Chapter 993
Lianne’s POV:
Once we got Tracy settled back at home, Jeremy made it clear that she wasn’t going anywhere. He insisted she remain in bed and rest properly.
He hauled a chair beside the mattress and stationed himself there like a guard on duty. Even when Tracy merely tried to sit up for a drink of water, one sharp look from him was enough to make her retreat beneath the covers.
Tracy shot me a helpless little smile, scrunched her nose at the bitter medicine, and swallowed the entire dose in one go. Despite the awful taste, she didn’t leave a single drop behind.
We barely managed a few words before exhaustion began weighing down her eyelids. Within minutes, she slipped into a deep, peaceful sleep.
I quietly left the room and eased the door closed behind me.
Jeremy came out shortly afterward. I turned toward him and lowered my voice. “What did the doctor really say?”
He released a tired breath, rested his back against the wall, and massaged his temple. “She’s stable for now. But the doctor was very clear. She needs absolute rest — no emotional strain, no strenuous activity. If she doesn’t take it seriously…”
His voice trailed off, but he didn’t need to finish. I understood the warning perfectly.
Guilt immediately settled heavily in my chest. I lowered my gaze, twisting my fingers together before murmuring, “Jeremy, I’m really sorry. I should’ve protected Tracy better. She wouldn’t have ended up like this if I had been more careful.”
He immediately shook his head, his expression firm. “Lianne, stop. This isn’t on you. None of us could have known something like this was going to happen. You can’t keep blaming yourself.”
I tried to speak again, but he cut me off before I could get the words out. “I’m serious. It’s not your fault. If you keep apologizing, you’re going to make me feel like I should be apologizing to you instead.”
The sincerity in his expression left me with nothing to argue against, though the heaviness in my chest remained. I simply nodded and silently hoped Tracy would recover quickly and that the baby would remain safe.
By nightfall, Ethan still hadn’t returned.
There was no doubt in my mind that he was still somewhere out there, continuing to play his part with Melisa.
I sat on the couch with my eyes fixed on the clock, watching the hands crawl forward while a tangle of thoughts and emotions churned inside me.
Ruby and Silas were nearby, their laughter and chatter filling the room and keeping the silence at bay.
Silas eventually brought his laptop over. His small forehead was knitted with frustration as he complained about a problem in his program that he couldn’t solve, no matter how many times he tried.
I ran my fingers gently through his hair. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Once your dad comes home, he’ll take a look at it for you.”