Morgan chuckled, gently brushing Teagan's nose. "Alright, alright. I'll try my best to stay alive. Happy?"

Still, seeing him put on that fake, relaxed expression didn't offer her an ounce of relief.

Instead, her thoughts drifted involuntarily to the recurring nightmares that had been haunting her, the scenes flashing through her mind like phantoms.

Though she was initially hesitant, she ultimately found the courage to probe. "Morgan, the doctor who performed the kidney transplant for you and Adrian—he's your friend, right? Did he mention anything about how many kidneys Adrian had?

"How was he after the surgery? I hired a caretaker to look after him, but they—"

Panic flashed across Morgan's face. He quickly interrupted her. "Why are you suddenly asking about this, Tea? You know, I was under anesthesia at the time, so I don't remember anything. If you want, I can call my friend and ask."

"Oh, it's okay…" Teagan replied, trying hard to suppress the worry gnawing at her.

Still, her thoughts drifted back to what Milo had said to her.

"He's dead… You made me lose Dad… He already gave his first kidney to you."

Teagan felt as if an invisible hand had gripped her heart, making it hard for her to breathe. She sprang to her feet, her eyes filled with a mix of determination and panic. "No, I have to ask Milo again. He said—"

Suddenly, a lab attendant burst in frantically. "Bad news, Ms. Holt. Milo's in danger!"

"What did you say?"

It was as if all the strength left her body at once. She stumbled, instinctively gripping the nearest table for support. "H-how could that happen? That medicine was only supposed to amplify the pain. How could he be in any danger?"

The attendant hesitated, his eyes flicking nervously toward Morgan. "Well…"

Teagan didn't notice it. Panicking, she bolted toward the door. "Take me to the hospital now!"

…

On the way to the hospital, Teagan's mind went blank. All she could see were flashes of Milo coughing up blood. She clenched her fists, her nails digging hard into her palms, but the pain barely registered.

When they finally arrived, she practically leaped from the car. She ran frantically toward the operating room, only to be stopped by a doctor.

"Are you Milo Shepherd's mother?" the doctor asked. "The examination report shows that he's severely malnourished. His body contains—"

"Malnourished?"

Teagan froze for a moment, then her face twisted with anger and accusation. "What has Adrian been doing? How could he let his own son get malnourished? He's nothing but a brute! Where's his father? I want to see him now!"

The doctor looked at her in confusion. "Ma'am, I think there must be some misunderstanding. When we were reviewing the patient's information, we noticed that his father is deceased."