3
Venice’s POV
My strength gave out completely, and soon, I collapsed to the floor.
“Jericho!”
I screamed his name and rushed forward. With every fiber of my being, I slapped him across the face.
Never—not even in my worst nightmares—had I imagined he could go this far for Verona.
Swallowing my tears, I turned to leave. But before I could take a step, he grabbed me roughly by the arm.
His expression was devoid of warmth, his voice sharp and cold as steel.
“Hey. You haven’t signed the letter of understanding. You’re not going anywhere.”
“Fine,” I replied, my voice trembling. There was no strength left in me to even expect anything from him.
Five minutes later, a new copy of the letter was brought in.
Outside the hospital, my mom still lay on the concrete, and the medical staff trying to save her were being held back by Jericho’s bodyguards.
I didn’t even look at him anymore. My gaze was hollow as I picked up the pen and signed my name—stroke by stroke—on that cursed paper.
“Now,” I said quietly, “can I go?”
When I looked at him, my eyes were as cold as his.
His brows knitted together. His lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something.
But Verona tugged at his sleeve, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Jericho,” she whimpered, “my wound… It really hurts.”
Just those few words, and his entire demeanor changed. His face tightened with concern as he swept her up into his arms and hurried out of the room.
By the time I made it downstairs, my mom was barely clinging to life.
With shaking hands, I pushed her gurney toward the operating room.
The red light above the door flicked on, and my heart seemed to hang suspended in the air with it.
I thought the nightmare might finally end there. But only three minutes later, a group of bodyguards stormed into the operating room and dragged the attending surgeon out.
I froze, my eyes wide in disbelief. “What the hell are you doing?!”
They looked at me coldly.
“Mr. Fowler has ordered all doctors to check on Ms. MacGill’s injury first. Once she’s confirmed stable, we’ll bring the attending physician back.”
Her wound was no fucking bigger than a fingernail, yet they were stealing my mom’s only chance to survive!
The thought shattered what little control I had left. My eyes burned as I lunged forward to stop them from taking the doctor away.
“Let him go! My mom’s still in surgery! Tell Jericho—if anything happens to her, I’ll never forgive any of you!”
But my words did nothing at all. One of the guards just gave a mocking smile.
“Ma'am, those were Mr. Fowler’s direct orders. If you have a problem, take it up with him.”
Without wasting any more time, they shoved me aside and dragged the doctor away.
The force of it slammed my head against the sharp edge of a metal chair. Warm blood streamed down my face in an instant, but I barely felt it.
At that moment, the red light above the operating room flickered and went out. Then, the machines inside began to beep in a chaotic rhythm.
Summoning every last ounce of strength, I pushed myself off the floor and stumbled after the guards.
I had to bring the doctor back.
If I didn’t… I would lose the only family I had left…
