Chapter 10
552words
Owen nodded and drifted back to sleep. I sat beside him, watching his peaceful face, my heart heavy. His father was just miles away, yet Owen might never know his love.
As I wrestled with these painful thoughts, a nurse came in to check Owen's vitals and assured me everything looked good.
"Ms. Chloe, you've been here 24/7 for days. You need a break," the nurse said kindly. "I'll keep an eye on him. Go get some coffee, at least."
I was running on fumes and finally nodded. "Thank you. I won't be long."
I slipped quietly from the room. The hospital corridor bustled with activity. I massaged my stiff neck and headed for the first-floor café.
Minutes after I left, Emma slithered into the room. After checking the hallway was clear, she quietly closed the door. Her pleasant mask instantly dropped, revealing cold calculation.
I grabbed my coffee but felt a sudden unease and hurried back. As I neared Owen's door, I heard Emma's voice, dripping with venom:
"You know what, Owen? Your very existence is ruining everything between me and Nolan. If you weren't around, we'd be married already."
My blood turned to ice. What the hell was she saying to my son?
"Auntie, I don't understand..." Owen's voice trembled with confusion and fear.
"You don't need to understand," Emma laughed cruelly. "Just know that you're a mistake—one that needs to be erased."
I slammed the door open to find Emma looming over Owen's bed, a syringe poised over his IV line.
"Get away from him!" I screamed, lunging forward to grab her wrist.
Emma jumped at my sudden appearance, the syringe clattering to the floor. "I—I was just fixing his IV," she stammered.
"Bullshit!" I snarled, slapping her hard across the face. "You were trying to kill my son!"
Emma clutched her reddening cheek, her eyes blazing with hatred. "You dare hit me? You have no idea what you've just done."
"I'm not afraid of you!" I positioned myself between her and Owen like a shield. "Get out now, or I'm calling security!"
At that moment, the door swung open again. Nolan stood there, his expression thunderous.
"What the hell is going on?" he demanded, his eyes darting between us.
"Nolan!" Emma instantly transformed, tears springing to her eyes as she rushed to his side. "She hit me! She's completely lost it!"
Nolan didn't embrace her but fixed his gaze on me. "Why did you hit her?"
I was shaking with rage and fear. "She was trying to kill Owen! I caught her with a syringe about to inject something into his IV!"
"She's lying!" Emma shrieked. "I was just checking his IV! She's delusional, making up these wild accusations!"
Nolan's expression remained impassive. He glanced at the floor where the syringe should have been, then said to me, "Chloe, violence isn't the answer."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was he seriously scolding me after Emma had tried to harm our son?
"Nolan, are you kidding me?" I stared at him in disbelief. "Emma was about to murder Owen!"
"Where's your proof?" Nolan asked coldly. "Maybe you misinterpreted what you saw."
