Chapter 5

In less than ten minutes, Julian’s phone rang.

He picked it up instantly, putting it on speaker.

On the other end of the line was the young assistant from earlier, his voice breathless and laced with shock.

"Director Vance, I found her. Aria Sterling is in the ICU at City General. She was admitted this afternoon. The diagnosis is acute myocarditis complicated by heart failure. Her condition... is critical. The hospital just issued a critical condition notice."

I couldn't hear the rest of what he said.

Because Julian’s phone slipped from his hand and crashed onto the floor.

He stood there, completely paralyzed, like a statue.

[Holy shit! A critical condition notice! This is even worse than the original book! Thank god Lily moved fast!]

[Julian, what are you waiting for?! Get to the hospital!]

[He’s terrified. He probably thought Aria just had a minor illness, he had no idea she was fighting for her life...]

The urgency of the chat comments seemed to snap him out of his trance.

Julian suddenly came to life. He scrambled to grab his phone from the floor and roared into the receiver:

"Get the best specialists in the country to her room right now! I don't care about the cost! Just save her! I'm on my way!"

He didn't even look at me as he rushed toward the door.

I panicked, scrambling off the sofa and running to throw my arms around his leg. "Daddy, I want to go too! I want to see Mommy!"

He froze, looking down at me. His eyes were filled with a wild panic and a profound, aching pain that I couldn't quite comprehend.

Without a word, he gathered me into his arms and sprinted out of the trailer.

"Connor! Get the car! City General! Now!"

His voice echoed across the quiet studio lot, trembling with an uncontrollable fear.

The car tore through the night, the city lights blurring past the window.

Julian didn't say a single word the entire drive. He just gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned stark white.

The air tension inside the car was terrifying.

I didn't dare to make a sound, sitting quietly in the child safety seat that his assistant had hastily transferred from another car.

I stole a glance at him and realized his eyes were completely bloodshot.

[This is heartbreaking. He must be drowning in regret. If he hadn't been so stubborn five years ago and had actually gone to look for her...]

[The misunderstanding back then was too deep. Julian’s mother gave Aria a massive check and told her to get lost. Aria was too proud to accept the humiliation, so she walked away without explaining a thing. Julian actually believed she left him for the money.]

[He searched for her for five years, almost losing his mind, and now their reunion is at the doors of the ICU.]

So that was what happened.

Mommy didn't take the money. Mommy was just too proud to be stepped on.

I looked at Julian's tense jawline and spoke softly:

"Daddy, Mommy didn't take anyone's money. She told me she's an artist who loves the sun. She only needs the light and her paintbrush."

The car veered slightly.

Julian turned his head to look at me, his eyes as deep and turbulent as the ocean.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but instead, he reached out a trembling hand and gently, awkwardly patted my head.

"...I know," he whispered.

His voice was heavy, thick with unshed tears.