Chapter 4

My entire body went cold. I sprinted out of the room like a madwoman, needing to reach the hospital.

At the main entrance of the estate, several heavy-set bodyguards blocked my path.

"Get out of my way! I have to go to the hospital!"

"Ma'am, we're sorry," one of them said. "Without Mr. Jackson's explicit order, we cannot let you step foot outside."

My mind spun out of control. With trembling hands, I dialed Liam's number.

"Liam! My mother is in critical condition! I have to get to the hospital right now!"

On the other end of the line, Liam paused.

"Chloe, tell the same lie twice, and nobody is going to believe you."

His voice was dismissive, almost patronizing.

"Be good. Serena is about to go into labor. As soon as she delivers safely, I'll take you to see Madam Rachel."

He added calmly, "I already told you, there are specialists looking after her. Her condition is completely stable."

My throat felt raw and scorched. Tears spilled down my face uncontrollably.

"Liam, please! Believe me just this once! She's dying!"

Despite how desperately I begged, the call ended with a sharp dial tone.

I watched the seconds tick away. Every second wasted was another second bringing my mother closer to death.

Driven to absolute despair, I dropped to my knees before the bodyguards and began slamming my forehead against the marble floor.

"Please... I'm begging you... let me out! Please!"

My forehead throbbed red and raw. Tears blinded my eyes.

"Ma'am, please... don't make this difficult for us!"

At that moment, my phone rang again. It was the nurse, Ms. Thompson.

"Mrs Chloe Jackson! Hurry! Madam Rachel's oxygen levels are plummeting! She can't hold on much longer!"

I scrambled up, ran upstairs, and leapt straight off the second-floor balcony.

Despite the pain in my injured left leg, I made it out to the road and hailed a cab to the hospital.

In the ICU, my adoptive mother, Madam Rachel lay pale and still, her breath barely visible.

"Where are the doctors?!" I screamed, clutching the nurse. "Where is everyone?!"

The nurse's face was full of helplessness.

"Miss Serena went into premature labor. Every single doctor in this wing was reassigned to the maternity ward."

A bone-chilling cold spread through my veins. I had no choice. I limped toward the maternity department to find Liam.

Just as I rounded the hallway corner, my biological mother stepped into my path.

"What are you here causing a scene for now?" she sneered.

"Serena giving birth is a joyful moment for our family. Don't you dare ruin it!"

"Mom... a doctor... please..." I gasped through my tears. "Just give me one doctor. Madam Rachel... my mother... she's not going to make it!"

My mother's eyebrows knitted together tightly.

"There's a queue for everything," she said coldly. "Once Serena delivers safely, we'll arrange a doctor for your adoptive mother."

She glared at me, her voice dripping with disdain. "Stop making a nuisance of yourself."

Then she added, her tone utterly heartless.

"How could that poor woman ever take priority over Serena's doctors anyway?"

Those words tore down my final wall.

My eyes burned blood-red. "Mom, I'm your real daughter! Why couldn't you ever love me?!"

My mother sighed, unimpressed.

"I gave you the status of a high-society heiress. I gave you a position in the upper class. I gave you the engagement to Liam. What more are you so greedy for?"

She waved her hand dismissively. "Now go. Don't bring bad luck to Serena's baby."

"I need to see Liam... let me see him!"

My mother raised her arm and slapped me hard across the face.

The force made me stumble backward.

Dizzy and bruised, I could only drag my broken body back to my adoptive mother's room.

On the bed, Madam Rachel was clinging to her last thread of life. Hearing my footsteps, she forced her eyes open with immense difficulty.

"Chloe... don't suffer... for my sake anymore..."

She squeezed my hand weakly. "In my heart... you will always be... the best daughter..."

My chest heaved as I sobbed hysterically. "Mom... wait for me... I'll save you... I promise!"

A faint, gentle smile touched her lips. Then her hand went limp, falling to the mattress.

"Mom...!"

I shattered into tears, my voice breaking.

"I have nothing left... Please don't leave me alone..."

The last anchor tying me to this world had vanished.

Over the next few days, I quietly handled my mother's funeral and cremation arrangements.

I returned to the estate, the house plastered with Serena's choices and memories.

I grabbed my pre-packed suitcase, and stepped into the car arranged by the Vance Group.

---

Meanwhile, at the VIP wing of the hospital, the atmosphere was overflowing with celebration.

Serena had given birth to a healthy baby boy.

Liam cradled the infant in his arms, his face beaming with pride.

"He's the heir to our family empire," Liam declared. "The future of everything I own."

Serena leaned back against her pillows, triumph glinting in her eyes. But a second later, she put on a worried expression.

"I'm just afraid Chloe won't accept him," she murmured softly. "I don't care if she hates me... but what if she tries to hurt our son?"

Liam's expression darkened.

"She wouldn't dare. Don't worry, I have my ways to make her accept everything. After all, she still needs me to save her adoptive mother."

Right then, his assistant, Austin, called. The voice on the line was trembling with panic.

"Mr. Jackson! Something terrible has happened at the company!"

The assistant gasped, "Mrs. Chloe's primary tech patents and all her company shares... have just been fully acquired by the Vance Group!"

Liam snapped to his feet, the color draining from his face. "Where is Chloe?!"

Austin's voice sounded as if he was on the verge of tears. "We can't find her anywhere, sir... She's completely vanished!"