Chapter 8
Zoe was beside herself with worry. She stared straight ahead, unable to process a single word Sylvie had said. Sylvie didn’t offer any further explanation. She closed the door and headed upstairs to rest.
The rain poured all night long. The next day, when Sylvie came downstairs, she discovered Zoe had never left. Zoe had knelt in the courtyard the entire night.
Her face was deathly pale, and her whole body was weak and shaky, swaying as though she might topple over at any second. Seeing her in such a fragile condition, Sylvie was startled and moved forward to support her.
But as she reached out, Soren burst in and pushed her away. He was still in his hospital gown, his face drained of color, yet he clutched Zoe tightly.
His hand brushed her feverish forehead. When he turned back to Sylvie, his eyes turned icy and piercing.
“Sylvie! She never offended you! How could you force her to kneel all night in this storm? Do you really have no heart?”
Sylvie clenched her fists at his furious words, her voice thick with exhaustion. “This isn’t my fault. I told her to leave last night. She decided to stay and kneel here for hours without saying a word.”
“You expect me to buy that? Zoe’s unconscious now. She can’t defend herself, so you can make up whatever story you want. But we both know what really went down. So, save your lame excuses! You’d better hope nothing happens to her. Otherwise, I swear you’ll pay for it.”
With that, Soren rushed Zoe to the hospital. He even commanded his men to force Sylvie into the car with them.
The entire way, Soren kept his gaze fixed on the unconscious Zoe, his heartache so intense it felt like it was about to spill from his eyes. Over and over, he urged the driver to speed up.
The driver was drenched in sweat, his nerves stretched to the breaking point. As they rounded a corner, he slammed on the gas pedal, not noticing the sports car approaching from an angle behind them.
A moment later, the two cars collided head–on. Sylvie was sitting in the passenger seat and bore the full force of the crash. Her head slammed into the door, and it felt like her insides were violently jolted.
The pain was unbearable. Struggling to catch her breath, she drifted in and out of consciousness, consumed by a fog of pain and confusion. Her eyelids grew too heavy to keep open, and her vision was flooded with red,
Just before passing out, Sylvie spotted Soren through the shattered car window, his back turned as he carried Zoe away, her body soaked in blood.
Weak and confused, Sylvie barely heard the far–off wail of an ambulance and the clipped voices of doctors speaking urgently.
“This woman has a ruptured artery and needs emergency surgery. She could die if we don’t act now. Sir, are you sure you want us to prioritize the patient with the fever? Her injuries aren’t life–threatening, and delaying treatment won’t put her at risk.”
Soren’s response drifted through the door. It was the final thing Sylvie processed before her consciousness faded entirely.
“The only thing that matters is Zoe’s safety. Make sure Zoe is taken care of first, no matter how bad Sylvie’s condition is! I don’t care about anyone else!”
Sylvie woke up from a long nightmare to find Larry and Carolyn, their faces streaked with tears.
“Sylvie, the doctor told us you were almost too far gone to save. Your dad and I were so scared we thought our hearts would give out. Thank goodness you’re okay!”
A wave of relief swept over Sylvie after the close call. She couldn’t stop the tears from flowing down her face.
The three of them clung to each other and cried for what felt like forever. Only when Larry and Carolyn had finally pulled themselves together did they gently wipe Sylvie’s tears.
“Your injuries are serious. What if we put off the trip overseas for a month?”
As Sylvie recalled everything that had happened since her rebirth, a chill ran down her spine. Without a second thought, she shook her head firmly.
“We can’t put this off. Mom, Dad, Elyndria has great medical facilities too. I can get proper treatment there. Let’s stick to the schedule and leave tomorrow afternoon like we planned.”
Chapter 9
