Chapter 3

Next Day

Lily had been in the ICU all night, and Olivia could not sleep no matter how hard she tried. Every second felt unbearable as she stood outside the glass doors staring at her daughter’s tiny body lying motionless on the hospital bed.

Lily looked so fragile now, like the life inside her was slowly fading away little by little.

Tears rolled silently down Olivia’s cheeks as she pressed her trembling hand against the glass.

The doctor finally stepped out of the ICU, and Olivia rushed toward him immediately.

“Doctor, how is she?” she asked hurriedly.

The doctor lowered his eyes before shaking his head slowly.

“Talk to me, doctor. What’s happening to my child?” Her voice cracked instantly.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Vaughn, but her heart is no longer functioning properly. I’m afraid there’s very little we can do now.” He paused briefly before continuing in a softer tone. “You should spend as much time with her as possible.”

The doctor walked away, leaving Olivia standing there with a heart that suddenly felt too heavy to carry.

She lived for her daughter and if anything happened to Lily, she knew she would die too.

Her fingers brushed the glass again as she stared at Lily’s pale face, tubes connected to almost every part of her tiny body.

Olivia finally walked into the ICU room and sat beside the bed. Tears streamed down her face as she carefully held Lily’s weak hand against her cheek.

“You’ll be okay, baby,” she whispered shakily. “Mummy will make sure of that.”

But even she no longer believed her own words. Everything felt hopeless now.

“I’ll do anything to keep you alive,” she cried softly. “Anything at all.”

For the first time since Lily was admitted into the hospital, Olivia had nothing left to hold onto except fear.

She still wanted to take Lily to the beach. She wanted late night movies, bedtime stories, school graduations and first heartbreaks.

She wanted to watch her daughter grow up slowly, not disappear from her arms inside a hospital room.

“Please fight this, Lily,” Olivia whispered as she kissed her hand gently. “You’ve fought so hard already. Let’s do it one more time.”

KINGSTON MANSION

The Kingston mansion was massive and elegant, carrying the quiet kind of power that did not need to announce itself.

The household itself was peaceful, calm and strangely warm despite its intimidating appearance.

Alexander sat at the end of the dining table while the maids quietly arranged breakfast before leaving the room shortly afterward.

His eyes moved toward Jamie, who was absentmindedly pushing food around his plate instead of eating.

“You barely touched your food,” Alexander said softly. “What’s wrong?”

Jamie finally looked up at him. “Daddy, have you found the lady who saved me yet?”

Alexander’s expression changed slightly.

Ever since the accident, Jamie had not stopped talking about the mysterious woman who helped him breathe again that night. At first, Alexander assumed it was simple gratitude, but it had become more than that. Jamie genuinely wanted to see her again.

“I already sent people to look for her,” Alexander replied calmly. “They’re still searching.”

Jamie slowly dropped his spoon. “How long will it take?” he asked quietly, his eyes already beginning to turn red. “I want to see her.”

Alexander’s heart softened immediately.

Jamie rarely attached himself to people. Even after years with nannies and caretakers, he still kept most people at a distance. Somehow, this woman had managed to remain in his son’s heart after only one meeting.

Alexander picked up his phone immediately and dialed a number.

“I want more people on this case,” he said coldly once the call connected. “I don’t care how much it costs. Find her.”

He ended the call and looked back at Jamie. “Happy now?”

Jamie nodded immediately before finally picking up his spoon to eat.

Alexander watched him quietly, still unable to understand why his son had become so emotionally attached to a complete stranger.

Hospital

Olivia was still holding Lily’s hand when the little girl slowly opened her eyes.

“Mummy…” Lily whispered weakly and Olivia held her hand tighter immediately.

“I’m here, baby. Mummy’s here.” She replied and Lily smiled faintly before speaking again.

“I want to see daddy.” She said faintly and Olivia’s heart shattered instantly.

Even after everything Ethan had done, Lily still wanted him.

Olivia nodded quickly and brought out her phone. She called Ethan once, but there was no answer. She called again and again but he still did not pick up.

Finally, she dialed his secretary’s number. “Where’s Ethan?” she asked immediately after the call connected.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. Mr. Vaughn is unavailable right now.”

Olivia stepped outside the room before speaking again because she did not want Lily hearing her raise her voice.

“I asked where he is.” She half yelled and the secretary hesitated briefly before replying.

“Actually… today is Miss Vanessa’s birthday. Mr Vaughn is currently preparing for the party.” He said and Olivia froze completely.

Her daughter was dying while begging for her father and Ethan was throwing a birthday party for another woman.

The phone slowly slipped from Olivia’s hand. At that exact moment, the heart monitor inside Lily’s room suddenly began beeping rapidly.

Olivia’s eyes widened in horror before she ran inside immediately while doctors and nurses rushed past her.

“No… no, Lily…” she cried desperately.

The nurses held her back while the doctors tried to stabilize Lily.

Olivia watched helplessly as her daughter’s tiny body convulsed weakly against the hospital bed.

Then suddenly everything stopped, the room fell completely silent. One of the doctors slowly stepped back before shaking his head quietly and Olivia’s knees gave out instantly.

“No…” she whispered brokenly.

She rushed toward the bed and pulled Lily’s lifeless body into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably as tears soaked through both of their clothes.

Nobody in the room tried to stop her, every doctor there knew how hard she had fought for this child. If only Lily had been born into a better family.

Olivia cried until her voice became hoarse, clutching Lily tightly like letting go would make her disappear forever.

After a long while, she finally sat beside the bed again, staring blankly at Lily’s closed eyes as if waiting for them to open one more time.

The doctor slowly walked toward her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Mrs. Vaughn…” Be called but Olivia did not respond.

“Actually… a compatible donor was found last week.” He begin.

Olivia slowly turned toward him. “What?”

The doctor sighed heavily before continuing. “Your daughter was first on the transplant list. We contacted her legal guardian for authorization but your husband dismissed it.”

Olivia’s swollen eyes widened slowly. “He… did?”

“I tried reaching you directly,” the doctor continued quietly, “but the hospital board said there was no time to waste. Other children needed the donor urgently.”

Olivia couldn't bring herself to cry again, she has done enough crying through the year, nothing could break her more than watching her daughter go lifeless in front of her, she looked back at Lily’s lifeless face.

Even until the very end, her daughter never received the love she deserved from her father.

Olivia brushed Lily’s hair gently with a painful smile plastered on her lips.

“I want to see daddy.” Her lips trembled painfully. “That was the last thing she said before she died.”