Chapter 4
The Hart Enterprises headquarters towered above the city, its glass walls blazing with the midday sun.
Vivian stood at the base, staring up, and thought the whole building looked as lifeless and intimidating as a giant gravestone.
She clutched her bag strap, the edge of the ultrasound scan pressing sharply into her palm.
The receptionist recognized her and, with polite detachment, guided her to the executive elevator.
The elevator glided upward, her pale face staring back at her from the mirrored walls.
Vivian fixed her hair in the mirror, her fingertips numb with cold.
The entire twenty-eighth floor was all CEO suites and executive spaces.
The hallway was carpeted so thickly that her steps were silent.
Leon's secretary spotted her, something unreadable flashing in her eyes.
"Mr. Hart is inside," the secretary said quietly but hesitated. "But..."
Before she could finish, the office door suddenly swung open.
Rachel was pushed out in a wheelchair, Leon's suit jacket draped over her shoulders.
She looked pale, her lips nearly bloodless, but the moment her eyes landed on Vivian, they grew misty with tears.
"Vivian..." Her voice was so soft. "Why are you here?"
Leon stepped out behind her, his brow furrowing slightly when he saw Vivian. "You heard about the compatibility results?"
Vivian's eyes fell on his hand, lying on the wheelchair's armrest.
That hand, with its sharp knuckles, was gently resting on Rachel's, comforting her with a soft touch.
"Leon," Vivian said, her voice rough. "I need a word with you."
"If you're here to ask for a delay, don't bother," Leon said, motioning the caregiver to wheel Rachel to the lounge. He turned and strode back to his office. "Come in."
Vivian followed him in and closed the door behind her.
The office was spacious and almost barren, one entire wall of floor-to-ceiling windows framing the city skyline.
Leon didn't take his seat at the desk; instead, he stood facing the window, his back to her.
"Rachel's condition has gotten worse," he said. "The surgery needs to happen as soon as possible."
"Leon." Vivian walked up behind him and pulled the neatly folded ultrasound scan from her bag. "Look at this."
Leon turned around, took the paper, and unfolded it.
Time seemed to crawl by at that moment.
Vivian stared at Leon, desperately searching his deep, unreadable eyes for any sign of emotion—surprise, hesitation, even the tiniest crack in his composure.
But she found nothing at all.
Leon glanced at the ultrasound scan and then looked up at her, his voice flat. "So? What am I supposed to make of this?"
"I'm pregnant," Vivian said, her voice shaking. "Six weeks... It's our baby."
"So?"
That word sent a chill straight through Vivian.
Vivian opened her mouth, her throat tightening. "So... the surgery can't happen. Donating a kidney puts too much strain on the mother. It could harm the baby, and my body can't handle it right now..."
"Vivian." Leon cut her off, tossing the ultrasound scan onto the desk without a second glance. "Did you really think this would make me reconsider?"
He stepped closer, his shadow looming over her.
"First, how do you even know this baby's mine?" Leon's voice was chillingly calm, almost cruel. "Second, even if it is, which one do you think matters more to me? A barely-formed fetus, or Rachel's life?"
Vivian stumbled back, her back slamming into the cold glass wall.
"What are you saying..." Vivian's voice trembled. "How can you say something like that..."
"Am I wrong?" Leon stared at her, his eyes colder than she'd ever seen. "Rachel's been waiting for this kidney for half a year. Now that we've finally found a match, you want me to let her die for a baby that might not even survive?"
"It's your child too." Tears finally spilled down Vivian's cheeks as she grabbed his sleeve. "Leon, look at me. This is your flesh and blood. Do you really not care at all?"
Just then, the office door eased open.
Rachel was wheeled in by the caregiver, stopping right at the doorway.
She saw what was happening inside, tears falling fast. "Leon, please... let's cancel the surgery. I can't let Vivian and her baby get hurt because of me..."
"Don't say that." Leon instantly turned and went to her, crouching down to grasp her hand. "The surgery has to proceed. You can't take any more delays."
He looked up at Vivian, his tone absolute. "The operation is scheduled for the morning after tomorrow. Rest up these next couple of days."
Then he turned and wheeled Rachel out, without so much as a backward glance at Vivian.
The office door closed softly behind them.
Vivian slowly slid down to the floor, the chill from the glass wall seeping through her clothes.
Vivian reached for the ultrasound sheet resting on the edge of the table, her fingers shaking badly.
On the black-and-white scan, that tiny little life rested quietly.
She pressed it tightly to her chest, curled into herself, her sobs soundless.