Chapter 23

Amelia looked visibly anxious as she stepped out of the car. She took large strides, eager to reach the room where her father was being treated.

Behind her was Ethan, following wherever his wife went. Earlier, he had felt conflicted, torn between who to accompany that morning, but in the end, he chose Amelia.

"Ethan, why are you so quiet? You're still there, right?" Flora's voice came through on the phone.

Ethan was momentarily silent. It wasn’t without reason; he was simply unsure of who to prioritize. On one hand, he had already made a promise to Flora, but on the other, Amelia really needed his support.

"Ethan?" Flora called again.

"Flora... I'm sorry. I can’t take you to your mom’s house this morning."

"Why not? Didn’t you promise me yesterday?" Disappointment laced Flora’s tone.

"I’m really sorry. I need to take Amelia to the hospital. Her father suddenly lost consciousness and is being treated by doctors now."

"Oh my God." Flora sounded shocked at the explanation. She immediately told him to accompany Amelia to the hospital.

"Alright then. I’ll just go with the driver."

"I’ll pick you up later once everything here is settled," Ethan offered, clearly feeling bad about canceling his promise.

"No need. Just focus on staying with Amelia. Let me know how things go with her father."

Fortunately, Flora was understanding and didn’t protest. This allowed Ethan to take Amelia to the hospital with a clear conscience.

---

"What exactly happened to Dad?" Amelia asked Clara, who was pacing anxiously in front of the treatment room. Her face showed just how worried she was.

Before Clara could answer, Alina appeared from another direction. With a pale face, she hurried over and hugged both of her sisters.

"Clara, Amelia..." Alina called out. "How’s Dad? Is he awake yet?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.

Clara nodded, trying to calm her panicked sister. "He regained consciousness briefly earlier. After being given medication, he went back to rest."

Clara glanced at Asher, silently asking her husband to explain more about their father’s condition.

"Don’t worry, Alina. Dad will be okay. He’s been given the best care and medication," Asher reassured her. "Let’s just pray that he recovers fully soon."

"But why did Dad suddenly lose consciousness? Yesterday, when I saw him at the detention center, he seemed perfectly fine," Amelia interjected, seizing the chance to learn more.

"According to the examination results, there’s significant blockage in Dad’s heart arteries," Asher explained. "The lack of oxygen in his blood caused him to collapse. That’s why he’ll be under observation for the next three days. If there’s no improvement, he may need heart bypass surgery to create new blood vessels. But..."

Asher hesitated, taking a deep breath. His face grew more serious.

"But what?" Alina pressed anxiously. "Don’t make us worry even more, Asher," she pleaded.

"If, after the surgery, his heart function doesn’t return to normal, he’ll need a heart transplant to avoid heart failure or other complications," Asher explained.

Everyone present was stunned by the gravity of the situation. Ahmed’s condition was far more serious than they had expected.

"Dad will recover, right?" Amelia asked quietly, her emotions in turmoil.

"Asher, please do everything you can," Alina added, just as concerned as her sister.

"Of course," Asher replied. "Let’s pray for the best. Rest assured, my team and I will do everything we can."

Seeing Alina’s distress, Rayyen gently rubbed her shoulders, trying to calm his wife.

"Oh, by the way, I know this isn’t the best time," Rayyen began hesitantly, "but I have good news: Alina is pregnant."

"That’s wonderful!" Clara and Amelia exclaimed in unison. They immediately hugged Alina tightly, sharing in her joy.

"I pray for a safe and healthy pregnancy for you and the baby," Clara said sincerely after releasing her sister.

"Me too," Amelia added. "May you and your baby always be healthy and protected."

"Thank you." Alina smiled, touched by their kind words. After returning their hugs, she said, "And I pray you’ll get to experience this soon too. Whether with your current husband or someone new. Honestly, I’m not sure about this strange marriage you have with Ethan."

"Alina..." Rayyen gently scolded her, realizing she was criticizing Ethan.

"I’m just being honest. If necessary, Amelia shouldn’t feel pressured to have a baby. She’s not a factory for children married off for certain purposes. Ridiculous!"

"Let’s go home now," Rayyen urged, wanting to avoid further awkwardness. "You need rest. Let Asher and the hospital staff take care of Dad."

Alina nodded, agreeing to her husband’s suggestion. Perhaps Rayyen also felt uncomfortable with how often Alina openly criticized Ethan.

"Alright, I’m heading home. Please keep me updated about Dad’s condition," Alina said as she prepared to leave.

"Don’t worry. I’ll let you know if there’s any development. Just get plenty of rest so you can recover quickly," Clara replied, giving her sister one last hug before letting her go.

With Alina gone, only Amelia and Clara remained by their father’s side. Ethan and Asher returned to their respective offices to resume work.