Chapter 3

I dashed outside in a flash.

Oscar lay limply on my mom's shoulder, his arm dangling from the side. I reached out to check the pulse on his neck. When I touched it, I failed to detect any beat.

My heart tightened, and my mind went blank.

Almost instinctively, I shouted, "Quick! Lay him flat on the ground!"

My mom laid him down, and I knelt on the floor to start CPR on Oscar. I began pressing on his chest frantically.

At the same time, my mom turned to the nurses at the nurse's station. She got on her knees and groveled. "Please help us! Look at the child! How can you just stand by?"

The onlookers were stunned.

One nurse tried to come over to check, but Terry stopped her yet again. He said dismissively, "Please don't disturb our work."

Although no one helped, thankfully, Oscar regained a pulse after a few minutes of my unrelenting efforts.

He slowly opened his eyes and called out to me, "Mom."

Thank the heavens! I cried tears of joyful relief and hugged him tightly.

But then it hit me—my son had almost died in this hospital. Thinking about it made my heart ache.

Oscar asked softly, "Mom, am I going to die? Isn't this where Dad works? Why isn't he coming to save me?"

My son's innocent question caused everyone around us to go quiet. I saw that some of the onlookers were wiping away tears.

One said to Terry, "Dr. Jacquez, I don't think they're putting on an act."

"Yeah, Dr. Jacquez. You should examine. This is way too convincing to pass off as merely a hoax."

Upon witnessing the earlier scene, many people started pleading on our behalf.

But Terry remained unmoved. "I can't believe the lengths you would go to, Solange. You must have rehearsed this scene at home many times. Your CPR technique is all wrong. Besides, Joel has already left to be with Ciara, so your little act is wasted."

I was at a loss for words. Even at this point, Terry still didn't believe my son was genuinely ill.

I couldn't hold back anymore and rebuked him mercilessly, "Terry, what have I ever done to deserve all this mocking from you? Even if I've committed any wrongs, I can be held accountable by the law.

"But what about my son? What crime has he committed? As a doctor, you didn't even examine him before dismissing us. Do you deserve to wear that white coat on your back?"

At my words, the people in the crowd grew angry as well.

"Exactly, Dr. Jacquez. What mother would joke with her child's health?"

"She's right. Even if you think it's an act, at least use a stethoscope to check. That way, wouldn't you be able to discern if it's a real emergency or not?"

Under the weight of the crowd's criticism, Terry's expression shifted. Hesitantly, he took off his stethoscope and was just about to listen to Oscar's heartbeat when his phone rang.

Terry answered it right away. "Joel, where are you? Your wife is causing a huge scene in the department."

Upon hearing that name, I felt a chill.

Joel's voice was cold as he replied, "I'm with Ciara. She's been admitted to the hospital. Get someone to kick them out. Once Ciara's condition is stable, I'll be back to handle the situation."

He even added, "No one is to touch that bed—it's reserved for Ciara."

When my mom heard this, she burst into tears and shouted at the phone, "Are you crazy, Joel? Your son is very ill! He could have died! Won't you feel sad if that happens?"

Joel let out a frosty laugh. "No one is more important than Ciara. If he is to die, then let him die."

I hastily covered Oscar's ears but was still a second too late.

He looked up at me woefully and asked, "Mom, why did Dad say that I could just die?"

Try as I might, I couldn't find the words to say. I didn't know how to explain this to Oscar.

Joel hung up, and Terry looked down at me with disdain. "You heard him. Take your child and leave. Stop embarrassing yourself here."

Just then, I saw Heather appear at the doorway with Dr. Frank Lamere.

My eyes lit up, and I ran over with Oscar in my arms.

"Dr. Lamere, please, look at my son! Dr. Jacquez refused to admit him and insisted that he wasn't sick. But I think he has acute aortic dissection."

Frank placed his stethoscope on Oscar's chest due to my desperate pleading. As he listened to Oscar's heartbeat, he started frowning.

Terry walked over and said with contempt, "Don't listen to this woman's nonsense. A child couldn't possibly have acute aortic dissection."

But just as his words fell, Frank put away his stethoscope, took Oscar from me, and ran toward the operating room.

He turned to the head nurse beside him and said, "Notify the operating room that we have a child with aortic dissection."

Then, he shot Terry an icy stare. "Who told you a child couldn't have this condition? You caused an undue delay in the treatment of this child!"