Chapter 4

I gripped the bed rail and looked at Lorenzo.

"I want to transfer to another hospital. Please get me out of here."

Lorenzo nodded and asked Chiara to record my request. Then the two of them continued pushing my bed.

A man in a suit hurried over and blocked their way.

"Hold on. I'm a hospital administrator. We haven't cleared things with the people at the exit yet."

Lorenzo kept hold of the bed. "The ambulance is downstairs, and she's still bleeding. How long do you expect us to wait?"

The hospital administrator glanced at Roberto. "Have the ambulance go around to the back entrance. Don't let everyone crowd this area."

"There are steps at the back entrance. We can't get the hospital bed down them," Chiara said.

After she spoke, Roberto picked up his phone again and stepped aside to discuss it with someone.

Blood kept pouring out beneath me, and my grip on the bed rail grew weaker.

Lorenzo bent down to examine me and told everyone nearby to move back. Then he urged Chiara to update the hospital that was waiting to receive me.

Roberto still stood guard by the elevator. He pointed his phone at me and recorded for a few seconds, then held down the voice message button.

"Mr. Moretti, the doctors are taking care of Mrs. Moretti. It's her family who sent people to take her away."

Chiara looked up. "We're the ones requesting the transfer. Didn't you hear us?"

Roberto put away his phone without answering.

A short while later, Luca called back.

Roberto put the call on speaker and held the phone up in front of us.

On the phone, Luca was speaking to Rosa in Valdorian. "Elena can't stand pain. Ask the doctor when she can get an epidural. Don't make her suffer any longer than she has to."

I curled my fingers.

After that, he finally spoke to us. "Aren't the doctors there? Just make sure Victoria is well taken care of. I'll deal with her family."

Lorenzo moved closer to the phone. "We need to focus on getting her transferred. We've already contacted the receiving hospital. Please tell your people to clear the exit."

"Send the test results to my personal doctor. Don't leave until he has reviewed them."

"Mrs. Moretti is bleeding! If we delay any longer, both she and the baby could be in danger!"

"Send the reports over first. We'll talk after that."

I touched Chiara's hand and asked her to bring the phone closer. "Luca…"

"Don't move around. Aren't the doctors right there with you?"

"The doctor is the one who says I need to be transferred." I paused to catch my breath. "I'm still bleeding. Can you tell them to get out of the way, please?"

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line.

"Got it. Wait for further instructions. I'll have someone look into it and call you back when I'm done here."

Luca hung up.

As I stared at the dimming screen, Roberto took the phone away.

Lorenzo looked up. "The hospital has called the police. Stop blocking us and move aside!"

They started pushing my bed forward again. Roberto tried to stop them, but hospital security arrived and forced him aside.

I tugged on Chiara's sleeve. "Where's my mom?"

She glanced at the message she had just received, then leaned down to tell me.

"They're here. Your parents just arrived downstairs. They'll be up in a moment."

Roberto followed my bed for a couple of steps. Then his tone finally softened.

"Fine, you can leave. But we're coming with you, and Mr. Moretti needs to know which hospital you're going to."

The elevator doors opened.

My mom, Sofia Greco, practically ran out.

My dad, Enzo Bellardi, followed close behind her with a medical team.

When Mom saw the blood on the bed, all the color drained from her face.

She took my hand, and her voice trembled. "Don't be scared. I'm here. We're getting you out of here."

I nodded and squeezed her hand. "Don't let them come with us."

Dad stepped beside the bed. He glanced at Roberto, then turned to the hospital staff.

"Victoria has made her wishes clear. Keep these men away and save her first."

The paramedics took over and wheeled me into the elevator.

When we reached the ground floor, the vehicles blocking the exit had been moved, and the ambulance's rear doors stood open.

They loaded me into the ambulance, and Mom sat beside me.

Roberto hurried after us, holding up his phone.

"Mrs. Moretti, Mr. Moretti wants to speak with you."

I didn't answer.

Chiara looked at me, and I shook my head slightly.

"Close the doors."

Just before the doors closed, I heard Roberto ask Lorenzo, who had stayed outside, "How's the baby? Mr. Moretti wants to know."

"I already told you. Both mother and baby are in danger. We won't know the outcome until after the emergency treatment."

Mom squeezed my hand as the ambulance pulled away.

…

Before they wheeled me into the operating room, I handed Mom my phone.

"Mom, I don't ever want to see Luca again. Don't tell him where I am, either."

Mom took the phone and brushed my sweat-dampened hair away from my face.

"Don't worry. I'll handle everything else. You just focus on getting through this."

She held my hand and stayed with me all the way to the operating room doors.

Listening to her voice, I finally stopped trying to hold on and closed my eyes.

The operating room doors closed behind me.