Chapter 17%
Nick froze. His blood can cold as he stood there, storing in disbelief.
Then, as reality kicked in, he scooped Jayden into his arms and took off running toward the hospital.
Ten minutes later, Jayden was being rushed into the operating room. Nick paced outside, anxiety etched into every line of his face. As soon as Valentina arrived, he turned on her, his voice low and dangerous.
“Heft him with you for just a little while and now we’re here. What the hell happened? How could he have passed out?”
Valentina lowered her head, her voice trembling “We Jayden said he’d never been on a roller coaster before. He was scared during the ride and when we got off… he collapsed. If anyone’s to blame, it’s Aria. She babied him his whole life, never let him do anything and now his body can’t handle even the smallest scare.”
Nick’s jaw clenched and for the first time, he snapped at her.
“If you hadn’t pressured him to get on that damn ride, none of this would’ve happened. You’d better pray he’s okay, or you’re going to have to deal with the consequences.”
Valentina flinched at the fury in his voice and shrank back, not daring to speak another word
She hadn’t expected Jayden’s reaction to be this extreme. Passing out over a simple roller coaster? All she’d wanted was to create a little drama–a dose of the suspension bridge effect to bring her and Nick closer. But he’d taken off mid–date, leaving her pissed and distracted When Jayden started screaming in fear on the ride, she couldn’t be bothered. She hadn’t told the staff to stop the ride. She hadn’t done anything. And now here they were.
Still, in her mind, it wasn’t her fault No, it was Aria’s. That woman had ruined Jayden, turned him into a useless little boy who was too weak to handle the real world. And worse–she kept standing in Valentina’s way.”
Nick waited anxiously until the light above the OR tumed off and the doctor finally emerged. He rushed forward.!!
“Doctor, how’s my son?“!
“He’s stable now, but…” the doctor gave him a grave look. “His heart isn’t in perfect condition. I’d more shocks like this. Next time, it could be much worse.”
advise you not to let him experience any
The doctor didn’t finish the sentence, but Nick got the message loud and clear. He nodded quickly in response”
Soon, Jayden was wheeled out of surgery. His tiny face was pale, drained of color, looking painfully fragile.X
Nick followed the medical team into the room where Jayden was being transferred. As Valentina tried to come in after them, he turned around and shot her a cold glare.X
“You’re no longer needed–or allowed–anywhere near Jayden,” he said firmly. “Go home. Pack your things. Your services are no longer required at the Ambrose estate.“%
This decision hadn’t come out of nowhere. Valentina had barely been living with them for long and already Jayden had ended up in the hospital–more than once. She never cared enough to pay attention to his son well–being. It didn’t matter that her face resembled Gianna’s A woman like her was useless if she couldn’t even be trusted to take care of his son.
Valentina’s face drained of color. Her eyes widened in disbelief and she scrambled to defend herself.
“Mr. Ambrose, please–I didn’t mean for this to happen! I really do care about.Jayden, I swear! Just give me one more chance. Please.”
Her eyes reddened, tears.brimming. She knew how to use her looks to her advantage. Usually, Nick would soften at the sight of her face. Glanna’s face.
But this time, he didn’t budge. His voice remained flat, emotionless.
“Leavel
Valentina froze at the sound of his voice. There was no room for negotiation in his tone–just cold, final dismissal. Any more pleading and she’d only humiliate herself further. She bit her lower lip, turned around without another word and ran down the hallway, her heels clicking faintly against the floor
Nick turned away and stepped back into the hospital room.
The nurse had just left, leaving only him and the unconscious child in the room.
He sat beside the hospital bed, his eyes falling on Jayden–his son. His own flesh and blood. A boy he barely knew. A boy he had never truly raised
He used to think parenting couldn’t be hard. So every time he came home and saw Aria exhausted from taking care of Jayden, he’d dismiss it as her being overly sensitive. He assumed she was just making a fuss, being dramatic. He’d wave it off and ignore her obvious
But now–now that he was living it–he finally understood how wrong he’d been X
Taking care of a child wasn’t just about feeding and clothing them. It was about keeping them safe, emotionally and physically, 24/7. And truth be told, he had it easier. Jayden didn’t harbor any resentment toward him, yet even then, caring for him was exhausting He couldn’t imagine how Aria had managed all those years on her own. How she hadn’t completely broken down under the pressure was beyond him
3.10 PM
“Mommy Mommy
