Chapter 7

"Are you alright?" Ava asked me after she brought me to the hospital. Worry was evident in her face, but she tried to hide it. She wasn't allowed to expose her emotion because my father might have taught her it was a sign of being weak.

"Just leave me," I angrily responded. I avoided my gaze in her direction when I noticed how she seemed hurt because of what I had said to her. I didn’t see any reason for me to interact with her after that day. My hands gripped the hospital sheet, and I gazed at the cast plastered on my feet.

Mr. McWealth wanted me to be with him for the three-day business meeting. How could I go with him if I was in the hospital? I couldn’t stop thinking about what Adeline and Adam might think while they weren't in our home yet. They were excited to see me, but something unfortunate happened.

“Katrina, I know you’re mad at me. I’m sorry," she uttered. Guilt.That was the only emotion I saw in her face. I wish it were so easy on my part to forgive her. How could she leave me alone in the street while I was laboring?

If my father treated me by doing the right thing, I didn’t mind being kicked out if Ava needed my help. She was one of the most essential people in my life. We were sisters, despite having different mothers.

“What are you sorry for, Ava?” I sarcastically asked her. “Are  you disappointed to see me alive after you left me that day?”

“You know I don’t mean to leave you. You know I love you as my sister. Katrina, we both faced different problems that day. You aren’t the only one who’s been in pain—”

“If I’m in pain, I won’t still do it to you.” I didn’t let her finish her words. Her mouth hung open before she swallowed. Her tears formed in her eyes as her lips trembled in pain. She deeply sighed before she tilted her head. Ava was still Ava, as I used to know. Her elegant appearance was still evident.

“My daughter has a heart problem. She almost died that time. I’m thankful there’s a stranger who helped me that day," I informed her, which made her tears flow down her cheeks. She wiped her tears and covered her mouth to stop herself from sobbing.

“I-I’m sorry,” she whispered in the middle of her cries.

"It is already done, Ava. I’m disappointed and hurt because I’m thinking you will do the right thing that day. However, if you don’t do it, I will not meet Terry. She’s the one who helped me that day," I said.

Terry had depression that day. She was supposed to jump out of the bridge when she saw me, crying in pain because I was giving birth to Adam and Adeline. She stopped killing herself, and she rushed me to the hospital. 

Ava only cried and begged me to forgive her. I didn’t say anything, but she was the one who brought my food and helped me with the hospital expenses. She was only doing it because of the guilt in her heart, and I didn’t promise her I would forgive her because of her help.

When she left me to be back at my father’s house, I couldn’t stop myself from expressing my emotions. I couldn’t stop crying, like the wound had been opened again. I was hurt emotionally when I remembered how helpless I was.

I didn’t know what time I was asleep, but I was awake when I heard my phone ring. It was Terry, and she was crying like she was in panic. My heart skipped because anxiety rushed through it. It made me have difficulty breathing.

“Terry, what happened?” 

“I’m in the hospital. Adam is crying when he sees Adeline faint. Where are you?” 

“W-What?”

The nurse couldn’t stop me from leaving, and no matter how painful my feet were, I didn’t feel it. All I thought about was my daughter, who was rushed to the hospital. My hands were shaking when I stopped the cab after Terry sent me the details of the hospital.

“Katrina!” Terry rushed towards me. Her eyes were puffy, and she looked miserable. Her hair was in a mess, and I noticed she didn’t have any slippers on her feet. My eyes turned bloodshot before my tears came out of my eyes. She was freaking worried that something bad might happen to Adeline.

She hugged me tightly while she was sobbing loudly. My heart clenched for her. Terry never liked me to see that she was in pain. I embraced her back, then tapped her back. She almost fainted, which made the nurse assist her.

“Mom, I’m sorry," Adam whispered. He might lack emotion in his face, but I noticed the dried tears below his eyes.

“What are you sorry for? Adam, I know you did everything to protect your sister. Adeline will be sad if she finds out you’re blaming yourself right now. Do you want her to be sad?” I carried Adam and placed him on my lap. He hugged me by encircling his hands around my nape. I heard him sniffe and stop me from checking his face. 

Adam didn’t want me to see him sad or crying. He was the mature one, while Adeline was the playful one. They both excelled in their school because they wanted not to waste my every effort to pay for their studies.

“I’m scared," he mumbled. I gasped when I heard him being honest with me. “Mom, I don’t want to lose Adeline. She may be annoying, but I love my sister.”

“Adam, she will be alright. You don’t need to worry about her.” I was worried, but I was trying to stop myself from letting them see it.

My phone rang, which made me take it from my bag. I saw Mr. McWealth calling me. I gulped because I already knew the reason why he called me. He might be waiting for me at the airport, so I answered his call.

“Where are you? Do you know what time it is? You’re late for our flight!” he nags from the moment I place my phone in my ear. I placed Adam in the waiting chair and slowly walked away to prevent him from hearing my conversation with my terrible boss.

I bit my lip to stop myself from wincing whenever my feet landed on the ground. It was fucking painful! I heard him talking with another man, and he was mad when he talked.

“Mr. McWealth, I’m sorry, but I can’t go to the—”

“What’s wrong with you, woman? This is part of your work, yet you’re acting like you’re the one who’s paying me. I let you come home early to prepare yourself, and now you will tell me you can't go with me–”

“Mr. McWealth, there’s an emergency happening today; I can’---”

“You’re fired,” he angrily declared, making my heart squeeze in pain. He was such a heartless man, and he didn’t bother to ask me about the emergency I had talked about.

“But.. Mr. McWealth, I’m telling you the truth. I’m in the hospital today, and something emergeny–”

“I don’t want to hear your trash excuses, Katrina. I don’t want to see your face ever again. You’re fired.”