Chapter 4 · Bedded in Deception

Chapter 4

Edward had his back to me, one hand braced against the rock wall, the other wrapped around Sophie's waist.

Sophie tilted her face up, her arms hooked around his neck, standing on her tiptoes as she clung to him.

Her floral dress fluttered in the breeze, tangled with Edward's polo shirt.

They kissed without a care in the world, right in the middle of the crowded amusement park.

I stood there, clutching Leo's little hand.

Leo looked up at me and asked, "Mommy, what are you looking at?"

I lowered my head, quickly changing the subject. "Nothing. Come on, let's go ride the little train."

I took both kids by the hand and hurried around the rockery.

The little train went around three times.

Milo finally got tired and leaned against my shoulder, getting sleepy.

Leo also looked a little worn out and asked if he could have some ice cream.

We were on our way to get ice cream when, out of nowhere, a man rammed right into Milo, who was in my arms.

I instinctively tightened my hold, trying to keep him steady.

But the momentum was too much.

Milo slipped from my grasp and tumbled to the ground.

Milo started crying right away.

I quickly crouched down to help him up.

His face was covered in blood from his nose.

"It's okay. Mommy's here," I said, trying to comfort him.

I frantically searched my bag for tissues and pressed them to his nose.

But the bleeding wouldn't stop.

Milo cried for a bit, and then his crying got quieter.

I thought he was fine now.

I reached out to lift him.

But all of a sudden, his whole body went limp, and his head lolled to the side.

"Baby? Baby," I called out, my voice trembling.

People around us turned to look, alarmed by my voice.

I desperately slapped Milo's face, but he didn't respond at all.

Leo stood there. He was too scared to make a sound.

Someone called an ambulance for us.

I fumbled for my phone and called Edward Grant.

After three rings, he ended the call.

I called him again.

He hung up again.

I tried calling him a third time.

This time, he hung up after one ring.

The time on my phone read 10:47 a.m.

Children's laughter filled the air throughout the amusement park.

My child was limp in my arms, and I had no idea if he was alive.

But his father was behind the rocks, wrapped up with another woman.

When I couldn't get through, I sent him voice messages.

I said, "Edward, something's happened to Milo. Please come quickly.

"Edward, answer your phone. Milo's bleeding a lot, and he's passed out.

"Edward, Milo's in serious trouble."

All three voice messages went out, but it was like shouting into the void. No response at all.

When the ambulance arrived, I glanced down at my phone.

Edward still hadn't messaged me back.

I let out a bitter laugh, and my tears splattered onto the phone screen.

The doctor said Milo's nose injury had caused bleeding in his brain. He was so little, and the outlook was grim.

Whether he'd make it or not, the next twenty-four hours would decide everything.

I sat in the hospital chair for what felt like forever.

Suddenly, the elevator doors at the end of the hallway slid open.

Edward strode out first, his steps quick and his brow furrowed.

Sophie followed half a step behind him. Her makeup was freshly touched up, and her lipstick was a bold new color.

Edward hurried over to me.

"Emily, what happened? Is Milo okay? I rushed over as soon as I saw your message," he said.

I looked up at him.

He looked calm, not a bead of sweat on him, and not out of breath.

His hair was neat, and his polo shirt was spotless.

There was still a trace of Sophie's lipstick on his lips.

It turned out that while he was sneaking around with Sophie, my son's life meant nothing to him.

I gave him a bitter, desperate smile.

"You're finally here," I said.

Sophie hovered behind him, shooting a look at the tightly shut emergency room door, then at me.

There was finally a trace of worry in Edward's voice. "What did the doctor say?" he asked.

"There's bleeding in his brain; he's unconscious. The next twenty-four hours will decide if he wakes up or not," I answered.

Edward's face went pale.

Sophie spoke up softly, "Emily, don't worry. Given how advanced medical technology is nowadays, Milo will be okay."

I shot her a look and stood up.

"I'm going to talk to the doctor," I said.

With that, I turned and headed toward the emergency room.

Behind me, I could hear Edward and Sophie talking.

"Why did you come? Didn't I tell you to head home?" Edward whispered.

"I was worried about you," Sophie replied.

"Worried about what? What if she finds out?" Edward said.

"There's lipstick on your lips. I forgot to mention it," Sophie said.

"Shit," Edward muttered.

I pushed open the doctor's office door and closed it firmly behind me.

Leaving their voices and drama outside.

Then my phone rang.

"Ms. Vance, we've discovered that Edward's brother, your brother-in-law, passed away all the way back eight years ago," came the voice on the other end.

