Chapter 4
Meanwhile, over in the kids' ward.
Owen stayed with Lily through her gastroscopy. When the doctors confirmed it was a viral infection causing her to throw up, and that her life wasn't in danger, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Once Lily got her medicine, settled down, and drifted off to sleep, Owen finally remembered Aurora.
He glanced at his watch. Over three hours had gone by already.
Owen rubbed his brow, pushing through his exhaustion as he made his way back to the floor where the operating rooms were.
The hallway was deserted, and the operating room light was off.
'Was the surgery over?' Owen wondered.
Owen pushed open the door to Aurora's assigned room, only to find it completely empty.
The sheets and blankets were all brand new.
His heart clenched instinctively. He turned to the nurse on duty and asked, "Where's the patient who was in this room?"
The nurse checked the records and looked up. "Mr. Jackson, the family of the patient in bed 37 checked her out shortly after the surgery. She's already left."
'She's out already?' Owen thought, stunned. 'She had an abortion, and she's still not stable. How could she leave so soon?'
He couldn't figure out what Aurora was trying to pull.
'Is she really willing to risk her own health to spite me?' Owen thought.
Owen felt a surge of anger rising in his chest.
Without a second thought, he turned and left the hospital.
He sped straight to the Carter residence.
He couldn't let Aurora keep acting recklessly. He had to get her back to the hospital, and once she recovered, he'd personally take her back to the island.
But as Owen pulled up in front of the Carter residence, he saw Aurora stepping out through the main gate.
She was still dressed in her hospital gown, holding a box.
Inside were her mother's few remaining belongings, which were her most treasured possessions.
After leaving today, she would no longer be part of the Carter family.
She turned, ready to leave.
But as she stepped out of the gate, she spotted Owen waiting a short distance away.
Owen strode over at once, instantly noticing the bright red slap mark on Aurora's face.
He frowned, about to ask her what had happened.
But Aurora spoke first. "Owen, I'm dying."
Owen froze for a moment, but before he could react, Aurora continued, "Let me go, and I'll let you go, too, okay?"
After the surgery, as soon as she woke up, the doctor told her, "Ms. Carter, you're in the final stage of leukemia. Unless you get a suitable bone marrow transplant, you have three days to live."
Aurora chose not to fight it.
Three days were enough time for her to settle her affairs.
Ever since her mother passed away, there was no one left in this world who loved her unconditionally.
Owen frowned, staring at Aurora's face, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes. "Aurora, what kind of nonsense is that?"
He didn't buy it for a second.
After all, he'd seen her annual checkups on the island. She always looked perfectly healthy and never showed any signs of illness.
'She's pretending,' Owen thought to himself. 'She must be trying to win my sympathy with this act.'
But the emotionless look on her face made him strangely restless.
He remembered Aurora wasn't always like this.
Back then, whenever she saw him, her eyes would sparkle with hope and anticipation, always full of surprise she couldn't hide.
But now, there was nothing left in those eyes. They were lifeless.
As he was about to reach out and take her hand, a sharp voice suddenly rang out from nearby.
Evelyn burst out of the yard, her face full of anger as she pointed at Aurora. "Owen, Aurora stole the ruby bracelet my mother gave me."
Owen's hand froze in midair.
He glanced at Evelyn, then at Aurora.
When Owen noticed Aurora's blank face and that she didn't try to explain herself, his face turned cold as he pressed her, "Aurora, did you take Evelyn's ruby bracelet?"
Evelyn stormed over and snatched at the box in Aurora's hands, her face contorted with fury. "My ruby bracelet has got to be in your box."
Aurora held it, refusing to let go.
She shot Owen a look, her voice rough and strained. "These are all I have left of my mother."
Owen was taken aback for a moment.
He opened his mouth to say something, but Evelyn cut him off, "Owen, don't trust her. She stole it, and now she's acting all innocent. That ruby bracelet my mom gave me is worth a lot. She can't walk away from this."
Owen's gaze lingered on Aurora's face for a moment, his expression serious. "If you didn't take it, open the box and prove it."