Chapter 2
"Sophie, how about Mommy takes you away? Let's just go without Daddy," Emily whispered.
"Why are we leaving Daddy? Is he still mad at me?" Sophie's voice got softer and softer. "Mommy, I'll apologize to Daddy, okay? Can you ask him not to be mad at me? I really don't like being in the hospital."
Sophie's voice faded as her little hand slipped helplessly from Emily's cheek. She closed her eyes, looking so tired, like she just couldn't hold on anymore.
Emily's heart raced wildly as she clutched Sophie's tiny hand, and her voice trembled.
"Sophie, what's wrong? Please, open your eyes. Stay with me, honey," Emily pleaded desperately.
But Sophie stayed completely still, showing no response.
Emily frantically called out for the doctor.
A nurse hurried over, and when she saw how pale Sophie was, her eyes widened in alarm.
"Post-op infection! She needs emergency care right now!" the nurse cried out.
Emily wailed, tears pouring down her cheeks.
"Get a doctor, now!" she screamed.
The nurse looked torn, clearly at a loss.
"Mr. Bennett had all the doctors reassigned. There's no one left for emergency care," the nurse said.
Emily grabbed her phone with trembling hands, panic etched across her face.
"I'm calling him right now!" Emily shouted.
She called eighteen times, but nobody ever answered.
Emily was relentless. She stubbornly dialed again, making it the nineteenth call.
Finally, the call connected.
"Edward, Soph—" Emily's voice broke.
All the monitors flatlined, blaring alarms.
Emily froze, numb, staring in disbelief at Sophie, lifeless on the operating table.
Edward's voice came through the phone. He couldn't hide how happy he was.
"Emily, Lucas just got out of surgery. It went perfectly. He's totally okay now," Edward said.
"Why did you call so many times? Did Sophie wake up and want to see me? I'll be right there," Edward added.
Emily closed her eyes, her voice rough and broken.
"We don't need you anymore," she whispered.
From this moment on, neither Sophie nor Emily would ever need Edward again.
*****
The nurse looked at Emily with pity, removed all the medical equipment, and quietly left, leaving the room to the mother who had just lost her child.
The moment the operating room doors closed, all the strength seemed to drain from Emily. She sank to the floor, her eyes void of all emotion.
Memories rushed through Emily's mind. Sophie as a tiny bundle in her arms, the first time she whispered "Mommy," the first unsteady steps across the living room floor...
All those moments kept replaying in Emily's mind, until everything stopped at the sight of Sophie's pale face, lying on the cold operating table.
Her whole being was consumed by pain, yet not a single tear would fall.
After what felt like forever, Emily finally managed to stand, gathering Sophie's lifeless body into her arms. She rocked her gently, just like she used to when Sophie was a baby.
"Sophie, Mommy's taking you away," Emily murmured.
Her legs felt impossibly heavy, every step dragging her down like she was wading through sorrow itself.
By the time she reached the operating room doors, she came face to face with Edward, who had a faint smile on his lips.
"Emily, Lucas is out of surgery, and everything went smoothly. I came to see how Sophie is doing," Edward said.
Smoothly?
She bit down hard on her lip, her heart aching so much she could barely breathe.
Everything went smoothly for Lucas, but it cost Sophie her life!
"Sophie doesn't need a father who doesn't love her," Emily said.
Edward's smile stilled. Pain flickered briefly in his eyes.
"Emily, I love Sophie," Edward said steadily. "She's my daughter. Everything I've done has been to protect her. I want her to grow up without fear and without pain."
He sounded so sincere, acting like he was the perfect dad.
But then Emily laughed, the sound sharp and full of heartbreak, her chest flooded with endless sorrow.
The worst pain Sophie ever had in her life was all because of her father.
"Love? If you really loved Sophie, how could you put her on that operating table? Do you even realize..." Emily's voice trembled.
Sophie thought she'd done something wrong. She thought that was why Edward sent her to the hospital. Even with her last breath, she was apologizing to him.
But those words caught in her throat. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't say another thing.
Edward saw the redness in Emily's eyes, and his heart twisted painfully. He hurried to explain, his voice shaky and desperate.
"I promise that this will never happen again. Lucas' condition was so critical. He couldn't wait for another donor. They're siblings, after all..." Edward said.
But when he saw the color draining from Emily's face, Edward paused and then shifted the topic.
"Has Sophie not woken up from the anesthesia yet? Let me take her to the ward. I'll stay by her side until she wakes up," Edward offered.
Emily's grip on Sophie's hand tightened without her even realizing it, grief closing in on her like a suffocating net, squeezing the air from her lungs.
He still had no idea that Sophie was never going to open her eyes again.
Just as Edward was about to reach for Sophie, a bodyguard rushed over.
"Mr. Bennett, Lucas is awake and crying for you. He says if he doesn't see you, he'll rip out his IV drip. Even Ms. Shaw can't get him to calm down," the bodyguard said urgently.
"He just got out of surgery. How can he be acting out like this!" Edward snapped, but the worry in his eyes gave him away.
He drew his hand back, guilt flickering in his eyes as he looked at Emily.
"Emily, can you stay with Sophie for now? I'll go calm Lucas down and come right back," Edward said.
"Edward," Emily said, her voice chillingly calm, "this is the last chance you'll ever get."
If he walked out that door, he'd never get to see Sophie again.
But Edward completely misunderstood. He thought Emily had forgiven him for everything he'd done today, and he actually breathed a sigh of relief.
"Once Lucas recovers and leaves the hospital, I promise I'll make it up to you and Sophie. We'll be a happy family again, just like before," Edward said.
Emily stood there, holding Sophie close, watching as Edward strode away without a second glance. A bitter, mocking smile tugged at her lips.
He believed they could return to what they once had, a family of three. He was wrong. That future no longer existed.