Chapter 4 Too Late to Save Her

After I returned to the hospital, I immediately scheduled Sadie's surgery.

I hesitated for a long time, but I finally called Adrian. He didn't answer until the tenth call.

"Adrian, can you come on the day of Sadie's surgery? She really wants to see you."

There were a few seconds of silence on the other end before he finally said, "I'm busy with work. I don't have time. Just text me after the surgery and let me know how it went."

After a pause, he added, "Oh, Avery and I are getting married in a few days. Don't forget to come to the wedding."

A sharp pain lanced through my chest, and I hung up immediately.

The entire city was buzzing on the day of their union. The wedding was broadcast live on TV, with reporters hailing it as "the wedding of the century."

I stared at the invitation in my hand, wanting nothing more than to tear it to pieces.

Suddenly, the machines in Sadie's hospital room began beeping incessantly. Sadie was rushed into the ICU, her face turning bluish-purple and her lips deathly pale.

Doctors and nurses surrounded her, desperately trying to save her.

"Sadie, Mommy's here. Look at Mommy!"

A nurse stopped me, leaving me no choice but to pound helplessly on the glass.

"Ms. Bennett, your daughter can't hold on for much longer. She needs the surgery right now. Please pay the surgical fees immediately."

I ran to the desk and pulled out all the cards I owned.

When they swiped the last one, the staff member looked up. "This card has been frozen."

It was the one Adrian had given me a few days earlier.

I called him repeatedly. I must've looked utterly mad with tears running down my cheeks.

He declined every call. Eventually, he blocked my number altogether.

I rushed out of the hospital, hailed a cab, and headed straight for the wedding venue.

When I arrived, Adrian was dressed in a black tuxedo, holding a bouquet of roses as he prepared to enter.

I rushed over, grabbed his sleeve, and cried out in a hoarse voice, "Adrian, please! Sadie's dying. She's in the ICU and needs surgery right now. Please unfreeze that card. I'm begging you…"

Adrian frowned and motioned for the bodyguards to drag me away. "Clara, enough. I already looked at Sadie's medical report. It's nothing serious. Stop putting on this act."

They held me outside while the wedding march began to play, drowning out the sound of my sobs.

My old phone suddenly vibrated in my pocket. This time, the email was from 18-year-old Adrian.

"28-year-old Clara, this is Adrian. I know everything that happens in the future now. I promise those things will never happen to Clara and me. I swear I'll love her with my life, and I'll never let anyone hurt her."

I stared at those few lines as tears streamed down my face.

18-year-old Adrian had sworn to love me with his life.

Yet, 28-year-old Adrian was marrying another woman without caring whether his own daughter lived or died.

My phone rang. It was the hospital.

"Ms. Bennett, we're deeply sorry for your loss. Your daughter missed her optimal window for the surgery. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. Her time of death was…"

In an instant, my whole world fell silent. My mind went completely blank.

My eyes stared blankly at the stage, watching as they finished exchanging rings. Adrian lowered his head and kissed Avery, gentle and devoted.

I broke free from the bodyguards, rushed onto the stage, and shoved them apart. "Adrian! Our daughter is dead! She's dead! Do you even know that?"

I grabbed his collar and pounded my fists against his chest.

Adrian caught my wrists and roared, "Clara, have you lost your mind? Sadie was perfectly fine! How could she be dead? Someone get her out of here!"

Avery shrank behind him and shouted, "Clara, stop making things up! The money I gave you was more than enough to pay for Sadie's treatment."

I let go of Adrian, turned, grabbed Avery by the hair, and slapped her across the face again and again. "It was you! You switched her medical report! You killed Sadie!"

The entire venue descended into chaos.

Avery screamed that I'd gone insane, while the guests gasped in shock. The bodyguards forcibly restrained me and dragged me out of the ballroom.

My phone was still vibrating. 18-year-old Clara had sent a reply as well.

"28-year-old Clara, I understand how you feel, but I'm not going to break up with Adrian. He loves me so much. I believe him."

I laughed myself hoarse, my face utterly soaked with tears.

The 18-year-old me was just as foolish as the 28-year-old me. Both of us knew how it would all end, but we still chose to believe.

I forced myself to my feet and typed as I ran.

"Clara, Sadie's dead. She died just a few minutes ago. Adrian and Avery are still celebrating their wedding. They killed her. I'm begging you. Break up with Adrian. Don't fall in love with him. Don't marry him. Please, don't let my daughter die a second time."

Tears blurred my vision until I couldn't see anything. By the time I realized where I was, I was standing in the middle of the road.

A truck was barreling straight toward me. As the screech of brakes tore through the air, my whole world began to spin.

Through the haze, I saw 18-year-old Adrian running toward me as he shouted my name, "Clara!"