Chapter 4

Rhea rushed into the emergency department of the children's hospital, breathless. "What happened?"

"Adrian had an allergic reaction," Carter said, his voice tight with worry.

Rhea's heart sank. "Allergic? I wrote down everything he can't eat. Didn't you see it?"

Lauren quickly apologized. "It's my fault. I didn't realize that mango would trigger him. I'm so sorry…"

"Lauren meant well," Carter cut in. "Besides, the list you gave us got lost. Maybe you didn't write it clearly."

"I didn't write it clearly?" Rhea was furious. She knew everything the kids couldn't eat by heart.

Before handing over the list of precautions, she had even double-checked it to ensure that nothing was missed. How could it possibly not be clear?

And now he was saying it had gotten lost?

Carter suddenly caught a whiff of alcohol off her. "You've been drinking? Adrian's in the hospital, and you were in the mood for a drink?"

Rhea's chest burned with anger. "You're the ones who took them out. How is this—"

"Rhea!" Carter's stare was piercing as he snapped, "What you should be doing right now is checking on Adrian. Not standing there trying to shift the blame. A stepmother is still just a stepmother."

Her heart dropped. It felt like something inside her tore clean down the middle.

She couldn't believe those words had come from Carter.

Rhea knew that she hadn't been perfect with the kids, but she had done everything she could.

And now, just to spare Lauren's feelings, Carter had turned around and lashed out at her, as if she were the one who caused Adrian's allergic reaction.

Was that all she was in his eyes? An unfit stepmother?

The frustration and hurt sat heavy in her chest, too overwhelming to release.

Just then, a nurse called from the hallway, "Family of Adrian Jamison?"

All three of them entered the consultation room together.

The attending physician, a woman in her 50s named Emily Mitchell, asked, "Who are the child's parents?"

"We are." Lauren immediately stepped forward, pulling Carter along. Her expression was full of a mother's urgent concern.

Rhea stood behind them both, too worried to pay attention to anything else. All she wanted to know was how Adrian was doing.

Emily said sharply, "Adrian's six years old. Don't you know what he can or can't eat? Don't treat allergies like a joke. Some can actually be fatal. Fortunately, he didn't eat much of it today, or it would have been too late by the time he got here."

Lauren took the criticism on the chin and apologized, "It was my fault."

Emily had the least patience for careless parents. She continued scolding, "You, as his mother, should've known better."

Lauren looked both hurt and anxious. "I-I wasn't around when they were younger. I didn't know about their allergies. Besides, they often experience allergic reactions. Is it because of the environment they're growing up in?"

She sounded as though she were blaming Rhea for not raising the kids right.

Emily explained, "There are many allergens that can affect children, and many factors involved, like their environment, genetics, and so on. But one of the most important is the mother's diet during pregnancy."

Lauren glanced away, looking guilty.

Back then, during her pregnancy, her family had gone through a significant upheaval, leaving her in a bad state of mind. She hardly ever watched her diet. She even drank alcohol.

Through her years of experience, Emily sensed there was more to the story. So, she asked bluntly, "Are you divorced? Who's taking care of the children?"

Carter suddenly looked at Rhea.

She stepped forward and said, "Hi, doctor. I'm… the kids' stepmother."

Emily glanced at Rhea, then paused. "You didn't know about their allergies?"

Rhea clenched her fists, refusing to take the blame anymore. "I knew. Their mother took them out, and I left a list of precautions, but they lost it."

Carter frowned. It seemed like he didn't want Rhea to blame Lauren for this.

But Rhea wasn't thinking about his feelings. She quickly asked, "Is Adrian going to be okay? Is he still vomiting? Does he have a fever?"

From her questions, Emily could tell how much she cared for the kids.

By contrast, Lauren hadn't shown much concern. She hadn't even asked how Adrian was doing.

Emily pulled Rhea aside and gave her a thorough rundown of what to watch for. Finally, she said, "He needs an IV and some monitoring. If all goes well, he should be able to go home soon."

Rhea finally let out a breath of relief.

Emily didn't spare Carter and Lauren. "If you can't take care of your kids, don't pretend that you can. Do you really think raising a child is an easy job?

Lauren's face flushed red. Tears welled up as she turned and walked out.

On the way to the ward, she felt overwhelmed with guilt. "Carter, I've really failed as a mother. It's because I was careless that Adrian ended up like this."

