Chapter 2 - The Awakening
Ethan completely ignored his own exhaustion and instantly rushed back to the operating table.
He barked rapid, precise orders to the surgical staff to push a heavy dose of emergency epinephrine.
He performed intense, frantic chest compressions for two endless minutes until her heart finally restarted.
Once Hannah was fully stabilized, they moved her to a highly secure, private intensive care recovery room.
Ethan sat in the plastic chair beside her bed, clutching the terrifying ultrasound photo in his hand.
He stared at her pale face, wondering exactly what kind of horrors his mother had inflicted upon her.
Hours later, Hannah's long eyelashes fluttered slightly against her bruised cheeks as the heavy anesthesia wore off.
She opened her eyes slowly, blinking against the harsh, bright fluorescent lights of the hospital ceiling.
When she turned her head and saw Ethan sitting there, a look of pure terror washed over her face.
She immediately tried to sit up, frantically pulling at the complex intravenous lines taped to her fragile arms.
She gasped for air and asked where her babies were with a voice completely broken by panic.
Ethan gently pinned her shoulders back against the mattress to prevent her from ripping her stitches.
He softly promised her that both of the twins were completely safe in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Hannah began to weep uncontrollably, begging him to look away from her ruined, exhausted body.
She completely broke down and told him he should never have saved her life tonight.
She frantically explained that if his mother discovered her in Chicago, they would all be in mortal danger.
Ethan felt a cold, violent rage building deep within his chest at the mention of Victoria Caldwell.
He demanded to know exactly what his mother had done to chase her away five years ago.
Hannah confessed that Victoria had framed her for massive corporate espionage and threatened her with federal prison.
During their brief reunion in Aspen, Victoria’s private mercenaries had hunted her down with loaded weapons.
Ethan was completely horrified to realize the elegant woman who raised him was actually a ruthless monster.
Before he could offer Hannah a single word of comfort, the heavy wooden door swung violently open.
Victoria Caldwell walked into the recovery room wearing an immaculate, incredibly expensive designer suit.
She looked at the medical monitors and smiled with a level of cruelty that chilled the room.
She casually remarked that it was a shame the pathetic little parasite had survived the complicated surgery.
Ethan stood up immediately, placing his tall frame completely between his mother and the terrified woman in the bed.
He ordered his mother to leave the hospital premises immediately before he summoned armed security.
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Victoria simply laughed, stepping closer to the bed with an expression of absolute, arrogant victory.
She calmly announced that Ethan did not actually have the authority to throw her out of the building.
