The night everything broke

Three days passed after the accident, yet Murphy barely stayed in the hospital long enough to feel like a husband, or even a father. He always had somewhere else to be. Either meetings, business dinners or trips. And every single time he left, Nessa somehow ended up staying behind beside Sophie.

At first, I told myself I was overthinking things. But gradually, even the nurses began looking at Nessa as though she belonged to Murphy more than I did. That realization slowly destroyed me from the inside.

I adjusted Sophie's blanket softly as she slept quietly on the hospital bed. Her face looked pale and smaller than usual while machines beeped steadily around her.

The doctors had warned me repeatedly that the accident worsened her kidney complications. She needed constant care now more than ever.

And yet Murphy remained emotionally absent. My gaze shifted toward the clock hanging on the wall.

9:47 PM.

Murphy had promised he would come tonight. I looked down at my phone and dialed his number for what felt like the hundredth time that evening.

The call rang, then went into voicemail. I closed my eyes tiredly. I slowly stood up and walked toward the hospital window. Rain poured heavily outside while flashes of lightning illuminated the dark city.

A weak cough suddenly came from behind me. I turned quickly. “Sophie?” I rushed back toward the bed immediately.

Her tiny body trembled violently beneath the blankets while sweat covered her forehead.

“M-Mom...” she whimpered weakly.

Fear gripped my chest instantly. I touched her forehead and noticed she was burning up.

“Oh my God.”

I immediately pressed the emergency button repeatedly. Within seconds, nurses rushed into the room. One of them checked Sophie's vitals quickly before her expression changed.

“Her blood pressure is dropping.”

Panic exploded inside me.

“What? No—no, she was fine earlier!”

“We need the doctor now,” another nurse shouted urgently before rushing out.

Everything suddenly became chaotic. Machines beeped louder, doctors hurried inside and nurses moved around frantically. And there I stood completely frozen as fear swallowed me whole.

“Mrs. Daniel, please step outside,” one doctor instructed quickly.

“No!” I cried instantly. “Please let me stay with my daughter!”

“Please cooperate.”

My legs trembled violently as they gently pulled me outside the ward. The moment the door shut in front of me, I completely broke down. I immediately grabbed my phone again and dialed Murphy's number with shaking hands. Tears streamed endlessly down my face.

“Pick up...” I whispered desperately. “Please pick up...”

Finally, after the fourth call, he answered. “What is it, Jane?” His voice sounded distracted and irritated.

My chest tightened painfully. “Murphy!” I cried. “Sophie's condition suddenly worsened. The doctors are trying to stabilize her right now.”

He kept quiet, then I heard loud music in the background and glasses clinking.

My stomach dropped instantly. It was obvious he wasn't working. “Murphy?” My voice cracked painfully.

“I told you I had an important meeting tonight,” he said impatiently. “Why are you panicking so much?”

I stared at the hospital doors in disbelief. “Panicking?” I repeated weakly. “Our daughter could die!”

“Jane, lower your voice.”

The coldness in his tone shattered me completely. At that exact moment, a familiar female laugh echoed faintly through the phone.

My grip tightened around the phone so hard my fingers hurt. “You're with her?” I whispered.

Murphy sighed frustratingly. “This isn't the time for your jealousy.”

A broken laugh escaped my lips instantly. Jealousy? Was that truly what mattered to him right now?

“Your daughter is fighting for her life!” I screamed through tears. “And you're with another woman!”

“Enough, Jane.”

“No, you listen to me for once!” My body shook violently from anger and heartbreak. “Sophie keeps asking for you every single day while you keep choosing that woman over your family!”

The line became silent briefly, then Murphy spoke coldly. “I'll come when I'm done here.”

My world stopped. “What?”

“I said I'll come when I'm done.”

The call ended immediately. I slowly lowered the phone away from my ear while staring blankly ahead. He hung up at the very moment our daughter needed him most. A sob escaped my throat as my knees nearly gave out beneath me.

At that moment, the ward doors suddenly burst open. The doctor rushed toward me urgently.

“Mrs. Daniel.”

My heart stopped instantly.

“How is she?” I cried breathlessly.

The doctor's face looked grim.

“She needs emergency treatment immediately. Her kidneys are deteriorating faster than expected.”

I covered my mouth with trembling hands as tears poured endlessly from my eyes.

“No...”

“We need a guardian's signature immediately.”

I nodded frantically while grabbing the papers from him.

“Where's her father?” another nurse asked quickly.

I froze for a second. Then I slowly looked down at the papers through blurred vision.

“He's busy,” I whispered brokenly.

The words tasted bitter in my mouth. I signed the papers with shaking hands while trying not to collapse completely.

As the doctors rushed back inside with Sophie, I stood alone in the hallway surrounded by strangers while my husband stayed beside another woman.