Chapter 4

Just as I was about to protest, Josh grabbed my arm and hissed a threat in a voice only I could hear, "I'll deal with you for filing a false police report and framing Selena once we get home. If you keep spouting nonsense, don't expect your parents to receive treatment in my hospital!"

I ignored his threats, knowing that once he saw who was actually in the car, he would certainly save them.

Just then, another car pulled into the hospital.

Josh answered a phone call before his expression immediately shifted. He rushed toward the car and lifted Selena out of it himself.

His expression was full of panic as he barked at the medical staff, "Get Selena to the ER right now! She has a cut on her neck. What if she contracts tetanus?"

Cradled against his chest, Selena shot me a smug glance before chirping in a sweet, syrupy voice, "I know you're worried, Mr. Peterson, but I can't break hospital rules. I should just wait in line like everyone else."

Josh was briefly stunned before a thought seemed to cross his mind. Then, he glanced at me and snapped, "How could Madelyn possibly compare to you?

"She's my family, so I can't play favorites, but she hurt you, and as her husband, it's only right that I make amends on her behalf. This isn't cutting the line; it's perfectly justified."

Everything happened so fast that before I could react, Selena was already on the stretcher heading into the ER.

The police had quietly left during the chaos.

I furiously grabbed Josh and yelled, "Josh! Have you no conscience? Those are your parents in the car, and instead of saving them, you're rushing to save the woman who hurt them. Are you even human?"

To my shock, he shoved me to the ground and coldly said, "They're your parents, not mine, Madelyn. Besides, they're just suffering from indigestion, so they don't need saving at all.

"When we got married, I warned you about abusing the Peterson family's resources to do whatever you want.

"Thankfully, Selena has been helping me keep an eye on you all these years, or you'd even use the Peterson family's connections to jump the queue for a simple hospital line. That just shows how uneducated you are as a country bumpkin."

Ignoring the fact that he had just shoved me onto the floor, he turned and followed Selena into the ER.

I felt a bone-deep chill.

With no other choice, I tried to call the police again, but after rummaging around, I could not find my phone anywhere. That was when it hit me—Josh must have taken it while speaking to me earlier.

I looked around in hopes of borrowing a phone from patients nearby, only to find myself surrounded by a ring of tall, burly bodyguards.

The lead bodyguard explained, "Dr. Peterson gave us strict orders that you're not allowed to cut the line, leave, or make false police reports. You'll quietly wait in line for your turn."

As my last spark of hope died, I slumped against the hospital wall and was forced to accept reality. Lora's breathing had almost stopped, and Fred's condition was not any better.

Hours felt like days before my number was finally called. I anxiously begged the medical staff to get them onto the stretchers, but the doctor stopped me and said, "Our hospital policy requires payment before treatment.

"Ms. Cook, please proceed to the payment counter and pay 2,000 dollars first."