Chapter 178

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light , T’m on my way ” Teresa was en route to the pharmacy when the call came through . Without hesitation , she made a
lumn , speeding in the opposite direction toward the hospital
The haunting memory of Jennifer’s accident lingered in Teresa’s mind , making Teresa dread coming to the hospital
ting prepared her for the sight of Evelynis frail body on the stretcher gasping for breath , her face drained of color ,
vitching uncontrollably it shattered Teresa’s perception of her mother had always seen Evelyn as invincible
to vulnerable
“ Mom Mom , it’s me Teresa’s grip on Evelyn’s hand tightened as the cold , lifeless feel of her mother’s skin sent a chill through her Evelyn lay motionless , her face etched with exhaustion , her spirit seemingly indifferent to the fight for life though she had already given up
“ Mom , you have to meet Hannah Teresa pleaded ‘ She’s all grown up now . Please , don’t leave us
Evelyn’s head turned slowly toward Teresa Her eyes , distant and unfocused , seemed to gaze past her
Tears streamed down Teresas face as she watched Evelyn’s consciousness slowly returning . She blurted out , “ Mom Hannah is alive Weve reunited . Please , hang in there Il tell you everything about her
Aher Evelyn was wheeled into the operating room , Teresa leaned against the cold wall , thinking , Why did this happen to Mom ? I thought she was happy Could her new husband have treated her poorly ? The fear of the unknown and what the future might hold threatened to overwhelm her
A new text message from Jonathan snapped her out of her reverie : I’m sorry ]
Teresa read the short text , typing slowly : [ What are you sorry about ? )
Jonathan replied [ I’m sorry for making you take the pills ]
Teresa’s gaze shifted , and it was only then that she tapped on the voice message she had received earlier .
The message began to play , and Jonathan’s voice rang out . “ Why are you so stubborn ? I was thinking … if you got pregnant this time , we could remarry . I promise I’ll be a good father . This was my mistake . I don’t know if it was because I was drunk , but I swear I heard you say , ‘ Let’s make a baby , and I got excited , so I didn’t use protection . The side effects of emergency contraceptives can be severe . What brand did you take ? Let me look it up . If you’re feeling any discomfort , please tell Don’t keep anything from me . ”
Teresa had been bracing herself for a scolding from Jonathan , but his voice message caught her completely off guard : She hadn’t expected him to say those things . As she was pondering . Jonathan’s call came in .
“ Hello ? ” she mumbled , her voice hoarse and stuffy .
Jonathan had intended to ask if she was feeling okay , but the unusual tone of her voice made him pause . “ What’s wrong ? Did something happen ?”
“ My mom was rushed to the hospital ,” Teresa replied . “ She’s having trouble breathing . I’m here now . They’re still working on
“ Which hospital ? Jonathan asked .
“ You don’t need to come . I’ll call Hannah . She’ll be here soon , Teresa replied
After a brief pause , Jonathan asked , “ Just tell me which hospital
“ Nareigh Maternal and Child Health Hospital , Teresa revealed . Overwhelmed by fear and helplessness , she found herself confiding in Jonathan , treating him as her only anchor . “ I’m scared she won’t make it . I don’t want her to die . ”
Jonathan spoke gently “ Calm down , Teresa . Don’t cry . I know how much you love your mom , and trust me everyone you love won’t leave you . She’s going to be okay . ”
Teresa sobbed . “ But I already lost my grandpa and grandma … ”
“ This time is different ,” Jonathan reassured her. “ Listen to me . Don’t cry . Go wash your face . You love looking pretty , don’t you ? Tears won’t help with that . Your mom will pull through . Trust me . ”
For some reason , Teresa felt a sense of relief , likely due to the soothing tone of Jonathan’s voice , which brought her both strength and comfort . “ Thank you ”
As soon as she ended the call , she called Jennifer
Jennifer was about to ask Teresa where sheh Successfully unlocked ! hy she hadn’t answered her calls when Teresa
cut her off
She frantically said , “ Hannah , stop . Don’t ask me about that night now . Mom’s dying . I’d never seen her like this , she couldnt breathe , and her face was as pale as a ghost . They rushed her to the emergency room . I held her hand , just like I held yours after the accident . Then I told her about you . I hoped it would give her strength . I saw her eyes flutter a few times ….
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Jennifer gasped , her voice trembling “ Which hospital are you at now ? ”
“ Nareigh Maternal and Child Health Hospital Aren’t you supposed to be at work now ? Teresa asked
Jennifer quickly responded , “I’m off today . I was planning to stay home with Mike , but don’t worry . I’ll be there as soon as
can ”
“ Hurry .” Teresa urged “ I’m alone outside the emergency room ”
Teresa ended the call and sank to her knees , silently praying .
An hour felt like a lifetime before the doctor finally appeared . He informed Teresa that Evelyn had pulled through
Evelyn had been suffering from respiratory alkalosis due to physiological causes . Given her age , along with her pre – existing high blood pressure and cholesterol , she had been in a critical condition . Had she not been brought in so quickly , she might not have made it .
“ Thank you , doctor Teresa sighed with relief .
Soon after , Benny arrived with several men . He explained to Teresa that they were a team of specialists from top private hospitals , accompanied by Jonathan’s bodyguards . They were ready to transfer her mother to a different facility if her condition warranted it .
“ They’ve managed to stabilize my mother , but she hasn’t regained consciousness . She’s under observation now , ” Teresa said .
“ That’s a relief , Benny nodded , offering a small reassuring smile . After a moment , he leaned in closer and whispered . Jonathan pulled some strings to get these specialists here as quickly as possible . He’s hoping they can help . Don’t forget to thank him . ”
Teresa nodded , grasping the immense power money held in a crisis .
Just then , Jennifer arrived . Her hair was loose, a stark contrast to her usual neat ponytail . She appeared a bit disheveled , Likely shaken by the events .
Teresa walked up to her . “ Mom’s pulled through . They’ve moved her to a general ward for further monitoring .”
Jennifer’s frown softened , and Teresa suggested , “ Let’s go see Mom . She hasn’t woken up yet . ”
“ No need ,” Jennifer replied , her voice distant . “ I’ll just go tie my
hair
Noticing the sweat on Jennifer’s back , Teresa could see how much she truly cared . She smiled softly .
Benny’s phone rang incessantly , and he turned away to call Jonathan . “ Yeah , Teresa’s mom is stable now . She’s going to be okay . Teresa ? She’s not crying anymore . Don’t worry . Her sister’s with her . You don’t need to come . ”
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