Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
Martin understood, “I made a promise to the Collins family; I swore never to harm them.”
The caller scoffed mockingly, “Do you think you have a choice now?”
“If it weren’t for my promise that night, I never would have taken Serena out.”
With that, the call ended abruptly.
Martin clenched his phone tightly, closed his eyes, and made a decision.After Dr. Pierce had given the Collins family a tour of the hospital, he performed a thorough health check on Bernard and Cornelia. At his enthusiastic invitation, Kenneth and Louisa also underwent a checkup.
Mirabella had become a wellness guru among us,” Louisa chuckled, “so we won’t keep you any longer, Dr. Pierce. Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to show us around the hospital, for conducting our check-ups personally, and for helping us interpret the reports. We’ll be on our way now.”
“Let me walk you out.” Dr. Pierce accompanied them to the parking lot, continuing, “I should be thanking you, really. The new medical equipment you’ve donated will help so many patients. On behalf of everyone here, thank you, and your visit to the hospital for check-ups also promotes the importance of regular health screenings.”
As the Collins family’s car rolled up, Dr. Pierce opened the door, gesturing for Bernard and Cornelia to climb in first.
“Drop by for some coffee when you have a moment,” Bernard invited through the car window, his smile warm and inviting.
“Will do, I’ll be sure to visit,” Dr. Pierce replied with a hearty nod, then proceeded to open the doors for Kenneth and Louisa to get into another vehicle.
“Bella, ride with me,” Hans offered, opening his car door.
“No, take mine. I’m planning to take you and Myrna to the amusement park,” Chasel countered, holding his door open.
“Let’s not be a third wheel, Bella. I can take you somewhere else fun,” Clark chimed in.
Sean added, “Come with me, Bella. You haven’t spent time with me in a while.”
“Bella, hurry up and get in. I don’t want to be recognized,” David whispered, his face obscured by a hat and sunglasses, fearing fan recognition could spoil their plans.”I drove here myself, you guys go ahead. My car is parked over there,” Mirabella stated just as someone called out for her.
“Mirabella—”
She turned to see Martin rushing out towards her.
“I need to talk to you about something.”
Martin looked urgent, as if it was a matter of great importance, but Sean stepped forward, pushing him back, “What’s the deal, can’t you leave her alone?”
“I have something important to discuss with Mirabella.”
“Back off,” Sean warned, unapologetically protective, “come near my sister again, and you’ll have me to answer to.”
“Someone’s trying to hurt you—” Martin blurted from a safe distance, his eyes filled with desperate sincerity. “When I took Serena from the Collins family’s care, she was barely hanging on. A mysterious person offered me a medicine on the condition that I do three things for him.”
Martin spilled the details, “He didn’t specify the tasks at first. Serena seemed to improve after taking the medicine, but recently she fell ill again, and no doctor can figure out why. That’s when he called to tell me the drug was experimental, and to get the antidote, I would have to. eliminate you. I don’t want to be enemies with you or the Collins family. Can you save Serena’s life, considering I’ve come clean to you?””Who is he?” Louisa couldn’t help but ask.
“I don’t know.” Martin admitted, “His voice was distorted, and all my attempts to track him down have led nowhere.”
Louisa felt a cold shiver, wondering if some puppet master feared Bella’s sharp intellect and was seeking to silence her before she uncovered more. The Meltons had caused the death of Granny Grace; she would never lend them a helping hand.
“Mirabella.” Martin’s voice trailed off in disbelief as the girl before him stood her ground, unyielding.
“No matter who he sends, they won’t even lay a finger on me,” Mirabella said with a confidence that was both fierce and calm.
“But did you ever think about the people around you?” Martin couldn’t help but blurt out. “They don’t all have your strength.”
“You try messin’ with Bella’s folks, see what happens!” Sean barked, his temper flaring at the thought.
“That mystery guy, he’s not just after you. If he can’t get to you, he’ll target those close to you. It’s a no-
brainer.”
“Even if I save Serena, he’ll still come after me, then why the hell should I bother?” Mirabella’s retort left Martin speechless.
“Let him come,” Mirabella said coolly as she climbed into her car. “I’m curious to see what tricks he’s got up his sleeve.”
Martin watched her drive away, the Collins family’s cars disappearing one by one from his view.
In the end, all he could do was turn to Dr. Pierce.
“I’m just a dean here; saving lives is a job for the doctors.” Dr. Pierce managed the hospital but wasn’t remotely as skilled in medicine as the big-shot doctors.
