The Rarest Hope

The car stopped in front of Atheria Medical. Alina stepped out fast, holding her bag tight. The hospital lights cut through the night, bright and sharp. Adam walked beside her, matching her pace as they rushed inside.

Inside, staff were already waiting. A nurse handed Adam a folder, another gave quick updates. They moved with purpose, the Evert name opened doors everywhere.

"Dad is waiting in his office," Adam said, leading her down the hall.

Dr. Philip Evert stood the moment they walked in. He had the steady presence of someone who had led crises for years, but his eyes softened when he saw Alina.

“Alina,” he said quietly. “I heard. How is she?”

She handed him the latest results. “Stable, but barely. Her blood type is rare. Without a donor, I can’t keep her stable for long.”

Philip’s eyes narrowed as he read. He turned to Adam. “Use all our channels. Hospitals, clinics, private banks, every resource. Don’t wait on protocols. Start calling everyone yourself.”

Adam nodded. “Already started. We’ll search until we find a match.”

Philip set the papers down and faced Alina again, both firm and gentle. “We’ll use everything we have. You’re not alone.”

The search began immediately. Benjie, once her assistant was already helping the team Philip had assembled. He worked with Adam, calling contacts, checking hospitals and donor banks, updating lists by the minute.

The room buzzed with urgency. Calls were made, databases checked, names crossed off and circled again. Adam moved quickly between calls and his laptop, calm and focused. Benjie relayed updates from hospital heads, while other assistants reached out on donor banks and regional connections.

Alina sat with Philip, going through every possible lead. She stayed sharp, even as fatigue pressed in.

Hours passed. Afternoon faded into evening, the windows growing dark. Papers stacked up, but no confirmed match appeared. Each “no” felt heavier.

Then Benjie rushed in, breathless. “We found two possible matches.”

Alina stood so fast her chair scraped the floor. “Where are they?”

“The first one is local,” he said, handing her a sheet. "Same blood type, all markers aligned but he had a recent flu. Doctors won’t clear him. The risk of passing infection is too high."

Alina’s heart sank. “We can’t use him.”

Benjie hesitated. “The second is a young woman from one of our regional hospitals. She came in for screening, but her hemoglobin is too low. She’s not strong enough to donate.”

Hope vanished again. Alina closed her eyes for a moment, steadying herself. So close but still no solution.

Adam looked through the papers again. “We’ll save their names. If their health improves, we’ll check again. But for now…” He set his jaw. “We keep searching.”

Philip watched her carefully. “You haven’t slept since last night, have you?”

“I’m fine,” she said quickly. “I can keep going.”

He shook his head. “No. You can’t. Your daughter needs you steady, not fainting from exhaustion. Rest for a few hours.”

Alina’s fingers tightened on the desk. “I can’t. Every minute counts.”

Philip leaned in, firm. “My teams won’t stop. Not even for a second. But you must. If you collapse, Charlotte loses her mother and her doctor. That’s not an option.”

Adam set his phone down, meeting her eyes. “I’ll stay here all night. Every call, every lead, I’ll handle it. You have to trust us.”

Alina hesitated, torn. She glanced at the lists, the unanswered calls, then at Adam and Philip both steady, both determined.

Finally, she let out a long breath. “Fine. But please promise me the search never stops.”

Philip nodded. “It won’t. I give you my word. Now go. Rest for Charlotte.”

Adam added quietly, “We'll call you the moment there's news. I promise.”

Reluctantly, Alina allowed herself to be led out.

The driver took her to the hotel Philip arranged. The room felt too quiet after the chaos of the hospital. She sat on the bed and quickly called Regina.

“She’s resting,” Regina said. “No change since you left.”

Relief washed through Alina. "And Nathaniel?"

Regina’s voice softened. “He stayed with her all day. I told him he can’t get sick like Charlotte, so I finally convinced him to go home, eat, and rest with Sam.”

A faint smile touched Alina’s lips. “That’s my Nate. Stronger than he thinks.”

“You made the right choice going,” Regina said gently. “Don’t blame yourself.”

Alina’s voice trembled. “I just need to bring something back for her. I can’t fail her.”

“You won’t,” Regina said. “We’ll take care of things here. Focus on finding what Charlotte needs.”

“Thank you,” Alina whispered. “Stay close to them. Don’t let her feel alone.”

"I won't leave her side," Regina promised.

“Tell them I love them. I’ll call in the morning.”

When the call ended, silence returned. She lay back, eyes closing as exhaustion finally caught up, though her mind still counted each second Charlotte waited.

Meanwhile, at Vaughn Enterprises, Sebastian stood by the tall windows, staring at the city lights. He’d been pacing for hours, the office quiet except for his footsteps.

John entered softly with a tablet. “Sir, a new report came from our contacts at the hospital.”

Sebastian turned, tense. “What kind of report?”

John hesitated. “It’s for a five-year-old girl. She needs a rare blood type, O-negative, Kell-negative, Duffy-negative. They have a small supply, but not enough. They’re still searching for compatible donors.”

Sebastian froze. “What did you just say?”

John swallowed. “O-negative, sir. With a rare antigen profile…” He paused. “It matches yours exactly.”

The office went dead silent.

Sebastian’s jaw tightened. This wasn’t just a report anymore. A child’s life depended on him, on his blood.

He stepped closer, voice low and firm. “Find everything. The hospital, the doctors, the family. I want every detail.”

"Yes, sir," John said, gripping the tablet.

Sebastian stared out the window, the city lights blurred behind him. Somewhere in Atheria, a child was fighting for her life. And without knowing it, that fight was already pulling him closer.

While Alina worked to save Charlotte, another urgent truth was unfolding, one that would change everything when their paths collided.