Chapter 2
Lucien finally caught up to me, trailing right behind, his voice shaking. "Michelle, slow down, watch your step..."
"Watch my step?" I shot back at him.
I turned to look at him, and at last, the tears started to fall.
"Lucien, if something happens to Lorenzo, I'll never forgive you. Not ever."
As I burst out of the building, the night wind hit me, cold and sharp. I flagged down a taxi, and the driver, seeing me soaked through and clutching Lorenzo, looked startled but quickly let us in.
"The nearest hospital. Now!" I shouted.
The car started moving. I looked down at Lorenzo, his tiny body curled up in my arms, eyes closed, long lashes drooping. He looked just like he was sleeping.
But he wasn't breathing.
"Lorenzo, open your eyes and look at me... Mommy's back. I won't go on business trips anymore. I'll stay with you every single day, okay?"
My tears splashed down onto his cold little face.
"Mommy bought you a new toy, that singing bear you love so much. You haven't even played with it yet..."
Lucien sat in the passenger seat, constantly glancing back at us, his face ashen.
Sophia didn't follow us.
If she had the nerve to come after us, I would've ripped her to shreds right then and there.
The lights in the ER were harsh and blinding. I burst in, clutching Lorenzo, my voice cracking as I shouted.
"Doctor! Please, help my son! He's had a near-drowning accident!"
Nurses and doctors rushed over, pulling me back. I could only watch as they placed Lorenzo on a gurney and wheeled him into the trauma room.
As the doors slammed shut, my legs buckled and I sank to the floor.
Lucien hurried over to help me, but I pushed him away, refusing his touch.
"Don't touch me," I snapped.
"Michelle, I..." Lucien stammered.
"I don't want to hear a word from you right now," I said, leaning against the cold wall, my eyes locked on the red light above the emergency room door. "Not a single word."
Time ticked by, second after second.
Every second felt like an eternity.
My mind was consumed with thoughts of Lorenzo.
I remembered the first time he smiled at me, the day his first tooth came in, the way he babbled "Mommy," even if it was unclear, I always knew he meant me.
He was only eight months old.
His life hadn't even begun yet.
Lucien's phone rang. He glanced at the screen, stepped aside, and answered in a low voice.
"Sophia, I'm at the hospital... Still no news... Don't come over. Michelle's really not herself right now..."
I closed my eyes.
A sharp ringing filled my ears, drowning out all the noise in the hospital.
I sat on the bench outside the ER.
Lucien was kneeling next to me, his head buried, shoulders shaking.
But I refused to look at him. Not even once.
From down the hallway, I heard hurried footsteps. My father-in-law, Douglas Carter, and my mother-in-law, Madeleine Carter, rushed over, with Sophia following behind, like she belonged here.
She really had the nerve to show up.
As soon as Madeleine saw the ER doors closed, she snapped at Lucien.
"What happened? Seriously, what happened! How could the baby just fall into the bathtub like that?"
Douglas gave me a quick glance before frowning and asking.
"Michelle, did you sign that merger contract?"
I looked up at the man I'd called Dad for four years, though he never really acted like one.
His son was fooling around with his secretary, his grandson's life was hanging by a thread in the ER, and the first thing out of his mouth was about the contract.
"Yes," I answered, my voice so hoarse it barely sounded like me.
Douglas's expression eased a little.
"Good. This deal means everything to our group..."
"Dad!" Lucien shouted, his voice breaking.
He stood up, his eyes bloodshot.
"Lorenzo... Lorenzo's gone..."
Madeleine paused for a moment, then suddenly turned to glare at me.
"What do you mean he's gone? Michelle! Are you even a mother? You can't even look after your own child! I kept telling you to quit your job and stay home with him, but you never listened! Now look what happened! My grandson is gone! Give me back my grandson!"
She rushed over, her finger nearly poking me in the face.
I hugged Lorenzo even tighter, keeping silent.
Just then, Sophia stepped forward and gently held Madeleine back.
"Mrs. Carter, please calm down, take care of yourself... Michelle didn't mean for this to happen. She's been so busy with work, it's understandable she made a mistake..."
"A mistake?" Madeleine snapped, her anger spiking.
Madeleine's fury burned even hotter.
"A mistake? How is this just a mistake? This is murder! My grandson was only eight months old! Michelle, why wasn't it you? Why couldn't you have died instead!"
"Mom!" Lucien shouted, grabbing her arm.
Lucien grabbed her arm.
"Stop it!" he said sharply.
"Why shouldn't I say it? My grandson is gone! The Carter family line is finished!" Madeleine cried out.
She dropped to the floor, slapping her thighs and howling.
"My poor sweet boy... How could you be so unlucky... Born to such an irresponsible mother..."