Martin’s gaze lingered on Dr. Pierce’s retreating figure, a sense of disappointment washing over him.
Then, his phone rang.”Martin, you think you’re clever, teaming up with the Collins family against me. You can forget about getting any antidote from me!” The mysterious caller hung up in a rage before Martin could even respond.
Before he could digest the threat, his phone rang again. It was Dora.
“Sir, Serena’s coughing up blood again, and all the doctors you brought in are clueless. What do we do?”
Hearing this, Martin rushed to the hospital room.
For two long days and nights, Serena’s condition worsened, her vomiting of blood becoming more frequent, and the pain spreading through her body was unbearable.
“Martin, it hurts so much.” Serena lay weakly in his arms, tears of despair rolling down her cheeks.
“When are the doctors you called coming? My ears, my eyes, everything hurts so much. I think I’m dying. Why haven’t any new doctors come to see me these past two days?”
Martin fought back tears, unable to tell the girl in his arms that he had run out of options.
Every doctor within his reach had been summoned, and none had an answer for Serena’s mysterious ailment.Desperate and helpless, Martin could only watch as Serena suffered, the ordeal draining him of all his strength.
“Martin, say something.” Serena pleaded, her voice weak, sensing his guilt and sorrow. “Is it true?
Have the doctors given up on me? Are you unable to find anyone? Am I really going to die?” Read at Tears filled Martin’s eyes as he whispered, “I’ll find a way.”
Mirabella had her cornered, demanding that she beg for forgiveness and the antidote.
Realizing the grim possibility, Serena spat out another mouthful of blood, a mix of sorrow and fury overwhelming her until she slipped into unconsciousness.
The medical machines blared their alarming tones, and Martin, sensing the urgency, immediately pressed the call button.
Doctors and nurses rushed in once again, ushering him out.
Outside the hospital room, Martin, at his wit’s end, dialed the number of that enigmatic contact once more.
For two days and nights, the mysterious person hadn’t taken his calls. This time was no different; the call went unanswered.
Call after call, Martin’s efforts seemed in vain. Clearly, he had been discarded like a useless pawn.
Despair and helplessness washed over Martin as he covered his face with his hands, sobbing.
After what felt like an eternity, the medical team emerged, and with a heavy heart, one of them announced, “Mr. Cooper, you’ve got the last three hours to say your goodbyes to Serena.”
“What did you say?” Martin stood up, tears brimming in his eyes.
“We’ve done all we can,” the nurse said with regret. “Serena’s condition has taken a severe turn for the worse.”
“Can’t you do anything else to save her?”
“Her illness is peculiar, complex. We’ve never seen anything like it in all our years,” one doctor admitted, though it was clear to him that not even Ms. Bella could save Serena now.Martin’s tears fell freely. He knew all too well that Mirabella was determined not to lend a hand.
“If Dr. Caden were still here, maybe he could’ve done something, but he left Hope Hospital a long time ago. We’ve only seen him once since then, at Ms. Bella’s homecoming party. Other than that, he’s been out of sight.”
Finding him was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
And Serena couldn’t wait that long.
“We are truly sorry,” the doctors and nurses said in unison, bowing to express their deepest apologies before leaving, helpless.
Martin pushed open the door to the hospital room and saw Serena on the bed, looking as fragile as a porcelain doll, her complexion pale and weak, eyes closed as if she might slip away at any moment.
The shallow peaks and valleys on the medical monitor indicated her breathing was barely there.
“She brought this on herself,” came the cold voice of Diana from the doorway.Rolling her eyes, Diana walked into the adjacent room. Martin sat by the bedside, holding Serena’s hand, his tears falling unrestrained.
After a moment, Serena’s fingers twitched, and her eyelids slowly opened.
She parted her lips, as if struggling to speak.
Martin rushed to the railing, “Serena, what are you trying to say?”
“Martin.” Serena’s breath was faint, as if summoning her last bit of life, she struggled to utter, “I don’t want to die.”
Tears welled up in Martin’s eyes once again.
“I haven’t gotten engaged to you, haven’t started a family with you. I really don’t want to die.”
After murmuring those words and shedding tears, Serena slipped back into unconsciousness.
Martin’s tears, once more, became uncontrollable, like a dam breaking under the force of a flood.
After composing himself, Martin dialed the mysterious caller again, persistently ringing through without a response, refusing to waste a single second.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.