CHAPTER 8: AT THE HOSPITAL

Olive watched Daniel sip his coffee with deliberate calmness, his demeanor completely unbothered. The aroma of the coffee wafted toward her, and she frowned, her stomach turning. She didn’t know whether it was the smell or the situation itself, but everything about this moment felt wrong.

“This feels like a waste of time,” Olive muttered under her breath, drumming her fingers on the table.

Daniel glanced up from his cup, his expression unreadable. “I know you feel that way, Miss Bennett, but this meeting isn’t about wasting time. It’s about finding a resolution to this… complicated matter.”

“Complicated?” she scoffed, leaning back in her chair. “That’s one way to describe it. I’d use a different word.”

The smell of the coffee grew stronger as Daniel lifted the cup again, and Olive’s stomach churned violently. Her face turned pale, and she shot to her feet without another word, rushing to the restroom.

Inside, she barely made it to the sink before the bile rose, and she retched uncontrollably. Tears streamed down her face as she clung to the cold porcelain for support. When the nausea finally subsided, she leaned against the wall, her breathing ragged.

She looked at herself in the mirror, her reflection pale and haunted. This pregnancy was taking a toll on her body, her emotions, and her entire life. It hit her like a brick she only had two weeks left before she had to report back to court, and she hadn’t made any decisions.

Her hands instinctively went to her stomach, trembling. “What am I going to do?” she whispered, her voice breaking.

The tears came hard and fast, and she slid to the floor, crying until her face was blotchy and her eyes red. Every emotion she’d tried to suppress overwhelmed her anger, fear, helplessness. For the first time, she realized she wasn’t just dealing with a mistake or a situation. She was carrying a life inside her.

Time slipped away as she sobbed quietly, her head resting against the wall. When she finally emerged from the restroom, she was surprised to find that over three hours had passed.

Daniel was still sitting at the table, his coffee long gone. He looked up as she approached, concern flickering in his eyes. “Miss Bennett, were you crying?” he asked, his voice softer than before.

Olive opened her mouth to respond, but the words wouldn’t come. Her body felt weak, her legs shaky. She barely registered Daniel standing up before the world tilted, and everything went black.

Olive’s unconscious body slumped into Daniel’s arms, and he reacted instantly, his calm exterior giving way to urgency. He fumbled for his phone and dialed quickly.

“Mr. Stone,” he said as soon as the line connected. “It’s Olive. She fainted. We’re at the restaurant, and she needs medical attention immediately.”

Raymond’s voice was sharp on the other end. “Get her to a hospital. I’ll meet you there.”

Daniel hung up and signaled to the restaurant staff, who rushed to assist him. Together, they carefully carried Olive out and into the waiting car outside.

The hospital was a flurry of activity when they arrived. Nurses and doctors surrounded Olive, wheeling her into an examination room while Daniel filled out the necessary forms.

“What happened?” a nurse asked as they worked on Olive.

“She fainted” Daniel explained.

The nurse nodded, her focus shifting back to Olive.

Minutes later, Raymond stormed into the hospital, his face a mask of controlled anger and worry. Daniel approached him, updating him on the situation as best as he could.

“She’s still unconscious,” Daniel said. “The doctors are doing everything they can.”

Raymond nodded curtly and strode toward the waiting area. He didn’t sit, didn’t even look around. He just stood there, his hands clenched into fists, his thoughts racing.

After what felt like an eternity, a doctor emerged from the room. He glanced between Daniel and Raymond before speaking.

“Who’s her husband?” the doctor asked, his tone brisk.

"Husband" Raymond muttered to himself then he realized the girl in there is carrying his child without him being in any commitment to her. Raymond stepped forward without hesitation. “I am.”

The doctor nodded, not questioning him. “Your wife’s condition is stable for now, but she’s severely stressed, which is putting both her and the baby at risk. She needs rest and proper care. This level of stress is dangerous.”

Raymond’s jaw tightened. “Stress,” he murmured under his breath, almost to himself.

The doctor looked at him sharply. “Yes. And if it continues, it could result in serious complications for both her and the child.”

Raymond nodded stiffly, dismissing the doctor. He turned to Daniel, his mind already racing with plans. “Make sure she gets everything she needs,” he ordered before walking away to find some air.

Olive woke up slowly, the sterile white ceiling above her coming into focus. She groaned softly, her body aching. She turned her head, surprised to see Raymond standing near the door, with Daniel behind him.

Raymond’s eyes met hers, and for a moment, there was something unreadable in his gaze. But he said nothing. Without a word, he turned and left the room, his footsteps echoing in the hallway.

Olive blinked, confused and frustrated. What was he doing here? Why did he care? She didn’t have the energy to think about it. All she could feel was the overwhelming weight of her situation pressing down on her.

Olive lay on the hospital bed, her hands resting protectively over her stomach. Her emotions were a tangled mess, exhaustion and despair clouding her thoughts.

The door creaked open, and Daniel stepped inside. He held a folder in his hands, his expression neutral but concerned.

“How are you feeling, Miss Bennett?” he asked, his tone unusually gentle.

Olive shrugged weakly. “Like my life is spinning out of control.”

Daniel nodded, pulling a chair closer to her bedside. “I’m not here to pressure you, Miss Olive,” he said, surprising her by using her first name. “But you need to know how serious this situation is. Your health and the baby’s depends on how you handle things moving forward.”

Olive let out a humorless laugh. “Handle things? Do you even hear yourself? I’m in this mess because someone didn’t handle things right in the first place.”

Daniel didn’t respond immediately, giving her space to vent. When she calmed down, he leaned forward slightly. “I know this isn’t what you planned. It’s not what Raymond planned, either. But the reality is, this baby exists. You have to decide what’s next—for yourself, and for the child.”

His words hit Olive like a blow. She felt tears welling up again, but she blinked them back, determined not to break down in front of him.

“I need time,” she said quietly, her voice shaky.

Daniel nodded. “Of course. But time is running out. Mr Raymond… he’s determined to make sure this child is born.”

Olive’s head snapped up, her eyes narrowing. “Of course he is. He’s Raymond Stone. He’s used to getting what he wants.”

Daniel didn’t argue. Instead, he stood up and placed the folder on the bedside table. “These are documents outlining the support Raymond is willing to provide financial, medical, everything. You don’t have to decide now, but take a look when you’re ready.”

With that, he left, leaving Olive alone with her thoughts.

Raymond sat in his office later that evening, staring out at the city skyline. He replayed the events of the day in his mind, Olive’s pale face haunting him. For the first time in a long while, he felt something he couldn’t quite identify guilt.

He didn’t know why it mattered so much to him that she was okay. Maybe it was the child. Maybe it was her defiance, her refusal to let him control her. Whatever it was, it unsettled him.

He picked up his phone, his thumb hovering over the screen. After a moment, he set it down again, shaking his head. Olive Bennett wasn’t the kind of woman who wanted saving, and he wasn’t the kind of man who knew how to save anyone.