Chapter 6

Chloe's POV

With Caleb's word given, the medical staff leaped into motion.

Linda was rapidly wheeled out of the room and rushed toward the operating suite.

Caleb stepped up beside me. "Once your mother is out of the woods, I'll take you back."

That was probably the most humane thing he had said to me all day.

I didn't look at him. I just stared at the glowing red "In Surgery" light above the double doors, my hands clasped together, praying desperately in the silence of my mind.

After what felt like an eternity, the surgical doors swung open.

A surgeon hurried out, his expression tight with anxiety. "Where are the family members for Linda Taylor?!"

I shot to my feet. My legs were so numb I nearly collapsed, but I caught the wall and threw myself forward. "Doctor! How is she?"

"She's in critical shape. We need to perform an immediate emergency bypass," the surgeon said rapidly. "The problem is her blood type. She's Rh-negative. Our blood bank doesn't have enough units in stock to get through a surgery this intensive."

My mind went completely blank.

"I'll handle it," Caleb's voice cut in from behind me.

He stepped forward, addressing the surgeon with authority. "Other hospitals in the network should have inventory. I'll coordinate an emergency transfer from their banks right now. Begin the prep work. The blood will be here shortly."

The doctor nodded quickly and ducked back inside the operating room.

Caleb stepped aside to make a call, his voice crisp and demanding. "This is Caleb Miller. Check your blood bank for Rh-negative units immediately... Yes, emergency requisition... Good, I'm sending a courier now."

Less than fifteen minutes later, the elevator doors chimed open.

A nurse hurried down the hall carrying a secure thermal transport case. "Mr. Miller, the blood is here!"

The suffocating tension in my chest loosened just a fraction.

I took a step forward to guide her, but out of the corner of my eye, a figure came sprinting down the opposite corridor.

"Caleb! Caleb!"

Nicole was as pale as a corpse, her face drenched in tears as she threw herself blindly into Caleb's chest.

Caleb caught her by the shoulders, his brow furrowing deeply. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"Haley..." Nicole sobbed hysterically, barely able to catch her breath. "You have to come see Haley... she... she..."

Caleb tightened his grip on her. "Breathe. Tell me what happened to Haley!"

"Her fever wouldn't break... I only stepped away to use the bathroom for a second... She was crying for you in her sleep and rolled right off the hospital bed..."

Caleb's face drained of color. "She fell? Where is she right now? How bad is it?!"

"She hit her head on the metal stand... there was so much blood..." Nicole could barely keep her feet under her, shaking violently. "They rushed her to the pediatric ER, but..."

She lifted her tear-streaked eyes, looking at him with sheer desperation. "Haley is Rh-negative, Caleb! And she has a congenital coagulation disorder! The pediatric floor has zero units of her blood type in stock... Caleb, I don't know what to do! I'm so terrified..."

A deafening buzz roared in my ears.

Rh-negative.

The exact same blood type as my mother!

A sickening dread hit my stomach like lead. I snapped my head toward Caleb.

The color had completely vanished from his face. For a fleeting second, I saw a flicker of hesitation and conflict in his eyes.

Then, his jaw set into a cold, ruthless line. He turned to the courier nurse. "Reroute this unit. Take it to the pediatric ER immediately."

The nurse blinked, confused. "Mr. Miller, this requisition was earmarked for—"

"I said take it to pediatric ER," Caleb commanded, leaving no room for argument.

My vision flared red. "No! You can't!"

I lunged forward, throwing my body between the nurse and the hallway, wrapping my arms tightly around the thermal transport case.

"This blood is for my mother's heart surgery! If you take it away, she will die!"

Caleb frowned, his irritation flaring. "I'll call other facilities and find another unit."

"No!" I screamed, clutching the case to my chest, my eyes burning with desperate tears. "She's already on the table! How long will it take to source another unit from across the city? She doesn't have time!"

"Chloe Taylor, stop acting like a lunatic!" Caleb snapped coldly. "Haley has a clotting disorder! Every second she bleeds puts her closer to fatal shock! This blood has to go to her first. I will figure something out for your mother!"

With that, Caleb lunged forward to rip my hands away from the box.

"Don't touch me! This is my mother's life!"

I fought him with every ounce of strength I had left. But I hadn't slept in days, I hadn't eaten, and my body was running on pure adrenaline and fumes.

Caleb gave a violent yank, breaking my balance.

My feet slipped, and I fell backward hard.

The back of my skull slammed directly into the concrete wall with a sickening thud.

Black spots exploded across my vision. My ears rang with a deafening screech, and the entire hallway tilted sideways.

"Chloe!" Richard cried out in absolute panic, dropping to the floor to support me. "Are you alright?!"

My vision spun into gray static, but I still forced my trembling hand outward, reaching toward the transport case he had ripped from my arms.

"Give it back... that's my mom's blood... you can't take it..."

Caleb paused and looked back at me once.

In that look, there was no pity. There was no guilt. There was only pure, unadulterated annoyance.

"Haley needs this blood more than your mother does right now. Stop making a scene!"

He turned and strode away.

I tried to push myself up against the wall to chase after him, but another wave of darkness crashed over me.

The last thing my fading vision caught was the retreating silhouettes of Caleb and Nicole, walking away together without looking back.

"Chloe!!"

I had no idea how long I remained unconscious.

When my eyes finally fluttered open, all I saw was a sterile white ceiling. The sharp, acrid stench of hospital antiseptic filled my lungs.

"Chloe? Chloe! You're awake!"

I turned my head. My father was sitting on the edge of the bed.

His eyes were sunken deep into their sockets, and his hair seemed to have turned completely silver overnight. He looked hollowed out, as if his very soul had been torn away, aging him by more than a decade.

The events from before the blackout flooded back into my brain like a tidal wave.

My chest seized in pure terror. I threw off the blanket and scrambled upright. "Dad, where's Mom? How is she?!"