Chapter 537
537
The office was a wreck.
Ximena lay unconscious on the sofa, her pale blouse soaked in blood from the wound on her shoulder.
Zeke’s chest clenched at the sight–an intense wave of pain crashing into him like a punch to the heart.
That word, long buried in his throat, trembled on the edge of release. His eyes burned.
“Mom…”
It was a broken, choked whisper–one that came too late.
“Mom! Wake up… Please wake up!”
But Ximena didn’t stir. The blood loss had driven her into deep shock. No matter how desperately Zeke called out, she didn’t respond.
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He checked her pulse and heartbeat–thankfully, both were still there. Without wasting another second, Zeke scooped her up in his arms and rushed out the door.
Time was the enemy now.
He raced through the streets like a madman, pushing his car to its limit, heart pounding with guilt and dread. He should’ve found her sooner. Should’ve told her the truth. Should’ve called her “Mom” long ago.
Now he feared it might be too late.
By the time he burst through the hospital doors, carrying her bloodied body, he was near hysteria.
“Doctor! Someone help me! Help her, please!”
Nurses rushed forward with a stretcher, carefully taking Ximena from his arms. Emergency staff were already preparing the OR as Zeke grabbed the nearest doctor by the collar, his voice ráw.
“You have to save her… Please, she’s my mother… ”
The doctor recognized him.
“Don’t worry, Zeke. We’ll do everything we can.”
Ximena was quickly wheeled into the operating room, Zeke was left outside, trembling with helplessness, hands still covered in her blood.
Meanwhile, Tyler had already informed Caitlin of what happened.
Just as Caitlin had suspected, Pierrick’s secondary mission in the US had been to assassinate Ximena. It was precisely why she had stationed Tyler near XEG in the first place–to intercept him.
If not for Tyler’s intervention, Ximena might’ve been shot in the head and lost before she even reached the hospital.
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ས ཟྭ 64% ¢
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The Vanderbilt estate had already settled into sleep, but Sebastian, upon receiving the call, got dressed to head to the hospital.
Caitlin stirred as soon as he moved.
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Pierrick made his move. Ximena’s seriously injured–Zeke took her to the hospital.”
Caitlin threw off the covers.
“Let’s go.”
They rushed to the hospital in the dead of night.
Outside the ER, they found Zeke sitting motionless on a bench, his clothes and hands stained with blood. His eyes were hollow, his face stricken with grief.
“Zeke!” Caitlin called.
Only then did he look up, as if just remembering the world around him. He blinked back the sting in his eyes and stood.
“You came…”
“We heard what happened. How is she?”
“Still in surgery.”
Zeke struggled to keep his voice steady.
“Hang in there,” Caitlin said gently. “She’s going to pull through,”
Just then, a nurse rushed past them carrying a unit of blood. Zeke stepped forward and stopped her.
“How is she?”
“She’s in hypovolemic shock. We’re doing everything we can.”
And then the nurse disappeared behind the doors.
None of them could see what was happening inside, but they could imagine it–the frantic work of pulling someone back from the brink of death. Blood transfusions. Bullet extraction. Every second was a battle against time.
Zeke clenched his fists.
“I’m a terrible son… I was so selfish. If she dies like this… I’ll never forgive myself.”
Caitlin and Sebastian exchanged a look, both deeply moved.
Sebastian put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
“You can’t think like that. Trust the doctors. Trust your mother.”
“That’s right. Let’s wait a little longer. We’ll get good news.”
Time dragged by. Minutes blurred into hours.
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Finally, the ER doors opened and the lead surgeon emerged, removing his mask.
“Doctor!”
“How is my mother?”
Zeke and the others hurried to him.
“She made it,” the doctor said with a tired smile. “We were able to stabilize her. Her vitals are good. She’s going to be okay.”
Relief crashed into Zeke like a tidal wave. His knees almost buckled.
“Thank you… Thank you, doctor. Thank you so much.”
“It’s our job. Get some rest–you all look like you need it.”
Half an hour later, nurses rolled Ximena out of the ER. Zeke rushed to her side.
Seeing her pale face, tears welled in his eyes again. He barely managed to keep himself from breaking down.
They got her settled into a recovery room. Zeke turned to Caitlin and Sebastian.
“Thank you both for staying. It’s getting late–please go rest. I’ll stay here.”
Caitlin nodded.
“You should wash up too.”
“I will. My team’s bringing me fresh clothes. Once they’re here, I’ll clean up.”
With that, Caitlin and Sebastian left, trusting Zeke to keep watch.
But Zeke didn’t go anywhere. He changed quickly, then sat by his mother’s bedside, refusing to leave her side.
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The next morning, Ximena’s assistant arrived with a lawyer and a folder in hand.
“Mr. Preston,” the lawyer said, “this is something Ms. Harris asked me to deliver to you if anything ever happened to her.”
Zeke took the envelope hesitantly. Inside were several documents–and a letter.
The documents were legal. A signed will. Ximena had split her assets into two equal parts: one for Zora, and one for Zeke.
Zeke’s chest tightened as he read. His mother had prepared for death. She had arranged everything.
He opened the letter.
It was written in Ximena’s own hand, add/essed to him, not as a business partner, not as a stranger–but as her son.
She wrote of her regrets, her love, her hopes for him. She apologized for the years apart. For all the birthdays she missed. For not being there when he needed her most.
And most of all, she wrote about how much she loved him.
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Zeke’s tears fell freely now. Silent and unstoppable.
She loved him. Fiercely. Unconditionally. Always.
And in that moment, Zeke finally understood:
He had never been alone.
He had a mother who loved him more than life itself.
Zeke stood at the window, reading the letter over and over, holding it like something sacred.
Behind him, a soft voice broke the silence.
“Ma’am… you’re awake?”