Chapter 7

Everyone immediately rushed to the hospital.

Yvonne was left weak and breathless. She forced herself to her feet, stumbled out of the house, and ran toward the animal hospital without stopping to think.

At the hospital, the doctor sighed and shook his head.

"His condition is deteriorating fast. At this point, the only option is to collect fetal cells early and use them to temporarily slow the progression."

A trace of hesitation crossed Cole's eyes.

"There's no other way?"

Renee's eyes instantly reddened. She grabbed his hand.

"Are you really going to stand by and watch our son die?"

Cole looked at Yuri lying in the hospital bed. He closed his eyes for a moment, then finally nodded.

"All right."

Yvonne had just reached the hospital entrance when several bodyguards suddenly appeared. Before she could get inside, they forced her into a car and took her to another hospital.

She was taken straight into the operating room.

Just before the doors closed, she heard Yale and Cole talking outside.

"Cole, are you sure this won't hurt Yvonne or the baby?"

"I'm sure. I love her and our child more than anyone. I won't let anything happen to either of them."

Yvonne was strapped to the operating table.

Pain tore through her entire body. Her abdomen felt as though it were being crushed, and before long, she couldn't take it anymore and passed out.

She had no idea how much time had passed when she woke again.

Her abdomen felt strangely empty.

Then she heard two nurses talking nearby.

"They collected so many fetal cells at once. There was no way to avoid losing the pregnancy."

Yvonne stared blankly ahead.

She got out of bed and dragged herself toward the door, one step at a time.

Teddy was all she had left now.

She had to take him and leave for good.

Yvonne took a cab to the animal hospital.

From across the street, she spotted Teddy curled up inside a cage.

The moment he heard her voice, he sprang to his feet and ran toward her.

"Teddy, don't run!"

Yvonne's pupils contracted as she screamed.

The next second, there was a violent impact.

A speeding car struck Teddy and sent him flying.

His body twitched a few times, then went still. Blood spread across the pavement.

A loud ringing filled Yvonne's ears.

The image of her mother's fatal car accident flooded back into her mind.

Her whole body began to shake.

She ran over in a panic, dropped to her knees, and lifted Teddy into her trembling arms before carrying him inside.

"Teddy... don't scare me."

The veterinarian took one look and shook his head.

"His heart has stopped. I'm sorry."

Yvonne collapsed to her knees, holding Teddy as his body slowly grew cold, her eyes blank.

She stayed there for a long time, from daylight until nightfall.

Only then did she have Teddy cremated.

Holding the urn against her chest, she walked out of the hospital one slow step at a time.

Her phone rang as soon as she stepped outside.

[We're leaving in ten minutes.]

Yvonne kept walking.

A black car pulled up in front of her, and she got in.

Then she took out her phone, removed the SIM card, and tossed it out the window along with the ring on her hand.

The wind rushed past outside.

Yvonne wiped the tears from the corner of her eye.

Family. Love. Friendship.

She wanted none of it anymore.

From now on, she would never see them again.