My hands trembled as I called back, dread gnawing at me with every ring.

The voice on the other end answered quickly, filled with urgency. “Mrs. Hawthorne, we’re so sorry to disturb you, but Theodore has developed a high fever.”

My heart dropped. “A high fever?” I asked, my voice cracking.

“We’ve been trying to reach you all afternoon,” the attendant explained. “When we couldn’t get through, we called Theodore’s father—the number listed as secondary on the registration form.”

“And?” I asked, already knowing the answer would hurt.

The attendant hesitated before continuing, her voice tinged with discomfort. “He just answered coldly and said, ‘Take him to the doctor. Don’t bother me with that problem again.’”

Tears welled in my eyes as anger and heartbreak washed over me. Even when our son was sick, Liam refused to care. He was too busy playing the doting partner to Evelyn and her child.

“I’m coming right now,” I said quickly, grabbing my bag.

“Actually,” the attendant continued. “We’ve already brought Theodore to the hospital where you work. He’s being examined by a pediatrician right now.”

I rushed to the pediatric section, my heart racing with worry. When I arrived, I spotted the daycare attendant waiting near the entrance. She looked relieved to see me and immediately came over.

“Thank you so much,” I said, gratitude pouring out of me. “I’m sorry for the trouble, and I’ll reimburse you for the travel expenses.”

She waved her hand dismissively, smiling kindly. “It’s no trouble, Mrs. Hawthorne. We just wanted to make sure Theodore got the care he needed.”

Just then, I heard a familiar voice. “Amelia,” someone called gently.

I turned and saw Dr. Nathaniel Reed approaching, a warm yet concerned expression on his face.

He was a pediatrician and an old friend from university. His calm presence was a sharp contrast to my spiraling thoughts.

“Nathan,” I breathed. “How’s Theo? How’s my son?”

Nathaniel placed a comforting hand on my shoulder and gestured for me to follow him into the examination room.

“Amelia, it’s going to be alright,” he assured me. “His fever isn’t too high, and it seems like a simple viral infection. I’ll run some tests just to be sure, but there’s no need to panic. He’s in good hands.”

I let out a shaky breath, feeling some of the tension ease from my chest. “Thank you, Nathan,” I whispered, my voice breaking slightly as I tried to keep my emotions in check.

He offered me a small smile. “You know I’d do anything to help you and Theo. Just take a deep breath, okay?”

I tried to steady my breathing as I watched him work.

Despite the situation, his calmness was reassuring, a quiet pillar of strength I had not realized I needed.

Nathaniel had always been like that.

Back in university, we often ended up in the same classes, working on projects together or staying late in the library to study. He was the kind of person everyone liked—kind, dependable, and always willing to lend a helping hand.

Some of our mutual friends used to tease me about dating Nathaniel. “You two would make the perfect couple,” they would say, nudging me playfully.

But I had always laughed it off, dismissing the idea.

To me, Nathaniel was my safe space, a friend who never judged or pressured me. I valued his presence too much to risk losing it over something as fragile as romance.

Perhaps that was selfish of me, but Nathaniel never seemed to mind. He was also one of the few people that knew about my marriage with Liam.

So, I could not help but feel a deep gratitude for his presence in my life.

Nathaniel turned to me again, holding Theodore gently as he spoke. “He’ll need some rest, so let him be under my supervision for three days. I promise you he will be okay after that.”

Those words brought a small, shaky smile to my face.

“Thank you, Nathan,” I said again, meaning it more than ever.

After moving Theodore to the ward and watching him finally sleep peacefully, I let out a sigh of relief.

The sight of his small chest rising and falling rhythmically eased the weight on my heart, if only slightly.

Quietly, I stepped out of the pediatric room. My chest burned with anger and frustration as I walked through the hospital halls toward Liam’s room.

Earlier, I had sent him a scathing message, cursing him for ignoring the daycare attendant’s call and letting Theodore suffer.

But unsurprisingly, there was no reply—just silence. I had no choice but to confront him in person.

It did not matter whether Liam considered Theodore his legitimate son or dismissed him as a mistake. The fact remained, Theodore was his son, and he deserved his father’s care.

It was not just for show that I had listed Liam’s number as the emergency contact at the daycare.

As I reached the door and pushed it open, I yelled, “Liam, Theodore is two years old. He’s sick right now with a high fever, and you didn’t even care to answer the daycare’s call! What kind of father are you?”

He glared at me, his patience clearly waning. “I’m not his father,” he said, “Stop bringing him into my life. I won’t entertain this anymore.”

The world around me seemed to stop. His words echoed in my ears, each one a dagger stabbing into my chest.

I took a step forward, my hands trembling. “Liam,” I said, my voice shaking with a mix of anger and desperation, “How can you say that?”

“What kind of bullshit are you talking about now?” I snapped, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and disbelief.

I could handle Liam not recognizing me as his wife. I could endure his coldness, his rejection.

But this? Denying Theodore, the child who was the very embodiment of our love? That was a line I could not accept.

