Race Against Time
"Mara!"
Julian burst into the room, dropping his tablet as he saw his wife collapsed on the floor. He rushed to her side, his heart hammering against his ribs.
"She called... she said she would take the baby..." Mara gasped, her face pale and drenched in sweat as she clutched his shirt. "Julian, the pain... it hurts so much..."
"We're going to the hospital. Now!" Julian roared. He lifted her into his arms, ignoring the way she screamed as another contraction hit her.
He carried her down to the underground parking garage, placing her gently in the back seat before speeding out into the snowy streets. He ignored red lights, his siren-like horn blaring as he navigated the slick roads toward St. Jude’s Private Hospital.
When they arrived, a team of medical staff was already waiting, alerted by Dr. Sterling. They immediately wheeled Mara into the emergency labor and delivery wing.
"Her blood pressure is skyrocketing!" a nurse yelled. "We have a case of severe placental abruption. The baby is in distress!"
Julian tried to follow them into the operating room, but a doctor blocked his path. "Mr. Mercer, you need to stay back. We have to perform an emergency Caesarean section right now to save both of them. Please, wait here."
The heavy double doors swung shut, leaving Julian alone in the sterile, brightly lit waiting room.
He paced the floor like a caged beast, his hands shaking. For the first time in his life, his wealth, his name, and his power meant absolutely nothing. He couldn't buy his wife's safety. He couldn't negotiate with the fragile line between life and death.
May you like
He pulled out his phone and dialed his head of security, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "Lucas. I want a full tap on Mara’s phone records from the last hour. Find out who called her. If my mother’s name is on that log, I want you to leak every financial irregularity, every tax shelter, and every offshore account Vivienne Mercer has ever used to the federal authorities. Do it now."
As the hours dragged on, the waiting room remained silent, save for the ticking of the wall clock. Outside, the snow turned into a raging blizzard, mirroring the storm raging inside Julian’s chest.
