The next two days saw Jace in a hotel, for he was unable to stay at that treacherous villa any longer, as it was clear he didn't belong there.
Divorce flashed in his mind—a clean break, a fresh start.
Then…
Liam's laugh. Marie's tiny hands clutching his finger.
His breath stuttered.
The Whitmans would bury him alive before they let him take those children. The second he walked out, Stella would erase him. New names. New schools and they will have a new daddy….Ethan.
He was trapped.
Either he returns to the mansion and forgets everything that had happened for the sake of his kids, or he divorces Stella and rents a place close to the mansion, so he can see his kids grow
Then suddenly, his phone rang and he flinched…not at the sound, but at the absurdity. Who the hell calked at—he squinted at the screen—4:12am?
Number unknown.
Not Stella…who had blocked him.
Not Ethan…who undoubtedly is too busy destroying his family.
He silenced it
But his phone kept ringing continuously, leaving him no choice but to pick it up wearily and answer the call.
"Hello" he mumbled sleepily.
"Are we unto Jace Parker?" A lady voice called out sharply on the line.
"Yes…."
"This is the health care hospital and your son was brought in an hour ago by his nanny"
Immediately, Jace sprang up and adjusted the phone firmly to his ear so he can hear her clearly. Then he asked fearfully, "Okay. I hope there is no problem, Nurse?"
"We will need you to come over to the hospital immediately" the nurse answered briskly, "it's important."
Quickly, Jace sprang up from the bed and cleaned up, then he picked up his car keys and hurriedly drove out of the hotel premises.
Minutes later, Jace approached the hospital receptionist desk, looking rumpled with worried lines all mapped out on his face.
"Hello nurse" he greeted briskly as he practically danced on his toes, "My name is Jace Parker—"
The nurse didn't even look up.
"Ward Eighteen." She said dismissively. Scratching her pen across paperwork. "Doctor is with him now."
Jace's pulse dropped.
Without thinking twice, Jace hurriedly ran down the hallway, searching for the door with the number eighteen on it, and as soon as he saw it…
He slammed through the door…no knock, no breath and there was Liam…too still, too pale.
The nanny whirled around in shock and as soon she saw him, her face d drained off any color. "Mr Parkinson—!"
But Jade wasn't listening. His fingers hovered over Liam's tiny wrist….too cold. He turned towards the doctor who had been busy checking his son's vitals and asked nervously, "Hello Doc. Please what happened to my boy?"
Doctor Marcus—according to the name tag on his coat—replied sternly, "He appeared to have swallowed a fish bone."
Jace breathed in relief, for he had feared the worst. "So it's over?" His voice cracked raw with hope. "He is—"
The doctor didn't smile. "That is a question I won't be able to answer if he doesn't do surgery today."
"Surgery?" Jace asked terrified and glanced at Liam who was still lying fast asleep, "Is it that serious doctor?"
"Yes. Your son swallowed a large fish bone that got stuck in his chest, thereby causing him so much pain that he had to be sedated until it could be removed."
"Okay…okay….what are we waiting for?" Jace asked hurriedly, for he really wanted all this to end and his son alive and well again without any complications.
"We will need your signature as his parent and also, you have to donate some of your blood, in case we might need it during the surgery." Doctor Marcus replied as he led Jace out of the ward, back towards the reception hall.
"Okay…okay….I will do every thing you say, Doc, but first give me a minute— let me make a quick call." Jace said uneasily. His thumb hovered over Stella's contact.
Would she even pick up?
The doctor crossed his arms, impatience sharpening his voice. "Every second counts, Mr Parkinson."
So he was left with no choice but to drop their contact details with the receptionist, instructing her to call and inform them about what happened. Then he rushed towards the laboratory to have his blood drawn for his son.
After the whole document were signed and his blood drawn, he went back to his son's ward to still see him fast Asleep, with his nanny just as worried and shaken as before.
And he couldn't blame her, for he knows that she is not only worried about Liam, but also thinking about Stella and her family—the tongue lashing that will follow.
He went back down to sit at the reception and waited with his eyes peeled, hoping to see his son being rolled out for surgery.
"Mr Parker. A word please." The doctor's voice sliced through the antiseptic air.
As soon as Jace entered his office, the doctor said cautiously, "I understand that you just donated blood for your son Mr Parker—"
"Yes I did," Jace answered impatiently, "I did that some minutes ago and also signed the documents, so why is my son not in the operating room? I thought you said his situation was urgent?"
"Yes you are correct Mr Parker" Doctor Marcus nodded calmly and cleared his throat, "But we have a small problem….your blood work." he dropped the file. "It's….incompatible."
"Bullshit!" Jace barked. Confused, unable to understand this medical Jargon. "He is my—"
"Biological impossible." The doctor's finger stabbed the result repeatedly. "You are not Liam's biological father."