Romeo Mason's chest ached as he watched the scene unfold. Paris Walker's face was a mask of irritation and disdain as she glanced at Everest's guilt-stricken expression. She scoffed, slicing through the tension in the room with her decision.
"Let them go," she ordered sharply.
The security guard at the door stepped aside, clearing a path for them. Relief washed over Romeo as he held his daughter close, tears slipping onto her pale face.
"Don't worry... Daddy's taking you to the hospital..."
Hardly aware of the rain that had started falling from the gray sky, Romeo still felt the early-spring chill. He held Eleanor tight, ready to rush toward the waiting car and get her to a doctor, but was suddenly shoved to the ground by the new driver.
"This isn't your ride. The car's reserved for Mr. Walker. Unless you're him, back off," Damien Wallace sneered, mistaking Romeo for some disgraced lover trying to trap Paris into marriage with a kid in the picture.
"Get lost. The longer you stand here, the less time your kid has," Damien added, dripping with contempt.
Romeo looked desperately at Paris, who seemed completely unmoved by the degrading words around them. Her gaze met his for a split second—indifferent.
"If you don't hurry, it'll be too late," she said, casual and cold.
Rain soaked through his clothes and his infected wounds burned. Despair coiled around Romeo's chest, but the sight of Eleanor's worsening condition drove him forward. Shielding her as best he could, he ran toward the hospital, pure urgency pushing every step.
Five minutes passed. Then ten. Fatigue blurred his vision, and his legs started to falter. Just before exhaustion could win, Romeo stumbled through the hospital doors.
"Doctor! Somebody help my child! Doctor—"
When Romeo came to, he was in the sterile confines of a hospital room, the sharp smell of antiseptic in the air. Ignoring the pain from his infected wounds, he grabbed the doctor's arm desperately.
"How is my daughter?" he pleaded, his voice shaking as he searched the doctor's eyes for reassurance.
Thankfully, the response was positive. "We managed to save her."
Brief relief washed over him—until the doctor's reproachful look made his stomach drop.
"How could you let such a young child swallow so many sleeping pills?" Jimmy Gonzales scolded. "We managed to pump her stomach just in time, but she's still recovering. She's stable, but still very fragile. She's in the ICU now—go see her."
Every word pierced Romeo's heart. Despite his weakened state, he forced himself out of bed. The corridor stretched endlessly ahead, and the short walk to the ICU felt impossibly long.
At last, he reached the ICU. Through the glass, he saw Eleanor, recovering from her marrow transplant, her tiny body surrounded by machines keeping her fragile life tethered to this world.
His daughter lay beneath a large breathing apparatus, her skin far too pale.
Romeo's eyes blurred with tears. His fists clenched at his sides, his heart cracking under the weight of it all, leaving him unsteady. He stayed there until he heard voices approaching.
"Brother, how is she?"
Paris Walker and Everest Mason had come up behind him, their presence looming. Everest's eyes were red as he approached hesitantly, reaching out to pat Romeo's shoulder.
"I didn't mean it, Romeo. I didn't know you couldn't just give kids random stuff. You can punish me..." Everest murmured.
Paris couldn't stand watching Everest grovel. She stepped forward and took his hand protectively.
"Everest, you meant well. There's no reason to feel guilty," she chided lightly. "As for the child, she's been saved, right? Even if she hadn't been, she was just a nuisance."
Her words lit a fire in Romeo's chest, hot enough to steal his voice. Without thinking, he raised his hand and swung a sharp slap toward Paris.
Smack—
A loud impact, followed by Everest's pained groan. He had thrown himself in front of Paris to shield her, clutching his face, teeth gritted against the pain.
"Brother, it's my fault. Don't blame Paris..." he pleaded quietly.
