Chapter 3

The golden window to treat an amniotic fluid embolism lasted barely 15 minutes. It was literally doctors racing against death itself.

Over the past three years, Lauren had saved five patients with amniotic fluid embolism and had failed only once. Due to this success rate, she rose and became the head obstetrician at Mercy Hospital for Women.

When Patrick's call was connected, he desperately rambled, "Lauren, get to the hospital now! Hannah has an amniotic fluid embolism, and only you can save her!"

There were sounds of kids laughing and shouting on the other end of the line, glasses clinking, and adults chatting in the background.

"Uncle Patrick, did you lose your mind too? Are you seriously playing along with Charles' crazy act? Enough is enough! I spend every single day of the year taking care of him. I just wanted one peaceful day to myself, and you can't even let me have that?

"Isaac and I don't have anything going on. His family just came back to visit, and I'm having dinner with them. So please stop calling me!"

Patrick panicked. "Lauren, I'm not lying! Hannah is in a dire state. She has an amniotic fluid embolism, and only you can save her now! I'm begging you–please come back, or you'll regret it!"

"I'd only regret it if I went back!" Lauren's voice came out emotionless.

Hearing Lauren's voice, Gina broke down and grabbed the phone, sobbing, "Lauren, Patrick isn't lying to you! Hannah really is in trouble! Even if you don't believe Charles or Patrick, you'll believe me, won't you? Come back right now!"

I sighed inwardly. To me, Gina was not a good person. After all, she knew Lauren was cheating, but she still helped in hiding it. Nonetheless, to Hannah, she was a good mother.

"Lauren, did you hear that? Your own mother wouldn't lie to you! Why aren't you coming back?" Patrick practically shouted in frustration.

"Mom, you..." Lauren's voice wavered with hesitation.

"Ahh! Lauren, my eye! My eye hurts so bad!"

A man's pained cry rang out, accompanied by an adult scolding a child.

"How could you shoot a marble at your uncle's face like that?"

Suddenly, Lauren's concerned voice came through the phone. "Isaac, does it hurt? Don't move. I'm a doctor, let me take a look!"

Then, her voice turned urgent yet ice-cold as she spoke into the phone. "Mom, stop fooling around. Even if what you're saying is true, it doesn't matter. I've had quite a bit to drink and can't drive. I can't make it back."

With that, she hung up.

The phone slipped from Gina's hands and hit the floor with a sharp crack. Then, she dropped to her knees, her head hitting the ground as she lay there motionless.

Patrick sank beside her, tears streaming down his face. "What happened to her? How could she become like this? How can she ignore her family for some man? She's an animal!"

I helped Gina to her feet and saw the red mark swelling on her forehead from where she had hit the ground. I almost pitied her. Almost.

Still, I could not feel sorry for her. After all, in my past life, she had played her part in driving me to my death.

I did not know how much time had passed when the operating room doors opened again.

"I'm sorry. We did everything we could."

Hannah and her baby were both gone. Gina seemed like a shell of herself, refusing to eat or drink, only clutching Hannah's clothes and crying.

Patrick was furious and repeated the entire hospital ordeal to every relative, cursing Lauren as a monster.

When Hannah's in-laws learned about the news, they broke down sobbing. Jacob rushed back from out of town that same day. The moment he saw his dead wife and son, his face twisted in anguish, and his eyes turned bloodshot.