Liam’s face twisted with rage as he reached for a paper on the bedside table and flung it at me. The page fluttered through the air before landing at my feet.

“Evelyn found this evidence on my study desk at home,” Liam spat, his voice filled with venom. “Apparently, I had investigated you both before—but I forgot about it thanks to the accident. She helped me piece it together.”

I bent down and picked up the paper. As my eyes scanned the document, I saw it was a DNA test—one that claimed Liam and Theodore shared no genetic relationship.

Before I could even begin to process the absurdity of the claim, Liam’s voice cut through my thoughts like a blade.

“Did you the one who made me get into an accident so I’d forget about this?” he accused, his tone sharp and cold.

“Liam,” I said, my voice trembling with restrained anger, “I would never cheat on you, let alone betray you for this kind of bullshit.

“Open your eyes! Theodore has your blue eyes and your ginger hair. Isn’t that enough to prove that he’s your son?”

My hands shook as I clenched the paper tightly, crumpling it in my fists.

But Liam did not waver. His expression remained hard, unyielding. “Amelia, I trust that DNA test more than your lies. So, stop disturbing me.”

He turned his head away, as if he could not even stand the sight of me.

My anger boiled over, and I stepped forward, throwing the crumpled paper back at him. It hit his chest and fell to the bed, but he did not flinch.

“Wake up, Liam!” I yelled, my voice raw with emotion. “What else do I have to do to make you realize Evelyn’s lies?”

The sound of my raised voice must have reached Evelyn because the door swung open, and she sauntered in, her face the picture of mock concern.

“Amelia,” she said sweetly, her voice laced with false sincerity, “all this time, I thought you approached us because of Theodore. But apparently, you had other ideas. I should have listened to Liam and stayed away from you.

“What do you want actually? Is that all for money? Or are you intentionally asking Liam to take responsibility for your illegitimate child?”

Her words were like gasoline on the fire, igniting my fury even further.

I turned to her, my eyes blazing. “You’re unbelievable, Evelyn. You’ve manipulated Liam, forged evidence, and now you stand here acting like you’re the victim? Do you have any shame at all?”

Evelyn took a step closer, her expression shifting to one of wounded indignation. “I don’t need to manipulate anyone, Amelia. Liam trusts me because I’ve always been honest with him. You, on the other hand, seem to thrive on deception.”

I laughed bitterly, the sound devoid of humor. “Honest? Is that what you call this? Twisting a man’s mind while he’s vulnerable, erasing his memories of the life Liam and I built together? That’s not honesty, Evelyn—it’s cruelty.”

Evelyn, as always, played her part perfectly. Instead of guilt or explanations, she let her crocodile tears flow, masking her venomous actions under the guise of innocence.

“Amelia,” she said softly, her voice trembling just enough to sound convincing, “why would I ever do such a thing? Your accusation is going too far, Amelia.”

Her words were calculated, slicing through me with precision. But what stung the most was Liam’s reaction.

His cold, indifferent gaze settled on me as he said, “Amelia, this is your workplace. How far are you planning to take this insanity? Until the entire hospital knows about it?”

Their accusations hit me like a thousand daggers, piercing every part of my being.

Before I could respond, Evelyn walked to the door, opening it wide enough for the curious passersby outside to catch a glimpse of the confrontation. She was ensuring I had no place to hide.

“Amelia,” she said with a soft tone like an angel, “just leave gracefully and stop humiliating yourself, okay?”

I stood frozen in place, the weight of their combined cruelty making it hard to move.

I turned my gaze toward Liam, hoping for some flicker of the man who had once fought for me, who had always stood by my side.

But he remained silent, his back to me, staring out the window as if I no longer existed.

Tears spilled freely down my face as I finally found my voice. “Don’t beg me for forgiveness when you get your memory back, Liam,” I said, my tone laced with raw emotion. “You’re the one throwing everything away with your stupidity, not me.”

Liam’s voice broke through our heated exchange. “That’s enough, Amelia. Get out.”

“Fine,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “You can keep living in your fantasy, Liam. But one day, the truth will come out. And when it does, I hope you realize just how much you’ve lost.”

I turned and left without looking back, my chest heaving with the effort to hold back the sobs threatening to escape.

Evelyn’s victorious smirk was the last thing I saw as she gently shut the door behind me.

I rushed to the nearest restroom, locking myself inside one of the stalls as the tears came uncontrollably.

For a moment, I considered her words, that I should give up.

But then Theodore’s face flashed in my mind, so I directly returned to the pediatric section.

That night, as I was sinking into one of the chairs in the corridor, a familiar voice broke through my thoughts. “Is the ER really that exhausting, or is it something else?”

I looked up to see Nathaniel standing in front of me. In his hands were two cups of tea, one of which he extended toward me.

I forced a small smile as I took the cup. “Something like that,” I replied softly, my voice hoarse.

Nathaniel sat beside me, his calm presence grounding me. “You’ve had a tough day, haven’t you?” he asked, his tone light yet understanding.

I could not help but smile faintly at Nathaniel’s question. It brought back memories of our college days when the chaos of the ER had been a running joke among our classmates.

