Chapter 27
1 could hear muffled voices all around me.
I couldn’t open my eyes, couldn’t move my lips to speak. In a foggy daze, I felt someone lift me off the ground. Their steps were firm and deliberate, quickening into a run.
I could hear their heartbeat pounding wildly, a chaotic rhythm that echoed in my head.
“Quinn!” Diana’s urgent voice cut through the haze.
Moments later, I was set down on something soft–probably a car seat. The hum of an engine came to life, followed by a familiar voice, trembling with panic, Tm taking you to the hospital!”
Was that Quinn?
The world around me spun violently as my awareness faded bit by bit. I wanted to see him, to confirm it was him, but my eyes refused to cooperate. Summoning every ounce of strength, I barely managed a whisper. “Quinn…”
“Natalia, can you hear me? Stay with me! We’re almost there!” His voice rose with an edge of desperation, though I could sense his relief. A warm hand brushed against my forehead.
It hit me then–I was lying on his lap.
“She’s burning up. Drive faster!” Quinn’s shout rang out, sharp and commanding.
The dizziness became overwhelming, and my mind slipped further into darkness.
As I chung to the last sliver of consciousness, I reached for his hand and murmured softly, “Where are you taking me? I don’t have a home to go back to….
I opened my eyes to the stark white ceiling, Raelynn’s relieved expression the first thing I saw. “Thank God, Ms. Hinton! You’re finally awake!”
“Where am 11 murmured, my consciousness slowly returning
Raelynn poured me a glass of water and handed it to me. “Medication poisoning. Before the party, did you take any antibiotics? Cephalosporins, maybe?”
Her words triggered my memory. That morning, I’d taken antibiotics to prevent my hand wound from getting infected. Later that evening, frustrated after dealing with Diana, I’d had a glass of red wine–completely forgetting the two shouldn’t
mix
“Yes,” I admitted, the pieces clicking into place,
“You scared everyone to death, collapsing like that in front of everyone!” Raelynn said, her tone still tinged with fear.
“Well, lucky for me, I’m hard to kill, I said, trying to lighten the mood with a sheepish grin
“Don’t be so sure! If Mr. Madden hadn’t rushed you to the hospital, things could’ve been a lot worse,” she said, her flair for dramatics in full swing
Hearing Quinn’s name caught me off guard. Flashes of last night–his voice, his touch–came rushing back. For a moment, I wondered if it had all been a dream.
It’s too bad we couldn’t get the hotel’s security footage,” Raelyn said, her tone playful. “You should’ve seen Diana’s face! Mr. Madden carried you out like a hero, didn’t even glance back. She looked like she’d swallowed a lemon, shouting his name over and over. He ignored her completely
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Chapter 27
She mimicked Diana’s shocked expression, clearly trying to amuse me. “Then she tried to chase him in heels, tripped, and twisted her ankle. She was so mad she chucked her shoes!”
Raelynn tilted her head, studying me. “Ms. Hinton, if you ask me. Mr. Madden still cares about you. I say you take Diana
down!”
I chuckled faintly but couldn’t shake the swirling emotions inside me. She didn’t know the truth–that Quinn couldn’t stand me, that we were already divorced.
After everything that had happened, I wasn’t naive enough to think I had any place in his heart. Last night’s actions? Just basic decency, nothing more.
Later that afternoon. Aiden came by to remove my IV. “Do you even have any common sense?” he scolded, shaking his head.
I smiled sheepishly, steering the conversation elsewhere. “By the way, when you’re free, you should take Rose out. You know, hang out or something.
He frowned in confusion. “Rose? Why?”
I rolled my eyes. “Because she likes you! Are you seriously this clueless?”
His eyes widened. “Rose likes me? You’re joking, right?”
My temples throbbed as I sighed deeply, my gaze fixed on him.
His expression shifted as if processing something he didn’t quite believe. Finally, he muttered, “Even if that’s true, I’m not in the right place for something like that right now. Too much going on.”
He glanced at me with a mixture of frustration and concern. “Besides, I’ve been so busy with surgeries. I haven’t had time to check in on you properly”
“I don’t need you to take care of me,” I replied with a grin. “But seriously, think about it. You and Rose would be a great match!”
As I kept nudging him, he looked increasingly uneasy, a flicker of something I couldn’t quite place crossing his face.
“Enough about me,” he said abruptly. “Are you having issues with your parents?”
The sudden shift in topic caught me off guard. “What makes you say that?”
He hesitated. “Your morn stopped by yesterday. Skylar mentioned, casually, that you’ve moved out.”
I snorted. “Casually, huh? That’s her style.”
“What’s going on?” he pressed.
Aiden was more than a friend–he was like family–so I told him the truth. About the divorce. About how my mother had cut ties with me because of it.
“Quinn agreed to the divorce just like that?” he asked, surprised
1 lowered my gaze, my voice quiet. “I guess without the baby, I didn’t mean much to him anymore.”
Aiden ruffled my hair gently. “This is a fresh start, Natalia. A good one.”
I nodded, trying to believe him
He looked at me softly and asked with concern, “So where are you staying now?”
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“I’m crashing at a good friend’s place for now,” I lied, not wanting him to worry about it.
After leaving the hospital, I asked Raelynn to help me take a werk off work.
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In those days. I threw myself into house–hunting. Benedict was still so little, and just affording formula each month was a challenge. I had to be careful with every penny.
But every place I saw was either too expensive or too far from work.
Just as I was about to give up, my phone rang. It was Rose. “Natalia, are you looking for a place to stay?” she asked.
I froze. “Did Aiden tell you?”
Aside from Aiden, I couldn’t think of anyone else who knew I was without a place to stay.
She paused, then said awkwardly, “Uh, yeah… Anyway, my family has an empty apartment. Where are you? I’ll come get
you
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