Chapter 219

Three hours. Serena’s spleen was saved. Now, she lay in recovery, the anesthesia still holding her in its silent grip.

Maria sat vigil, tears tracing paths through the grime on her cheeks as she gazed at Serena’s pale face. “My poor Rena,” she sobbed, wiping her eyes with a sleeve. “If I hadn’t taken her to that restaurant…” She slapped herself hard, a sharp sound in the quiet room. Paisley caught her wrist before she could strike again.

“Maria,” Paisley said gently.

“I feel terrible!” Maria cried, shaking with sobs.

Paisley saw the tears, the scratches on Maria’s face, the ripped clothes. “Maria, you did everything you could. None of us wanted this.”

The explosion. A brutal blow to Serena’s abdomen. A ruptured spleen. Luckily, the surgeons had saved her. With rest, she’d be fine.

“This isn’t your fault,” Paisley insisted. “If anyone’s to blame, it’s me. I’ve neglected Rena. You just wanted to make her happy.”

The fear clawed at Paisley. Her work, her relentless pursuit of a deadline, had almost cost her everything. A dead phone. Missed calls. The explosion. The blood transfusion. The revelation of Serena’s blood type to Dominick and the Vanderbilts. It felt like fate, cruel and inescapable.

A doctor entered. “I’m here to check on Ms. Serena.”

He examined Serena, his actions deceptively casual as he discreetly plucked a few strands of her hair. “She’s doing well. She should wake soon. Some post-operative pain, naturally.”

After the doctor left, Paisley noticed Max was gone. “Maria, have you seen Max?” she asked, hoping to distract her friend.

Maria sniffled, wiping her tears. “No. I was just watching Rena. Maybe he went home?”

Paisley nodded. “Probably. He’s just a neighbor; once he saw she was alright…”

“Maria, you should go home,” Paisley said, concerned by Maria’s state. “Take a shower, change, get some sleep. Bring Rena some clean clothes tomorrow, okay?”