Chapter 5

"You're overreacting."

Otis said it flatly.

"After Joy's inauguration ceremony wraps up, I'll come to the hospital and be with you two."

The line went dead in my ear.

Right then, a shrill alarm blared out of the ICU.

Doctors and nurses rushed to Joe's bedside, swapped him onto a portable monitor, and started wheeling him out.

I flung myself toward them.

"Where are you taking my son?"

I threw myself in front of the bed.

"Where are you taking him?"

"Is he going into surgery?"

"Has the specialist arrived?"

I grabbed the doctor's sleeve, my voice shaking with panic.

"Didn't you say you'd already arranged the visiting surgeon?"

"He was supposed to get here this afternoon. Why are you moving my son now?"

The doctor hesitated.

"The visiting surgeon's operation has been canceled."

Something roared in my head.

"Who canceled it?"

"The child's father."

The doctor explained.

"Mr. James just called and said the outside specialist's plan carried too much risk, and he didn't consent to the surgery."

"He's already signed the discharge agreement and the surgery-refusal form, and he's demanding we stop the current treatment plan immediately."

"He said he'd arrange to move the child to another hospital."

I staggered back a step.

"I'm his mother, and I do not consent to a discharge! He can't be moved at all right now. You can't send him away!"

I clamped both hands onto the bed rail.

"He is not being transferred."

"Please, I'm begging you, don't touch him. The specialist is almost here. Just a few more hours and he has a chance."

The doctor watched Joe's vital signs grow weaker and weaker, his own face grim.

"Ms. Fox, we understand how you feel."

"But we can't do what you're asking."

The doctor lowered his voice.

"Mr. James has just submitted proof of paternity and a written surgery refusal, and he's signed as the child's primary guardian."

"An outside specialist's operation doesn't count as emergency lifesaving care. When two guardians disagree, we have no authority to force it through. We can only maintain basic resuscitation, or process the transfer according to the documents he signed."

Something roared through my head again.

"He is not Joe's father! His signature means nothing!"

The doctor froze.

"What?"

"He isn't! I can prove to you he isn't!"

I threw myself over the bed, fumbling for my phone, dialing Otis over and over.

After more than a dozen tries, he finally picked up, applause pouring through the background.

"Eudora, I'm right in the middle of Joy's inauguration. Whatever it is, it'll have to wait."

I choked back the hatred.

"I'll agree to hand the position and the project over to Joy."

The other end went silent at once.

"Really?"

"But first you sign the divorce papers I sent you, withdraw the surgery refusal, and give me the decision-making authority over Joe's treatment."

Otis went instantly wary.

"I won't sign divorce papers. I'm not going to gamble with our marriage over a fit of temper."

I softened my voice.

"I'm just upset. I want you to prove you still care about me."

"You sign, we start over, you win me back properly, and you show me you actually value me and our son."

He was still hesitating.

I added, cold and even.

"You don't sign, and I hand the contract over to your competitor right now."

"The project's gone, and Joy's inauguration turns into a joke. Otis, you choose."

Otis finally sighed.

"Fine, I hear you. But dragging divorce into this over a mood really is going too far this time."

"Fine. I'll sign."

A few minutes later, his signed divorce papers and the treatment authorization landed in my hands.

He sent one more line.

【Happy now? I'll head to the hospital soon to look after him. Find time to hand the project off to Joy.】

Otis clearly hadn't read carefully again.

The agreement laid it out plainly: after the divorce, the child, the house, and my project all belonged to me.

I got my lawyer and the property manager on the phone immediately.

"Change the door codes and cut off Otis's entry access."

"My mother and Reginald aren't on the deed. Have security escort them out at once. Box up everything and send it to the Swanson house."

"Don't they love treating that place like it's Joy's home?"

"Pity. From this moment on, no one gets in."

Then I called a realtor and listed the house at a rock-bottom price.

The doctor finished his call and came over, his expression heavy.

"The specialist turned back the moment he got the cancellation notice. There's no time to bring him here again."

"The only option now is to send the child straight to a hospital in his home state."

I nodded without a second's hesitation.

"Transfer him. We leave now."

As the transport plane lifted off, Otis was still pushing me to hand over the project.

I sent the contract and every file directly to his competitor.

Their reply came fast.

【Happy to take over immediately. Terms unchanged.】

I pressed confirm.

Otis wanted to take everything I'd bled for and pave the way for Joy with it.

So I'd rather hand it to his rival on a silver platter.

The plane punched up into the clouds.

I gripped Joe's cold little hand and switched off my phone.