Chapter 2
But the voice on the other end wasn’t Liam Harrison’s.
It was Amber Thompson.
Her voice scraped against my brain, making the anesthesia seem like it didn’t even exist. My chest tightened with every breath, the pain shooting through me like fire.
“Liam, you should thank me. If I hadn’t stopped you from turning off your work phone, you’d have missed the hospital’s call.”
“Hurry up, someone from your hospital is looking for you.”
Liam’s voice sounded indulgent. “Yes, yes, you’re the best, the smartest.”
But when he finally took the call, his tone shifted, becoming sharp and professional. “I’ve seen the case file you sent. With her rare blood type and gestational hypertension, the treatment will be extremely challenging. You need to contact her family immediately and prepare them for the worst.”
“Dr. Harrison, we can’t reach her husband. His phone’s unreachable.”
Liam’s voice cut through the air, now laced with fury. “Her wife’s in labor, and he won’t pick up? What kind of monster is he?”
“Dr. Harrison, can you come in?”
Amber’s voice chimed in, petulant and whiny. “Go ahead… I’ll just spend my birthday alone, then.”
“No, I’m not going.”
After placating her, Liam spoke firmly, “I’m sorry, but I can’t. We’re about to board a flight for a short getaway. Let me connect you with someone else.”
Then, without a second thought, he hung up, clearly eager to end the conversation before they could convince him to stay.
That’s when I realized, he had a separate work phone. One I’d never even seen before.
The nurse by my side, monitoring my vitals, muttered in confusion, “For a second, I thought Dr. Harrison was the husband. Their voices sound identical.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” another nurse replied sharply. “His wife was right there on the call, you heard her.”
Just then, the blood supply from other hospitals arrived.
And with it, another doctor.
A chorus of excited voices greeted him as “Professor.” He immediately instructed the anesthesiologist to check my dosage and increase it.
I drifted into unconsciousness, the long hours of surgery passing in a blur.
When I woke, a young nurse was recording my vitals at the bedside. The moment she noticed I was awake, she called in a team of doctors.
“Any discomfort?”
I shook my head weakly.
The lead physician, after checking my incision and chart, spoke. “Jessica, how many years has it been since graduation? Have you forgotten everything you learned?”
I looked up, trying to focus on his face.
It was Samuel, the senior who’d supervised our lab work during grad school. His stern demeanor hadn’t softened one bit over the years.
After a long pause, he said, “Your husband just sent a message. Should I unlock your phone for you?”
I gave him a weak nod.
He unlocked my phone, and the screen flashed to life. A notification popped up immediately, a transaction alert.
$19,000 spent: Seaside honeymoon package.
Then came Liam’s text:
“A last-minute business trip. Back in a week. So sorry, baby, work’s insane right now.”
But just as that message landed, Amber’s followed:
[Sis, the oceanview suite is breathtaking! Had to share.]
Attached was a photo of her and Liam in a bathtub, the sea stretching beyond the glass. His neck bore fresh marks.
[Sis, isn’t it gorgeous? Liam promised to bring you here for your anniversary. Same suite. Same bed.]