While so many had avoided it, choosing less unpredictable specialties, I had embraced it fully, finding a strange comfort in its intensity.

“Not exactly,” I replied, forcing a small laugh as I sipped the warm tea. “It’s just… there’s something else that’s been bothering me lately.”

Nathaniel leaned back slightly, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp with curiosity. “What is it?”

I hesitated. Part of me wanted to keep it all to myself, to avoid unloading my messy life onto him. But another part of me urged me to speak.

“It’s…” I began, fumbling for the right words. I took a deep breath, bracing myself, and decided to let it out. “I don’t know if you’ve heard or not, but Liam got into a terrible accident days ago… and now he has partial amnesia.”

Nathaniel’s expression darkened with concern. “Amnesia?”

“Yes,” I said, my voice cracking despite my effort to stay composed. “He… he doesn’t remember me or Theodore. What he remembers are events from the past, before we were married. He….” My words faltered, the weight of it all pressing down on me.

Nathaniel stayed quiet, his gaze steady and reassuring, silently urging me to continue. So, with another deep breath, I did.

Nathaniel’s jaw tightened as I explained everything. “That’s… insane,” he said, his voice low but firm.

At that time, my tears had spilled over despite my best efforts to hold them back.

He then gave me his handkerchief and asked me once I calmed down. “So, what will you do now?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted, my voice cracking under the weight of my emotions. “I don’t think I can stay here anymore. I want to leave if I can.”

I was too exhausted to keep presenting evidence to Liam, who did not believe me no matter what I said.

While Evelyn’s manipulation had succeeded in ways I could not have imagined, and I was left overwhelmed, defeated.

Nathaniel leaned forward slightly, his voice calm and steady. “If that’s what you want, I think I can help you.”

I blinked, looking up at him. “How?”

“This.” Nathaniel pulled out his phone and showed me a poster image on the screen.

I recognized it instantly—it had been shared in our group chat for hospital staff weeks ago. I had seen it before but dismissed it at the time, thinking I would never consider such a drastic change.

But at that time, as Nathaniel showed it to me, it felt like the best option I had to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the hospital and the endless humiliation Evelyn had created.

“Maybe… I’ll think about it,” I said, hesitating.

“Of course,” Nathaniel said with a nod, his tone understanding. “Tell me if you want to know more. No pressure.”

Just then, something important crossed my mind.

“Oh, right,” I said suddenly. “Nathan, I need to go home and grab Theodore’s supplies. He’ll be staying here for a few days, and I didn’t bring enough for him.”

Nathaniel tilted his head slightly, his expression thoughtful. “No problem. I have a night shift today, so I can help you watch Theo while you’re gone.”

“Would you? That would really help,” I said, relief flooding through me at his offer.

“Of course,” Nathaniel said with a warm smile.

“Thank you so much, Nathan,” I said sincerely, standing to leave. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

The drive home was heavy with thought. As much as I loved my job, the toxic atmosphere at the hospital had become unbearable.

Everywhere I went, I could hear whispers about me, Liam, and Evelyn. The rumors spread like wildfire, their flames fueled by Evelyn’s manipulations.

Nathaniel’s offer of a fresh start seemed like a lifeline, but leaving was not an easy decision. Could I really uproot my life and Theodore’s for a chance to escape?

As my car pulled up to the front of the house, my train of thought screeched to a halt. My heart sank at the sight that greeted me.

Evelyn stood in the driveway, surrounded by my belongings. Suitcases and boxes were scattered across the pavement like discarded memories.

She was holding one of my picture frames, a triumphant smirk on her face as if she had been waiting for that moment.

“What are you doing now, Evelyn?!” I shouted as I got out of the car, my voice trembling with anger and disbelief.

Evelyn turned to face me, her smirk deepening. “Oh, Amelia,” she said mockingly. “I thought it was about time you moved out. Liam doesn’t want you anymore, so I thought I’d help speed things along.”

“This is my home!” I snapped, my voice shaking. “How dare you throw my things out like this?”

Evelyn shrugged nonchalantly, tossing the picture frame onto a pile of my clothes. “Because Liam will be home tomorrow, so it’s just natural for us to not have your belongings in this house, right?

“After all, Liam considers me his wife now. Why don’t you just accept it and move on?”

My fists clenched at my sides, the injustice of it all burning in my chest.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. “Then at least let me pack properly,” I said, moving toward the door.

But Evelyn stepped in front of me, blocking my way. “Oh, no, no,” she said with exaggerated sweetness. “I’ll take whatever you want for you. Just tell me, and I’ll bring it out.”

Her tone was dripping with sarcasm, and I could feel my patience wearing thin.

“Theo’s….” I started, but Evelyn cut me off with a laugh.

“Oh, you can take whatever you want,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “Except anything that belongs to Theo. Because that’s Lucas’s now.”

She smirked triumphantly as she added, “Now, get out!”

Before I could respond, Evelyn slammed the door in my face, leaving me standing there on the driveway surrounded by my discarded possessions.