Chapter 177

"It's light, I'm on my way," Teresa said. She was en route to the pharmacy when the call came. Without hesitation, she made a U-turn, speeding toward the hospital. The haunting memory of Jennifer's accident lingered in her mind, making her dread the hospital. Nothing prepared her for the sight of Evelyn's frail body on the stretcher, gasping for breath, her face drained of color, twitching uncontrollably. It shattered Teresa's perception of her mother; she had always seen Evelyn as invincible, never vulnerable.

"Mom, Mom, it's me," Teresa whispered, her grip on Evelyn's hand tightening as the cold, lifeless feel of her mother's skin sent a chill through her. Evelyn lay motionless, her face etched with exhaustion, her spirit seemingly indifferent to the fight for life, as though she had already given up. "Mom, you have to meet Hannah," Teresa pleaded. "She's all grown up now. Please, don't leave us."

Evelyn's head turned slowly toward Teresa. Her eyes, distant and unfocused, seemed to gaze past her. Tears streamed down Teresa's face as she watched Evelyn's consciousness slowly return. She blurted out, "Mom, Hannah is alive! We've reunited. Please, hang in there. I'll tell you everything about her."

After Evelyn was wheeled into the operating room, Teresa leaned against the cold wall, thinking, Why did this happen to Mom? I thought she was happy. Could her new husband have treated her poorly? The fear of the unknown and what the future might hold threatened to overwhelm her.

A new text message from Jonathan snapped her out of her reverie: I'm sorry.

Teresa read the short text, typing slowly: What are you sorry about?

Jonathan replied: I'm sorry for making you take the pills.

Teresa's gaze shifted, and it was only then that she tapped on the voice message she had received earlier. The message began to play, and Jonathan's voice rang out. "Why are you so stubborn? I was thinking… if you got pregnant this time, we could remarry. I promise I'll be a good father. This was my mistake. I don't know if it was because I was drunk, but I swear I heard you say, 'Let's make a baby,' and I got excited, so I didn't use protection. The side effects of emergency contraceptives can be severe. What brand did you take? Let me look it up. If you're feeling any discomfort, please tell me. Don't keep anything from me."

Teresa had been bracing herself for a scolding from Jonathan, but his voice message caught her completely off guard. She hadn't expected him to say those things. As she was pondering, Jonathan's call came in.

"Hello?" she mumbled, her voice hoarse and stuffy.

Jonathan had intended to ask if she was feeling okay, but the unusual tone of her voice made him pause. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"My mom was rushed to the hospital," Teresa replied. "She's having trouble breathing. I'm here now. They're still working on…"

"Which hospital?" Jonathan asked.

"You don't need to come. I'll call Hannah. She'll be here soon," Teresa replied.

After a brief pause, Jonathan asked, "Just tell me which hospital."

"Nareigh Maternal and Child Health Hospital," Teresa revealed. Overwhelmed by fear and helplessness, she found herself confiding in Jonathan, treating him as her only anchor. "I'm scared she won't make it. I don't want her to die."

Jonathan spoke gently, "Calm down, Teresa. Don't cry. I know how much you love your mom, and trust me, everyone you love won't leave you. She's going to be okay."

Teresa sobbed. "But I already lost my grandpa and grandma…"

"This time is different," Jonathan reassured her. "Listen to me. Don't cry. Go wash your face. You love looking pretty, don't you? Tears won't help with that. Your mom will pull through. Trust me."

For some reason, Teresa felt a sense of relief, likely due to the soothing tone of Jonathan's voice, which brought her both strength and comfort. "Thank you."

As soon as she ended the call, she called Jennifer. Jennifer was about to ask Teresa why she hadn't answered her calls when Teresa cut her off.

She frantically said, "Hannah, stop. Don't ask me about that night now. Mom's dying. I'd never seen her like this; she couldn't breathe, and her face was as pale as a ghost. They rushed her to the emergency room. I held her hand, just like I held yours after the accident. Then I told her about you. I hoped it would give her strength. I saw her eyes flutter a few times…"

Jennifer gasped, her voice trembling. "Which hospital are you at now?"

"Nareigh Maternal and Child Health Hospital. Aren't you supposed to be at work now?" Teresa asked.

Jennifer quickly responded, "I'm off today. I was planning to stay home with Mike, but don't worry. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Hurry," Teresa urged. "I'm alone outside the emergency room."

Teresa ended the call and sank to her knees, silently praying. An hour felt like a lifetime before the doctor finally appeared. He informed Teresa that Evelyn had pulled through. Evelyn had been suffering from respiratory alkalosis due to physiological causes. Given her age, along with her pre-existing high blood pressure and cholesterol, she had been in a critical condition. Had she not been brought in so quickly, she might not have made it.

"Thank you, doctor," Teresa sighed with relief.

Soon after, Benny arrived with several men. He explained to Teresa that they were a team of specialists from top private hospitals, accompanied by Jonathan's bodyguards. They were ready to transfer her mother to a different facility if her condition warranted it.

"They've managed to stabilize my mother, but she hasn't regained consciousness. She's under observation now," Teresa said.

"That's a relief," Benny nodded, offering a small, reassuring smile. After a moment, he leaned in closer and whispered, "Jonathan pulled some strings to get these specialists here as quickly as possible. He's hoping they can help. Don't forget to thank him."

Teresa nodded, grasping the immense power money held in a crisis.

Just then, Jennifer arrived. Her hair was loose, a stark contrast to her usual neat ponytail. She appeared a bit disheveled, likely shaken by the events.

Teresa walked up to her. "Mom's pulled through. They've moved her to a general ward for further monitoring."

Jennifer's frown softened, and Teresa suggested, "Let's go see Mom. She hasn't woken up yet."

"No need," Jennifer replied, her voice distant. "I'll just go tie my hair."

Noticing the sweat on Jennifer's back, Teresa could see how much she truly cared. She smiled softly.

Benny's phone rang incessantly, and he turned away to call Jonathan. "Yeah, Teresa's mom is stable now. She's going to be okay. Teresa? She's not crying anymore. Don't worry. Her sister's with her. You don't need to come."