"He doesn't want kids - at least not with me. Either do I." She shook her head. "Dad, I'm divorcing Alistair."
Her father's coffee mug froze halfway to his lips. "Divorce?! Did he hurt you?"
He knew his daughter better than anyone. Knew about the love she'd buried in her heart for years. If he hadn't, he would've let the company crash and never agreeing to her marriage to Alistair Chase.
Alistair's reputation as Manhattan's favorite playboy was hardly a secret, and marriage hadn't slowed him down one bit.
Her father knew just how deeply she loved Alistair. Also knew she wouldn't leave Alistair unless something truly unforgivable had happened.
Before Elaine could stop him, he was already dialing Alistair's number on speakerphone.
She lunged for the phone, but it was too late - a woman's voice answered on the
third ring.
"Alistair's busy on our baby" Vivian purred. "Stop bothering us." Then the line went dead.
Her father realized slowly dawned Alistair'd actually gotten one of his mistresses pregnant.
"Dad, it's okay," Elaine said quickly, reaching for his hand. "I'm over him, I promise.I'll move back home later, just like before. Okay?"
The anger in her father's eyes softened to heartbreak, but eventually he nodded.
Elaine breathed a sigh of relief. That night, her phone jolted her from sleep with its shrill ringing. A clinical voice on the other end turned her blood to ice.
"Ms. Faerwyn? Your father's been in a car accident. Please come to Downtown Memorial immediately."
Why would her father be out driving at this hour? Confused, she checked her messages and found one from him sent just minutes earlier:
Elaine, I failed your mother when she needed me. I can't fail you, either. Someone needs to make that bastard pay for what he's done.
Her reassurances earlier hadn't calmed him at all – they'd just made him decide to confront Alistair himself!
When she arrived at the hospital, the operating room doors swung open. The surgeon's face told her everything before he even spoke.
"Your dad needs blood right now," the surgeon said, still in his scrubs. "Problem is, we're completely tapped out of his type. A hotshot named Chase bought up every unit of Rh-negative in Manhattan for his pregnant girlfriend. We're rushing in more from the next county, but we don't know if it'll arrive in time. If you know anyone with Rh-negative blood, call them now!"
The doctor hurried back into surgery, leaving Elaine frozen in place.
Pregnant woman. Chase. Massive blood buy. It didn't take a genius to connect the dots.
Her fingers trembled as she dialed the number at the top of her contacts. Her heart hammered with each ring.
Please answer. Please answer. Please...
Just before it went to voicemail, Alistair picked up.
"Alistair, did you buy up all the Rh-negative blood in the city? My dad's been in a car accident. He needs a transfusion right now. Can you spare some? Please?" Her voice broke with desperation, but Alistair's response was immediate and cold. "Your father was perfectly fine earlier. What kind of game are you playing now?" "I'm not lying! This is real!"
"Even if it is, the answer is NO. Vivian and the baby come first. I won't risk my child for anyone."
The line went dead before she could respond. When she tried calling back, it went straight to voicemail.
Despair crashed over her like a tidal wave. Besides Alistair, she didn't know anyone else with the rare blood type her father needed.
All she could do was pace the hallway, praying the blood from the next county would arrive in time.
After what felt like forever, a commotion erupted at the end of the corridor.
"The blood's here!!"
Hope flared in her chest - only to be extinguished seconds later as the surgery light went dark. The doctor emerged, his face etched with exhaustion and regret.
"I'm sorry. We did everything we could."
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