bChapter /bb477 /b

    That trembling plea carried all the love a father could have for his child.

    64%

    Ste chimed in desperately, “Yes, save my daughter! Doctor, you have to save my daughter. If the baby doesn’t make it, that’s okay, but my daughter can’t die. She’s still so young.”

    By the end, her voice was breaking with sobs.

    “Please don’t worry, we’ll do everything we can.” The doctor assured them before turning to rush into the operating room.

    Dereck helped Ste to one of the chairs in the hospital corridor, trying his best tofort Ste. “Everything’s going to be okay. It has to be okay.”

    The normally stern andposed Dereck was trembling as he spoke, and it was hard to tell if he was reassuring his wife or himself.

    Wesley felt a pang of sympathy and went to get them both some water.

    Dereck forced a smile. “Thank you. Were you the one who brought Jessica to the hospital? Are you a friend of hers? Can you tell us what happened today?”

    Dereck had never met Wesley before, but just knowing that this man had rushed Jessica to the hospital when she copsed made him instantly grateful.

    Wesley briefly introduced himself, then gave them an objective ount of what had happened at the restaurant.

    He kept wondering why Brian still hadn’t texted him back, and as he watched Dereck and Ste’s faces grow darker with each detail, he thought, ‘Don’t me me for not covering for you, man.‘

    “It’s because of him again! That bastard just won’t leave us alone. What does he want to do to Jessica before he’s satisfied?” Dereck was already furious with Brian, and hearing that Jessica’s ident was connected to him again sent him into a rage.

    Ste felt the same resentment building inside her. She knew this wasn’t entirely Brian’s fault, but people couldn’t always think clearly when they were upset, so she didn’t try to calm Dereck down.

    Wesley stared at the closed emergency room doors, silently praying that Jessica and her baby would both be okay. If something happened to them, he’d carry that guilt for the rest of his life.

    Meanwhile, Brian had just finished his explosive press conference when the board members immediately pulled him aside. He’d been stuck in back–to- back meetings for hours, trying to contain thepany’s PR disaster, when Jackson burst through the door with his phone in hand.

    “Mr. Atkinson, something’s happened to Mrs. Atkinson!” Jackson shouted.

    “What?” Brian shot to his feet, and the other meeting attendees gasped in shock.

    “What happened to Jessica?” Brian demanded.

    “Mrs. Atkinson was recognized at a restaurant this afternoon. There was chaos, someone pushed her down, and they rushed her to the hospital. The doctors are saying she might go into prematurebor!” Jackson exined frantically.

    Brian’s face went pale as a sheet. He couldn’t think about anything else. He bolted from the room and ran straight into Gavin, who had just gotten the same news and wasing to find him.

    “Dad, Jessica-“Brian’s voice cracked with emotion, and he couldn’t finish the sentence.

    “I know. I’ming with you,” Gavin said firmly, gripping Brian’s shoulder with both hands.

    Brian nodded quickly, and the two of them rushed to the hospital as fast as they could.

    By the time they arrived, Jessica had been moved out of danger and transferred to a regr room.

    14:47 Tue, 26 AugA

    Dereck and Ste were inside keeping herpany when they heard footsteps approaching and immediately stood up.

    “How is Jessica?” Brian burst through the doorway, still wearing his suit from the press conference and lookingpletely disheveled.

    Dereck and Ste’s faces darkened immediately. Without hesitation, Dereck stepped forward and shoved Brian back outside.

    “Get out of here!” Dereck hissed under his breath, his eyes zing with fury as he red at Brian.