CHAPTER 1: CAUSING A SCENE

Nancy’s POV

“Your son’s blood type is AB negative, one of the rarest we’ve seen. We don’t have any in stock right now, and the nearest hospital with a compatible supply said it might take three days to transport.”

The smell of antiseptic burned Nancy’s nose as the hum of machines filled the room. Her hands wouldn’t stop trembling, and her palms were still sticky with her son’s blood. Two hours ago, she was baking cookies for Liam. Two hours ago, life had been ordinary. Now, her son’s life was dangling by a thread.

She had turned her back for all but two seconds. That was all it took for Liam to go outside without supervision and get hit by a car. It was a hit and run and Nancy couldn’t stop wondering what kind of person could do that to a child.

The doctor’s lips were moving, but the words barely registered. Nancy’s heart stopped. Three days?

She blinked hard, trying to process. Her eyes were blurry from the tears she had shed and was still shedding. “He can’t wait that long, can he?”

The doctor hesitated. “We’ll do everything we can to stabilize him, but surgery has to happen soon or we’ll lose him. We only have about twenty-four hours, maybe a bit more, before his condition becomes too critical. If there’s anyone ma’am, a family member or a parent who might be a donor…”

Nancy’s throat tightened. She could barely speak. “No. It’s just me.” But she knew that wasn’t true.

The doctor gave her a sympathetic nod before walking away, leaving the echo of his words behind.

Her mother, who had been silent until now, placed a hand on her shoulder. “Nancy,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “You know what you have to do.”

Nancy shook her head instantly. “No. Don’t say it, mom. I can’t possibly…”

“You don’t have a choice,” her mother cut in, her tone firm despite the tears shining in her eyes. “Your son needs his father’s blood and he will die if you insist on being stubborn.”

The word father felt like a knife.

Andrew King.

Even hearing his name hurt. The man she’d sworn never to see again. He didn’t know about Liam. He didn’t know he had a son.

Nancy turned toward the ICU glass panel. Her little boy lay so small, so fragile, a tangle of tubes and bruises. The sight tore something open inside her.

“I can’t let him die,” she whispered, voice breaking.

Her mother squeezed her hand. “Then you know what you have to do.”

Nancy didn’t waste any time. She had successfully avoided Andrew for four years. They only dated each other for two months before she was almost certain she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, but then Andrew’s mom had other plans. She threatened Nancy’s family and personally told Nancy she would never allow a low life like her to settle down with her rich son.

She had tried to fight for her love with Andrew but his mother immediately started making the lives of the people she cared about miserable. Andrew’s mother acted sweet and kind around other people, especially her son, but the second she was left alone with Nancy she didn’t hesitate to remind her how much she hated her.

Nancy’s mother and brother mysteriously lost their jobs and things in general just started going wrong for her, and for some reason she couldn’t talk to Andrew about it. He loved his mother and the last thing Nancy wanted to do was drive a wedge between them. Her fear got the best of her and she left Andrew with no explanation whatsoever. After Andrew kept calling and calling her, she had said a lot of rude and mean things to him to push him away.

Now she needed him. The man who she was sure hated her. The man who didn’t know their two-month relationship had led to a son. The man she didn’t know how to face.

The sun was hot that day as Nancy pulled over in front of Andrew’s enterprise. She was trembling, there was sweat on her forehead. She took in a deep breath and walked into the building. A phone call would have been faster but it was definitely not enough to say all she wanted to say. Besides she was sure Andrew had her blocked.

She was definitely not well dressed for where she was but she didn’t care. Her son’s life was on the line and she had to see Andrew today no matter what it took. As soon as she walked in, she got nasty looks from every soul in the building. The receptionist had a disgusted look on her face as Nancy walked towards her.

“Um, ma’am are you lost?” The girl said with a condescending smile on her face. Nancy almost rolled her eyes. She forgot how snobbish people in rich settings could be.

“I need to see Andrew King.” Nancy said almost out of breath. She tried to stop her hands from trembling, tried to stop the tears from flowing down her eyes. Tried to be brave. But how could she be? She was about to reveal a four-year old secret to a man who surely wanted nothing more to do with her.

“Do you have an appointment? The woman asked already looking to security as if she wanted to have Nancy dragged out just because of the way she looked. Nancy wasn’t having any of it. With an irritated sigh she walked past the receptionist’s desk and ran towards the elevator just before security could get her.

The elevator ride felt endless, the soft music a cruel contrast to the panic roaring in her chest. When the doors slid open onto the executive floor, a dozen faces turned toward her. Perfect suits. Shocked expressions. The smell of coffee and cologne. She knew she was making a scene but she didn’t care.

Before she could take another step, two security guards moved in. They must have already received alerts about an intruder in the building.

“Ma’am, you can’t be up here,” one barked, grabbing her arm.

“Let go!” she cried, struggling. “I need to see him! Please tell Andrew it’s me! Tell him it’s Nancy. It’s an emergency!”

“Ma’am, you’re causing a disturbance and we’ll call the police if you don’t come with us right now.” The security guard was pulling her more aggressively now.

“It’s about his son!” she shouted. Her voice cracked. “Please! My child, our child is dying!”

The floor fell silent. Every head turned. The guards froze, confused.

Nancy’s knees buckled, tears spilling freely now. “Please,” she whispered, “just let me talk to him.”

Heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor and the people started looking away from Nancy.

“What the hell is going on here?” The deep, familiar voice sliced through the air. The guards straightened instantly and people stepped aside.

Nancy looked up.

Andrew King stood at the end of the hallway. Tall, impeccably dressed, and every bit as commanding as she remembered. His gray eyes were colder than she’d imagined in her sleepless nights, his jaw set in stone, and then he saw her.

For a heartbeat, the entire world stopped. Their eyes met, hers full of fear and desperate hope, his full of shock and something darker.

Nancy’s breath hitched. Her knees felt weak. She almost fainted and only her will power was keeping her upright. She didn’t have time to settle on the shock of seeing him again after four long years. Liam, her son, needed her.

Andrew’s voice was low, dangerous and angry. “Nancy?”

Her lips trembled. “Andrew your son needs your help and he’ll die if you don’t come with me right now!”

The color drained from Andrew’s face. “My what?”