Chapter 16
At Mount Sinai, Harper was pacing frantically.[]
Amelia had Rh–negative blood–rare as hell. When Amelia had mentioned terminating the pregnancy, Harper had suggested ordering compatible blood first, just in case.[]
That was only a few days ago. The blood bank hadn’t received the shipment yet.]
If they needed a transfusion…]]
Harper had known Amelia since they were kids. They’d been inseparable growing up.[]
Harper came from a family of doctors–she’d absorbed medical knowledge practically from birth. But back then, most of what she knew was just textbook stuff from overhearing her parents talk shop.
Until that one day changed everything.[]
She and Amelia had snuck out to go joyriding when they were fifteen. Harper had always been an adrenaline junkie–she’d stolen her older brother’s motorcycle and taken Amelia for a spin.]
Big bike, gorgeous best friend riding behind her–Harper felt like the coolest person alive.
She’d gotten cocky, taken the curves too fast.]
They’d crashed hard.[]
Harper walked away with just scrapes and bruises, but Amelia had been thrown twenty feet and hit a boulder. Her leg was split open, a massive gash bleeding everywhere.[]
Harper had never seen so much blood in her life.
She’d called 911 immediately, but they were way out in the countryside. By the time the ambulance reached the hospital, Amelia had lost dangerous amounts of blood.
That’s when Harper learned what “Rh–negative” actually meant.
The small rural hospital didn’t have compatible blood in stock. Harper watched Amelia slip into shock from blood loss, crying and screaming into her phone for her dad to save her best friend.]
They’d managed to save Amelia’s life, but Harper never forgot how close they’d come to losing her.
Amelia still had a scar on her leg from that day. Even after several laser treatments, the wound had been too deep to completely erase. To make Harper feel less guilty, Amelia had dragged her to a tattoo parlor so they could get matching sister tattoos over their scars.
“Mia…” Harper whispered, picking up her phone again.]
“Hey, it’s Harper Lopez from Mount Sinai…”
“Yes, I have a pregnant car accident victim who might need Rh–negative blood. It’s urgent!“[]
“Hello, is this the blood donor network?”
“Right, send as many people as you can. We don’t need it yet, but better safe than sorry!“]
“Thank you so much…“]
After making several calls to get the emergency blood drive moving, Harper felt slightly better.[]
She still didn’t know Amelia’s exact condition, which was driving her insane.[]
Chapter 16
To distract herself, Harper got the full story from the police officer.
Learning what had actually happened made her break out in a cold sweat.[]
“You’re saying someone tried to murder her?”
But who?
Harper’s mind raced through possibilities.
Could be old enemies from the Visconti family collapse.
Could be connected to Nathan’s business–someone targeting his wife to get to Harrison Industries.
Hell, with all the Vivian Hope death countdown drama trending online, some psycho fan could’ve gone after Amelia. Harper had seen that kind of thing before.
Work conflicts, personal grudges–too many possibilities.[]
The suspect pool was enormous.[]
Inside the trauma bay, Amelia drifted in and out of consciousness.[]
She could barely sense what was happening around her. People examining her, the constant beeping and whirring of medical equipment.[]
Metal instruments clinking. Monitors alarming. Voices talking.
She caught fragments: “bleeding,” “pregnant,” other medical terms she couldn’t quite process.
The baby…
Her baby.
Amelia remembered now.
Using every ounce of strength she had, she managed to whisper: “Doctor… save my baby.”
She’d changed her mind.
Before losing consciousness at the police station, the panic and grief had almost destroyed her.
At first, she’d wanted this baby because it would be hers and Nathan’s–proof of their love.[]
Later, when she gave up on Nathan, she’d given up on the baby too.
But over these past weeks, feeling it growing inside her, becoming real…]
Gradually, she’d started having doubts about her decision.[]
Now that she was actually losing it, she realized…]
How much she didn’t want to let go. How heartbroken she was.]
This was her child, connected to her by blood and DNA.[]
Like the Rh–negative blood she’d inherited from her father.
Blood of her blood.
This was her baby
It had nothing to do with Nathan.[]
This child was hers alone.]
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