Chapter 264
Chapter 264:
Eliza moved toward him, her hands fluttering nervously. “Victoria — the doctors are still in there. It’s critical. They said her heart p>
Dallas raised a hand. The motion was sharp, cutting her off.
“I don’t need a medical report,” he said, his voice stripped of warmth. “I can see you’re busy. With family.” He placed deliberate weight on the word. His eyes moved past her to Anson.
Anson met his gaze. “She needed support, Koch. It’s her foster mother. It’s a difficult night p>
“I’m sure,” Dallas replied, his tone flat.
The ICU waiting room door swung open. A doctor in blue scrubs stepped out, looking exhausted.
“Family of Victoria Hyde?” he called.
“Here,” Anson stepped forward.
“She’s stabilizing, but she’s asking for Eliza specifically,” the doctor said, glancing at his clipboard. “She’s very agitated. We need to keep her calm p>
R𝘦аd t𝗁𝘦 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝖾ѕt 𝘁𝗋𝖾𝗇𝗱s o𝘯
Eliza froze. She looked at the doctor, then back at Dallas. Her eyes were wide and pleading, torn between the duty she felt toward the woman who had raised her and the tightly controlled fear written across her husband’s face.
“Dallas, I—” she started, reaching for him.
Dallas looked at her outstretched hand, then at the doctor waiting by the door. He saw the trap with perfect clarity. If he forced her to leave, he was the monster denying a dying woman her final wish. If he stayed, he was a spectator to her past.
“Go,” Dallas said.
He reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers were cold.
“Dallas, please stay,” Eliza whispered. “Just wait for me p>
“I’m not going in there,” he said, withdrawing his hand. “The air in here makes me sick p>
“Mrs. Koch?” the doctor pressed. “She’s waiting p>
Eliza looked at him one last time, desperation etched into every line of her face. “I’ll be quick. I promise p>
She turned and followed the doctor through the double doors. Anson fell into step behind her, pausing just long enough to glance back at Dallas. He said nothing. He didn’t need to. The closing doors sealed them inside together.
Dallas stood alone in the hallway.
He turned and walked to the elevator. He punched the down button. When the metal doors slid shut, enclosing him in the mirrored box, he watched the floor numbers drop.
His fist lashed out and slammed into the steel wall with a deafening thud.
The pain in his knuckles was sharp and grounding. It was better than the feeling in his chest.
Forty minutes later, the interior of the black SUV was dark, lit only by the faint glow of the dashboard. Dallas sat in the hospital parking lot, staring up at the fourth floor. The lights were still on.
She hadn’t come out.
He pulled out his phone and dialed.
“Zane,” he said when the line connected. “The usual place. Don’t bring anyone p>
Zane Sterling, his lawyer and oldest friend, didn’t ask questions. “Give me twenty minutes p>