Chapter 16
588words
And now, this final cruelty—the permanent end to those dreams.
"Does she know?" I asked, my voice barely audible.
"Not yet. I thought perhaps you might want to be there when she's told."
I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.
In the recovery room, Olivia looked small and fragile against the white sheets. Her face was pale, dark circles under her eyes contrasting sharply with her skin. I sat beside her bed, taking her hand gently in mine.
"I'm so sorry, Liv," I whispered. "For everything."
Sorry seemed such an inadequate word for what I felt. Sorry for not being there the night she miscarried. Sorry for letting her believe I'd betrayed her. Sorry for the months of silence and pain. Sorry for signing those divorce papers instead of fighting harder for us. Sorry for whatever role my family had played in this nightmare.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. I ignored it, but it immediately buzzed again. With a sigh, I checked the screen. Two texts from an unknown number:
First message: She was warned. This is the consequence.
Second message: The Sullivan girl leaves for Vermont today. If you interfere, Dr. Carter won't survive her next "complication."
Cold fury washed over me. I took a screenshot of the messages, then dialed Marcus, my head of security.
"I need you at Boston Memorial, now," I said when he answered. "And bring the tech team. I want every security camera in this hospital accessed, every visitor log for the past 24 hours, and I want Olivia's room guarded around the clock."
"On it, boss," Marcus replied. "What about the Sullivan girl?"
"How do you know about her?" I asked sharply.
There was a pause. "You mentioned her yesterday. The child witness your father is interested in."
Had I? I couldn't remember. The past 24 hours were a blur.
"Find out when they're planning to transfer her and delay it," I instructed. "Use whatever legal means necessary. And Marcus—trust no one on this. Not even within our organization."
After ending the call, I turned back to Olivia, only to find her eyes open, watching me.
"Nathan?" Her voice was hoarse, confused.
My heart clenched at the sound. How many mornings had I woken to that same sleepy voice, her body warm against mine? How many times had I taken that simple intimacy for granted?
"I'm here," I said, moving closer. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I've been hit by a truck." She tried to sit up, wincing. "What happened?"
I pressed the call button for the nurse before answering. "You collapsed in the elevator. Internal bleeding. They had to perform emergency surgery."
Memory flickered in her eyes, followed by pain that had nothing to do with her physical condition. "Right. After you admitted sleeping with my sister."
"Olivia, please—"
"Is it true?" she interrupted, her voice stronger. "Is Rebecca really pregnant with your child?"
The door opened before I could answer, Dr. Winters entering with a nurse.
"Dr. Carter, good to see you awake," she said, checking Olivia's vitals. "How's the pain on a scale of 1 to 10?"
"Seven," Olivia replied automatically. "What exactly did you do during surgery?"
