Chapter 21
“Brother!” Emma’s terrified cry echoed in the stairwell. She ran up holding an unconscious Eva, sobbing. “Brother, Eva just collapsed!”
Stay calm, Lucas told himself, his mind blank as he watched Emma fall to her knees with Eva’s flushed, unconscious form. Stay calm.
Issac had lingered nearby. Hearing Emma’s cry, he quickly knelt to examine Eva’s reddened face. “Emma? Don’t cry! This is a hospital – let’s get her to Emergency!”
“Emma,” Lucas lifted Eva’s shirt, revealing angry red hives. “Did she eat anything just now?”
Lucas’s sister had allergies, but Eva had never shown any reactions, so he and Evelyn hadn’t been overly concerned.
Wiping her tears, Emma recalled quickly: “She wouldn’t eat candy, so I bought her a sandwich… it had peanut butter!”
Without hesitation, Issac scooped up Eva. When Lucas reached for her, Issac gave him a cold look. “Someone needs to stay for Evelyn. I won’t harm her child. Let me take her!”
Lucas knew he was right. Eva needed immediate care, and Evelyn had just been declared critical… He clenched his jaw, watching Issac and Emma rush away with Eva, then slammed his fist into the wall.
Blood trickled from his knuckles as he let out an anguished cry.
Issac had been unwell since arriving at the hospital. He felt his body’s heat draining rapidly, the light form in his arms so small and soft – Evelyn’s child.
Her precious, beloved child.
So when his ankle gave way on the stairs, he instinctively clutched Eva close, using his arms and back to shield her from the sharp edges. Emma watched in horror as he stumbled. Issac forced himself up, quickly checking Eva’s condition.
“Mr. Hernandez, let me carry her!”
“I’m fine,” he gritted through the searing pain in his ankle, rushing toward Emergency.
The doctors quickly diagnosed Eva’s allergic reaction, administering epinephrine and chlorpheniramine.
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It’s Too Late for Your Expired Regrets
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Chapter 21
The frightening hives began to subside.
Emma couldn’t stop crying, blaming herself. She loved Eva and never imagined something would go wrong under her watch.
Issac finally relaxed, though his ankle throbbed mercilessly. Even the slightest movement brought cold sweat to his brow. He let Emma hold Eva and closed his eyes.
His fever was consuming his consciousness. Hearing Emma’s soft sobs, he murmured, “Stop crying Emma. It’s not your fault.”
Emma sniffled, wiping Eva’s sweaty face, “If I hadn’t bought that sandwich…”
“Nobody knew about her peanut allergy. Finding out in a hospital was actually fortunate. We’ll avoid these foods from now on.”
His logic made sense. Emma nodded, finally noticing Issac’s feverish flush and cracked lips. “Mr. Hernandez, are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” he frowned through the pain, barely able to think. “I’m thirsty. Could you get me some water,
Eve-”
He was clearly about to say “Evelyn.” Emma thought to herself that while Mr. Hernandez seemed to know Evelyn was alive, did he know Eva was his daughter?
Perhaps there would never be a better moment to ask.
Her heart racing, Emma carefully adjusted Eva in her arms while passing Issac a cup of water. The drink seemed to revive him slightly, though his posture remained strained.
After a long moment of internal debate, Emma ventured softly: “Mr. Hernandez… about you and
Evelyn…”
Issac’s eyes grew distant, unfocused. Finally, he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. “She was everything to me.”
Emma felt her chest tighten. Issac had proven himself to be not just a good boss, but a genuinely caring person. She couldn’t fathom why Evelyn would let him believe she was dead for three years.
Marcus had told her about Issac’s regular psychiatric appointments, how deeply this had affected him.
“Was there some kind of misunderstanding?” Emma asked gently. “If there is, maybe talking it through… I mean, you still love her, don’t you?”
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“Yes.”
Maybe it was the fever breaking down his walls, or the pain making him vulnerable, but something made Issac want to talk. Emma’s earnest concern reminded him of Evelyn’s way of looking at him, years ago.
“I love her,” he said, his voice raw with emotion. “I loved her eight years ago, three years ago, and I love
her still and it will last forever.”
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Chapter 22
