Chapter 4
4.
The next morning, when sunlight spilled into the dining room, Claire was already fully dressed.
She was drinking coffee and looking at her phone, her brow slightly furrowed.
"What's wrong?" I brought over the scrambled eggs, my tone exactly as usual.
"The hospital called."
She put her phone down, her expression serious.
"They said there's a slight issue with Owen's checkup report. They want me to bring him in for a follow-up today."
I knew exactly what was happening.
But I let tension show on my face.
"What issue? Is it serious?"
"It shouldn't be a big deal."
She walked over and patted my shoulder soothingly.
"Probably just a routine re-check. Didn't Richard call you to the company for a meeting? I can just take Owen."
"But..."
"Don't worry."
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed my forehead.
"Owen is my son. How could I not care about him?"
What an ironic statement.
I nodded, suppressing a cold sneer.
"Alright. Call me anytime if something comes up."
As she led Owen out the door, Owen turned back and waved at me.
"Bye, Daddy!"
"Bye, baby."
I smiled in response.
The moment the door closed, the smile vanished from my face.
I first called my father, Richard Carter, then grabbed my coat and followed them out.
Kevin had already followed my orders, using the family safety tracker in Owen's backpack to confirm their destination.
I tailed Claire's car all the way to the hospital.
She carried Owen into the building.
Shortly after, I saw her hand Owen over to a doctor in a white coat.
The doctor led Owen toward the surgical prep area.
Just as the nurse scanned Owen's wristband, she found that Owen lacked a valid surgical consent form, and the pre-op verification couldn't match any legal donor case.
"Please stop."
The nurse immediately hit the pause button, demanding the doctor halt the process while notifying the Charge Nurse.
The doctor frowned, pulling up a digital authorization record.
"The authorization is already in the system. The child's mother signed it, and the transplant team is aware of this."
"This authorization cannot replace the confirmation of the other legal guardian."
The nurse stood in front of Owen, trying to keep him in place.
At that exact moment, I charged to the door of the surgical prep area.
"Let go of my son!"
I stepped in front of Owen, pulling him protectively behind me.
The doctor tried to explain, but I cut him off sharply:
"Nobody takes him anywhere without my consent!"
The security personnel my father dispatched arrived immediately, forming a protective ring around Owen.
The Charge Nurse then notified the police. Security first escorted Owen out of the surgical prep area, and Risk Management sealed the relevant records. When the police arrived, they began questioning the involved doctor and the staff present.
Only after I confirmed Owen hadn't undergone any procedures did I rush up to the third floor, escorted by security.
The door to Room 312 was cracked open, and the conversation inside drifted out clearly.
"...so Noah doesn't need to be scared. You can have the surgery right away."
"Really, Mom?"
Noah's voice carried expectation.
"After the surgery, will I stop hurting?"
"Mhm."
Claire said gently:
"Once you recover, you can go to school and to the amusement park just like other kids."
"Then..."
Noah's voice suddenly dropped.
"After the surgery, can Mom stay with me and Dad forever? You won't have to go back to that home?"
My hand gripped the door handle, my nails digging into my palm.
"Mom promises."
Claire's voice was so gentle it grated on my ears.
"When you're better, we'll be together forever."
"Then will Mom still want Owen?"
Noah pressed.
"Can you just have me as your only child?"
"Of course. He's just your donor—"
I clenched my fists deathly tight.
Right then, the Charge Nurse's voice rang out from the hallway:
"Ms. Bennett, please open the door. The procedure has been halted. Risk Management, security, and the police are outside."
Dead silence fell over the room.
The administrator knocked again.
"We need to immediately verify the safety of everyone in the room."
The lock finally clicked.
The second the door opened, security stepped in front. After Risk Management verified I was Owen's father, they signaled for me to enter with the security escort.
I stared at Claire's suddenly drained face and asked, word by word:
"Is my son the donor you're talking about?"