Chapter 6 - The Consequence
The waiting room felt like a tomb.
Ethan paced the floor, his expensive suit wrinkled and stained with rain.
Caleb sat in the corner, glaring at him with pure hatred.
Rebecca sat next to Lily, holding the teenager tightly as they waited for any news.
Every minute stretched into an agonizing hour.
Ethan’s phone vibrated in his pocket.
It was an automated email from his bank.
His personal accounts had been completely frozen by federal investigators.
He had lost his company, his money, and his family in a single night.
The heavy doors of the surgical wing finally pushed open.
The attending doctor walked out, removing his surgical cap.
His face was completely unreadable.
Ethan rushed forward, his heart pounding in his ears.
“How is she?” Ethan demanded.
“Is my son okay?”
The doctor looked past Ethan and locked eyes with Caleb, recognizing him as the medical proxy.
“Norah suffered a severe hemorrhage during the procedure,” the doctor explained softly.
“We managed to stop the bleeding, but she is currently in a medically induced coma to stabilize her brain function.”
Lily let out a heartbreaking sob, burying her face in Rebecca’s shoulder.
Ethan felt the air leave his lungs.
“And the baby?” Caleb asked, his voice shaking.
“He is small, but he is a fighter,” the doctor said, offering a tight smile.
“He is in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.”
Ethan let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
He took a step toward the doors.
“I need to see him.”
The doctor stepped directly into his path.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Caldwell.”
“Norah’s legal instructions were incredibly specific.”
The doctor handed a legal document to Caleb.
“Only the proxy and immediate family members approved by the proxy are allowed in the NICU.”
Caleb looked at Ethan with cold, unwavering finality.
“You are not approved.”
Ethan stood frozen in the hallway as Caleb, Rebecca, and Lily walked past him to meet the new baby.
He was completely alone.
His phone chimed with a text message.
It was a picture from Madison.
Ethan opened it and felt the blood freeze in his veins.
May you like
The photo showed Madison standing inside Ethan’s dark kitchen.
In her hand, she was holding the ultrasound picture Norah had left on the fridge.
