Chapter 420
The bodyguards nodded.
“Yes, but Mr. Freguson has ordered that no one is to enter.”
“I’ll give him a call then.” Eileen pulled out her phone and dialed Julio. He answered after a couple of rings.
“I’m at the hospital. Can I see her?” she asked.
After a brief silence, Julio responded, “Last night, when I brought her in, I crossed paths with someone from the Harrison family. I spoke with Mabel later. Given her health issues, she can’t bear children. So, you should persuade her to either terminate the pregnancy or hand the child over to me and sever all ties.”
“I’m just here to check on her, not to help you hurt her.”
The harshness of Julio’s words caused Eileen’s heart to ache. How could she even begin to broach this topic with Dalores?
“Go ahead and see her,” Julio said, then hung up.
The bodyguards stepped aside and opened the door to the room.
At the sound of the door, Dalores sprang out of bed, grabbed a glass from the table, and hurled it to the floor. She picked up a sharp piece of glass and pressed it against her neck.
“Don’t come any closer!” Her voice was filled with hopelessness.
When she saw it was Eileen, she hesitated but didn’t lower the glass. “Are you here to plead his case?”
Dalores’ eyes flickered with wariness. Blood seeped from her hand, which was tightly gripping the fragments of shattered glass.
“It’s not what it looks like. I was just nearby and heard you were here, so I stopped by to see how you were doing.”
Eileen raised her hands slightly in a pacifying gesture. “I came unexpectedly, so I didn’t bring anything with me.”
A heavy silence settled between them before Dalores hesitantly set the glass fragment aside, her gaze growing weary. “I’m here for a scheduled abortion. I haven’t gone through with anything yet. There was no need for you to bring anything.”
She moved back to the bed and sat down, her eyes drawn to a few figures visible through the window by the door. “How many people are out there?”
“Four,” Eileen answered, stepping into the bathroom to grab a broom. She began sweeping up the scattered glass by the window.
Breaking the silence, Dalores confessed, “I don’t want to go through with the abortion.” She folded her legs and looked away, her voice tinged with resolve. “This child will be my only family in this world.”