Chapter 4

Edward had his back to me, one hand braced against the rock wall, the other wrapped around Sophie's waist.

Sophie tilted her face up, her arms hooked around his neck, standing on her tiptoes as she clung to him.

Her floral dress fluttered in the breeze, tangled with Edward's polo shirt.

They kissed without a care in the world, right in the middle of the crowded amusement park.

I stood there, clutching Leo's little hand.

Leo looked up at me and asked, "Mommy, what are you looking at?"

I lowered my head, quickly changing the subject. "Nothing. Come on, let's go ride the little train."

I took both kids by the hand and hurried around the rockery.

The little train went around three times.

Milo finally got tired and leaned against my shoulder, getting sleepy.

Leo also looked a little worn out and asked if he could have some ice cream.

We were on our way to get ice cream when, out of nowhere, a man rammed right into Milo, who was in my arms.

I instinctively tightened my hold, trying to keep him steady.

But the momentum was too much.

Milo slipped from my grasp and tumbled to the ground.

Milo started crying right away.

I quickly crouched down to help him up.

His face was covered in blood from his nose.

"It's okay. Mommy's here," I said, trying to comfort him.

I frantically searched my bag for tissues and pressed them to his nose.

But the bleeding wouldn't stop.

Milo cried for a bit, and then his crying got quieter.

I thought he was fine now.

I reached out to lift him.

But all of a sudden, his whole body went limp, and his head lolled to the side.

"Baby? Baby," I called out, my voice trembling.

People around us turned to look, alarmed by my voice.

I desperately slapped Milo's face, but he didn't respond at all.

Leo stood there. He was too scared to make a sound.

Someone called an ambulance for us.

I fumbled for my phone and called Edward Grant.

After three rings, he ended the call.

I called him again.

He hung up again.

I tried calling him a third time.

This time, he hung up after one ring.

The time on my phone read 10:47 a.m.

Children's laughter filled the air throughout the amusement park.

My child was limp in my arms, and I had no idea if he was alive.

But his father was behind the rocks, wrapped up with another woman.

When I couldn't get through, I sent him voice messages.

I said, "Edward, something's happened to Milo. Please come quickly.

"Edward, answer your phone. Milo's bleeding a lot, and he's passed out.

"Edward, Milo's in serious trouble."

All three voice messages went out, but it was like shouting into the void. No response at all.

When the ambulance arrived, I glanced down at my phone.

Edward still hadn't messaged me back.

I let out a bitter laugh, and my tears splattered onto the phone screen.

The doctor said Milo's nose injury had caused bleeding in his brain. He was so little, and the outlook was grim.

Whether he'd make it or not, the next twenty-four hours would decide everything.

I sat in the hospital chair for what felt like forever.

Suddenly, the elevator doors at the end of the hallway slid open.

Edward strode out first, his steps quick and his brow furrowed.

Sophie followed half a step behind him. Her makeup was freshly touched up, and her lipstick was a bold new color.

Edward hurried over to me.

"Emily, what happened? Is Milo okay? I rushed over as soon as I saw your message," he said.

I looked up at him.

He looked calm, not a bead of sweat on him, and not out of breath.

His hair was neat, and his polo shirt was spotless.

There was still a trace of Sophie's lipstick on his lips.

It turned out that while he was sneaking around with Sophie, my son's life meant nothing to him.

I gave him a bitter, desperate smile.

"You're finally here," I said.

Sophie hovered behind him, shooting a look at the tightly shut emergency room door, then at me.

There was finally a trace of worry in Edward's voice. "What did the doctor say?" he asked.

"There's bleeding in his brain; he's unconscious. The next twenty-four hours will decide if he wakes up or not," I answered.

Edward's face went pale.

Sophie spoke up softly, "Emily, don't worry. Given how advanced medical technology is nowadays, Milo will be okay."

I shot her a look and stood up.

"I'm going to talk to the doctor," I said.

With that, I turned and headed toward the emergency room.

Behind me, I could hear Edward and Sophie talking.

"Why did you come? Didn't I tell you to head home?" Edward whispered.

"I was worried about you," Sophie replied.

"Worried about what? What if she finds out?" Edward said.

"There's lipstick on your lips. I forgot to mention it," Sophie said.

"Shit," Edward muttered.

I pushed open the doctor's office door and closed it firmly behind me.

Leaving their voices and drama outside.

Then my phone rang.

"Ms. Vance, we've discovered that Edward's brother, your brother-in-law, passed away all the way back eight years ago," came the voice on the other end.