Chapter 0173
Chapter
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Marcus sat down, his patience already wearing thin as he waited. The door to the pediatrician’s office finally opened, and the doctor stepped out. Upon seeing Marcus, the doctor’s face registered immediate recognition.
“Mr. Bartz! Are you feeling alright? Do you need assistance?” the doctor asked, clearly uneasy. Being the son of the hospital’s owner, he was well aware that any visit from someone like Marcus would draw
attention.
“No, don’t worry about me,” Marcus replied, his tone calm. “I’m here for the woman you were just treating.”
“Oh, I see. Are you a relative of hers?” the doctor asked, his curiosity piqued. Confidentiality was paramount, and the woman inside didn’t seem to have any connection to such a prominent man.
“She seemed familiar. I just wanted to confirm if she’s an old friend.”
“I understand. Let me check with her and see if she’s willing to speak with you,” the doctor offered before heading back into the office.
Inside, Mary sat next to her baby, stroking the child’s sweaty forehead. The doctor addressed her gently.
“Miss, your little one is going to be fine. It’s just an infection, which is common at this age. Children explore the world with their mouths, but unfortunately, they don’t understand the dangers of what they put in there.”
“Doctor, we try to keep her safe, but my daughter is a little whirlwind. The second we take our eyes off her, she’s up to some mischief,” Mary said, attempting to justify the situation.
“There’s no need to worry. I’ll administer medication to fight the infection. The fever is just her body’s way of reacting to the illness. With the medicine, she’ll recover quickly.”
Mary let out a sigh of relief.
“Also,” the doctor continued, his tone now hesitant, there’s someone outside who wishes to speak with you. I wasn’t sure whether to mention it, but they said they’d wait until you came out. Perhaps they’ve mistaken you for someone else.”
Mary frowned in confusion. As far as she knew, there wasn’t anyone who would be looking for her. Her boss and coworkers didn’t even know she was at the hospital. The idea of being confused for someone else made more sense than someone actually seeking her out.
“Can I step out to see who it is?” she asked, unsure. “it’s a mistake, I don’t want them waiting unnecessarily.”
“Of course. Your daughter is sleeping now, and we need to monitor how the medication works, so there’s time.”
“Thank you. I’ll be right back.”
Outside, Marcus had leaned back in his chair, trying tomake the collar brace feel less suffocating. Just
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the thought of wearing it for a week was unbearable. It already itched and irritated him, making the whole ordeal even more frustrating.
When Mary emerged from the office, she immediately noticed the man sitting there with his eyes closed and legs crossed. He was tall and imposing, even while seated. The collar brace around his neck caught her attention, but she didn’t recognize him.
“Excuse me? Are you the one asking for me?” she asked cautiously.
The man’s eyes opened, sharp and focused, and he quickly rose to his feet.
“Mary Preston?” he said, his voice tinged with disbelief.
The sound of her former surname sent a shiver down Mary’s spine. She hadn’t heard anyone
two years.
use it in
When she arrived in Hesperia, she had made the decision to shed her former life completely. She’d taken the surname of her grandmother, becoming Valerie Mary Hunter. Without proper identification, she’d fabricated a story about losing all her documents in an earthquake. The officials scolded her for waiting so long but eventually helped her secure new papers.
Now, standing before this stranger, she felt exposed. She couldn’t believe someone had found her, much less addressed her by that name.
Seeing the fear in her eyes and the way she seemed ready to flee, Marcus gently grabbed her wrist to stop her.
“It is you, Mary! I’ve been searching for you for two years. Do you remember me?”
“No!” she exclaimed, trying to sound firm. “I’m sorry, but you must be mistaken.
“Of course I’m not mistaken. You are Mary Preston. You’re the ” Marcus stopped mid–sentence when he noticed her signaling him to remain quiet.
“Who are you? I don’t know you. I think you’ve confused me with someone else,” she said, attempting to free herself from his grip.
“Mary, I know who you are. I don’t understand why you’re pretending otherwise. I told you, I’ve been looking for you for years. My name is Marcus Bartz.
Η
She froze, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. This couldn’t be Marcus Bartz. The Marcus she remembered was an older man, one who used a cane, had long hair and sported a thick beard. The man standing before her didn’t match that image at all. He looked far younger and mote put–together.
“Here, look,” Marcus said, pulling out his wallet and showing her his driver’s license.
Still skeptical, she replied, “The man who helped me couldn’t be you. He was much older.”
“Mary,” Marcus began with a sigh. “When you were at the airport, my assistant Frederick gave you a bag embroidered with butterflies. Inside, there were two bundles of cash–about 20,000 dollars. Am I wrong?”
Her eyes widened, her stomach twisting. That was the amount. She had carefully counted it, using it to support herself through her pregnancy. It had been enough to give her some stability, but she knew it
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wouldn’t last forever. She’d found a job and stretched the money as much as possible, keeping the rest for emergencies like tonight.
But how could this man know such a specific detail? Her defenses wavered as she stared at him, searching for answers.
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