Kelly’s POV
Pierce was holding my hand while we’re waiting outside the operating room. His parents are with us. Phoebe was crying so hard in her father’s arm while Emily was trying to comfort Mrs. Anderson.
I couldn’t move. At first I thought she was fine, but when the medic told us it was serious, my heart almost stopped beating.
We reached the hospital just now and she was immediately rushed to the operating room. The cut on her head was long and...deep. Ana said it hit the corner of the pool.
I wanted to shout and cry so hard. I wanted to blame someone but I couldn’t. I know I’m at fault too. I should’ve woken up earlier and checked on her.
The door of the operating room swung open and the doctor came out. My heart skipped a beat as I stared at the doctor. I couldn’t speak, so Pierce was the one who asked the doctor.
“Doctor, how’s our daughter?”
He pulled down his surgical mask and faced us. “She lost too much blood, Mr. Anderson. She needs to undergo blood transfusion. The problem is we’re out of stock of her blood type. It was rare.”
My lips trembled. Rare! My blood type isn’t. That means Pierce will be the one donating since his blood type is rare.
He’s gonna learn about the truth now but his anger doesn’t matter to me anymore as long as my daughter will be saved and safe after this.
“W-What’s her blood type, doctor? I’m AB negative.”
“Then you match your daughter’s blood, Mr. Anderson. I will inform our nurse about the blood transfusion. Excuse me for a while.”
A deafening silence filled us after the doctor left. Pierce was staring at my face. Shock, confusion, pain and disappointment were dancing in his eyes. I couldn’t look him straight in the eyes. I’m scared.
“K-Kelly...” His voice broke. “Say...something.”
I looked down and swallowed hard. I don’t know what to say. The nurse came and asked him to come. He left after staring at me for a while. He left with balled fists. He left with anger.
I know it’s my fault. I guard my heart too much and disregard the truth that he needs to hear the truth from my own mouth, not from someone else and definitely not from the realization because of the circumstances.
I feel weak. If not for Emily who walked towards me and hugged me, I would’ve fallen flat on the floor.
“Kelly...”
I wiped the lone tear that escaped my eyes and stood straight. I sniffed and swallowed hard again.
My phone suddenly beeped and I received a message from an unknown but familiar number.
‘How is she?’
My forehead creased. He knows?? Is he still watching us?
I gritted my teeth and put my phone back inside my bag.
“She’ll be okay,” Emily whispered. “Don’t think of anything else and focus on your daughter. She needs you.”
I don’t care about anything. My daughter is the most important person in my life now but I couldn’t help but feel the pain of slowly losing Pierce again, my fault this time.
The blood transfusion goes well. The doctor transferred Snow to the Intensive Care Unit and will be transferred again to a private room once she regains consciousness.
I still haven’t talked to Pierce. He won’t talk to me either. He’s now even looking my way. I guess it hurted him so bad that he couldn’t bring himself to look at my face.
“Kelly, you should eat more.” Mrs. Anderson was beside me, watching me eat but when I stopped, she spoke worriedly.
I smiled bitterly. “I’m full, Mrs. Anderson.”
Her soft eyes stared at me as she shook her head. “Don’t punish yourself, please. We understand why you hide it. We hurted you. It’s just right to protect yourself.”
I looked away and my eyes accidentally landed on Pierce. He’s inside the ICU, staring at our daughter.
Tears pooled in the corner of my eyes. I understand his anger just like how he understood me before.
Mrs. Anderson caressed my back and rested her head on my shoulder, comforting me.
“Time will heal wounds. Let him think for a while. He loves you, Kelly. He will eventually understand your reasons.”
I don’t know. Kind people are scary when angry. You would never realize that they’re slowly drifting away and that’s what I’m scared of.
The loud ringing of my phone was the one that woke me up. I fell asleep on the bench in front of the ICU.
Rubbing my eyes, I answered the phone without looking at the caller name. “Hello?”
[Where the hell are you, Kelly? You are a leader of a company! How could you neglect your job?]
I gritted my teeth. “My daughter is in the ICU and you want me to attend a fcking meeting?”
[Well, that is your job, Kelly! Can’t you leave someone to look after your daughter? Why do you have to compromise your position just for—]
“For what? Huh? Don’t you talk to my daughter like that! Just to remind you, uncle Connor, you no longer have the power to order anyone—especially me, around. I am the CEO of that damn company and I will do whatever I want. Be it neglecting the business for my daughter. I can sacrifice anything and everything for her.”
[So, you’re gonna let this company fall, huh? You stole the company from me to ruin it?]
I laughed without humor. “Worry about yourself, not about the position I’m neglecting. Maybe you have to do something to relocate the skeletons in your closet because it’s no longer safe there. It’s been disclosed and I will chase it until I die.”
[You’re a btch, Kelly! I knew you only wanted to ruin our family. I should’ve buried you alive when I had the chance.]
“I’ll bring you down with me, Connor. But before that, I will make you kneel in front of my mother’s grave and beg for forgiveness. You and your wife can’t get away from your sins.”