Carter comforted her, saying, "It's not your fault. You didn't know about the allergies. The doctor said he'll be fine anyway."

The three of them entered the ward together.

Rhea wanted to check on Adrian, but Lauren was quicker to approach the bedside. She and Carter stood on either side, quietly guarding Adrian. It was such a peaceful scene.

"Adrian, I'm sorry. I'll be more careful from now on." Carter held Adrian's hand, worry clear in his eyes.

Unhappy with Lauren being here, Adrian pouted and didn't respond to Carter. He wanted Rhea to be with him.

Watching them stand by Adrian, Rhea took Arielle and left the ward.

As she sat down on a bench in the hall, Arielle hugged her neck. "Mom, don't be sad. If Dad won't be with you, I will."

That made Rhea's sadness swell even more. Still, she said, "I'm not sad."

…

Inside the ward, Lauren looked at Adrian with tenderness. "They say that sons take after their mother. Look at Adrian's eyes. They're just like mine. And Arielle completely inherited her personality from me. Watching them, it's like seeing younger versions of myself."

Carter couldn't help but recall the fiery, fearless Lauren from their younger days and thought that Arielle really was a copy of her.

He nodded, saying, "Yeah, you're a lot alike."

Lauren lowered her gaze. "It's just a shame that all those childhood photos are gone."

Her family had gone bankrupt, so they had to sell their house in a hurry. When the Thayers left, they took only some documents and clothes, leaving everything else behind.

Carter remembered those hard times well. He said reassuringly, "It's okay. We can take new ones later."

Lauren's eyes were filled with tears as she said, "I remember how you tried making seafood pasta for me when I was pregnant. It was really good."

Carter remembered that, too. "Would you like some now?"

"No. It's all in the past." She sniffed before turning away. "Excuse me. I need to use the restroom."

But she barely took a few steps before bumping into the end of the bed.

"Lauren!" Carter caught her quickly. "What's wrong?"

Her lips turned pale. "Nothing. I'm just feeling weak. I guess years of poor nutrition are finally catching up to me."

Carter frowned and asked, "Then why push yourself? Let me take you back."

"No. Don't forget that we have dinner plans with Peter and the others. It's already late. It wouldn't be right for us to bail. You should go. I'll stay and watch the kids."

Carter wanted to cancel the dinner, but Lauren continued firmly, "Don't you dare skip it. If you do, they'll think that I don't want to see them. Say hi to them for me. When you're done, could you get me my toiletries?"

That was doable.

Lauren used to laugh and get along with his friends, but now…

At that thought, Carter agreed. "Alright. I'll head over for a bit."

"Good."

After Carter left the ward, he told Rhea, who was holding Arielle, "I made plans with Peter and the others earlier today. There will be quite a few people, so it wouldn't be appropriate for me to just skip. I'll be back soon."

Rhea knew that he was just informing her, so she simply nodded. Once he was gone, she took Arielle back to the ward.

Without Carter there, Adrian got braver. He ordered Lauren away. "I don't need you to watch me. You can leave. My mom will look after me."

Lauren's heart sank at his words, but she held back her tears. "Adrian, I'm worried because you're sick."

Adrian was about to say more, but Rhea walked over. She said, "Adrian, go to sleep."

Adrian pressed his lips tightly into a line and closed his eyes.

No one spoke after that in the ward. Arielle stayed close to Rhea's arm, their bond clear.

Meanwhile, Lauren kept glancing at her phone, which continued to buzz.

Arielle looked up and said, "Go ahead and take care of what you need to do. You don't have to stay with Adrian."

A six-year-old didn't yet understand the complicated feelings about who was or wasn't their biological mother. They only knew that Rhea had been there for them all along.

And now, their happy life with the mother they love was under threat. So they resisted the sudden appearance of Lauren.

Lauren replied gently, "I'm not busy. It's just that your dad just messaged me. I asked him to bring me some toiletries. He's just asking about that."

She even showed Arielle her phone.

At that moment, Rhea felt a pang in her chest.

She sat on the same side as Arielle. Even though she tried not to look, her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the screen.

She caught an unintentional glimpse of Carter's thoughtful, caring side. However, it wasn't meant for her.

A minute later, Lauren's cheeks flushed slightly as she spoke with a hint of embarrassment. "Sorry, Rhea. Carter couldn't find them. They're my personal thing, after all. I'll get them and be back soon. Please watch the kids while I'm gone."