The Billionaire's Forgotten Wife
Chapter 68: The Moment He Knew

Chapter 68: The Moment He Knew

The ambulance came racing into the ER entrance of the hospital.

"We need trauma room, now!" one of the medics called out the moment the doors opened.

Doctors and nurses rushed out with a gurney. Cassidy stepped back only to follow them immediately as they wheeled Claire in, with urgent instructions being shouted around her.

"BP’s dropping!"

"Get me two units of O-neg, stat!"

"Prep for emergency surgery!"

Someone tried to hold Cassidy back. "Ma’am, we’ll take it from here—"

"No!" she cried out. "Please... I have to stay with her!"

A nurse gently but firmly placed her hand on Cassidy’s arm. "She’s in the best hands now. I promise we’ll update you as soon as we can. Let us work."

Cassidy stood frozen, her body trembling, her mind refusing to process what was happening. Claire disappeared behind double doors... and just like that, Cassidy was alone.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Cassidy sat in the waiting room, trembling. Her clothes were still soaked in Claire’s blood. Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking, and her eyes stayed locked on the doors to the operating room that had just shut. The air around her felt suffocating.

Hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway. A doctor appeared with two nurses trailing behind him.

"Ms. Calista?" he asked quickly.

Cassidy stood up. "Yes, how is she? Is she still alive?"

"She’s holding on," the doctor replied, his voice calm but urgent. "But she’s lost a significant amount of blood. We’ve begun transfusions, but there’s a problem. Claire’s blood type is A negative. It’s rare. Our supply is currently empty."

He paused briefly, then continued, "We’ve already taken her to the OR. We’re preparing for surgery now, but we need compatible blood as soon as possible."

Cassidy stepped forward. "Take mine. I’ll donate."

The doctor shook his head gently. "We checked your medical records, you’re O negative. Unfortunately, it’s not the best match for her."

Cassidy stared at him, her breath catching. "Then what do we do?"

"We’ve already contacted nearby hospitals and blood banks," the doctor explained. "But we’re facing a delay. Claire needs a transfusion soon. The most compatible type would be A negative. O negative can be used in emergencies as a universal donor, but for her condition, we need a closer match for safety and effectiveness."

Cassidy’s heart pounded. Her mind was spinning.

Who? Who could possibly match?

Then a single name came to her.

Zeke.

Without hesitation, she reached for her phone and tapped on the number she had just saved earlier. Her fingers trembled as it began to ring.

One ring. Two. Three.

"Pick up," she whispered. "Please pick up."

"Hello?" came Zeke’s voice, sharp and alert.

Relief crashed into her like a wave but behind it, panic surged again.

Cassidy’s fingers trembled as she gripped her phone tighter, her voice breaking.

"Zeke... please come to the hospital. Now."

Zeke’s voice was immediate, sharp. "What happened? What’s going on?"

Her breath hitched. "It’s Claire. She was shot. She’s in surgery and she needs blood. A negative. Mine doesn’t match."

There was a long pause. In that heartbeat of silence, Cassidy felt something inside her crumble.

She hadn’t meant for him to find out this way.

God, she thought, not like this. Not through a phone call soaked in blood and panic.

Her voice shook. "Zeke... if you’re A negative, please... we need you."

Zeke froze. He didn’t need confirmation. Not anymore. For weeks, he had wondered who was Claire to Cassidy? A niece? A friend’s child?

But now, he knew.

The moment she said Claire’s name, the truth hit him like a tidal wave. A child. A hospital. A rare blood type. And panic in Cassidy’s voice that cracked something inside him.

There was no more room for doubt.

Claire wasn’t just any child. She was Cassidy’s. And his. Their daughter.

He wanted to be angry. Wanted to scream. Wanted to demand answers. But then he heard the tears in Cassidy’s voice. The desperation. The fear.

And suddenly, none of that mattered.

"I’m coming," he said. His voice was tight. Controlled. But inside, he was falling apart.

Cassidy hung up, her breathing uneven. Her eyes stung, her face wet with tears. Her white blouse was stiff with blood, her khaki blazer stained red. Her hands were smeared with it, Claire’s blood. She looked down and nearly threw up, not from the sight, but from the rising panic in her chest.

Less than twenty minutes later, the ER doors burst open.

Zeke stormed in, still in his work clothes, his eyes wild with worry. And the moment he saw her, his steps faltered.

Cassidy looked up just in time to see him. Her body moved on instinct, stumbling toward him like a drowning woman reaching for land.

"Please," she gasped, falling into him. "Please help Claire."

Zeke caught her. His arms locked around her like steel. He looked down, her blouse was covered in blood. Her hands were shaking. Her body felt cold.

He couldn’t speak. Couldn’t think. Just held her. "She’s going to be okay," he murmured, trying to steady her. But his voice shook too.

"Mr. Salvador?" a doctor called as he approached.

"Yes."

"We were told you might be a match. What’s your blood type?"

"A negative," Zeke answered without hesitation.

The doctor exhaled, visibly relieved. "Good. Come with us, please. We need to begin the transfusion immediately."

Zeke squeezed Cassidy’s shoulder. "Stay here. I’ll be back."

She nodded, eyes red and tired, clutching her arms around herself like she was holding herself together.

He followed the doctor down the hallway, not once looking back.

Cassidy watched him disappear into the corridor, and only then did she collapse into the chair beside her.

For the first time since the nightmare began, she allowed herself a glimmer of hope.

He’s here. He’s helping her.

***

Zeke sat quietly, his sleeve rolled up, arm outstretched as the young male nurse in scrubs inserted the needle. Blood began to flow into the bag, his blood, meant to save her.

His daughter.

The silence stretched for a while, but he couldn’t hold it in any longer.

He turned slightly toward the nurse, his voice rough and shaky. "Do you... do you know how she’s doing? Claire." He swallowed hard. "My daughter." The word felt strange on his lips, both warm and painful.

The nurse glanced at him, his expression gentle. "I’m not directly on her case, sir."

Zeke’s throat tightened. "Please. Just tell me what you know."

The nurse hesitated, then nodded.

"Honestly, sir," he said, glancing at the blood bag before meeting his eyes. "It’s too early to tell. But because she was brought in quickly, the doctors were able to begin treatment right away."

Zeke’s stomach turned. His jaw clenched. His chest felt like it was caving in.

The nurse offered a small, encouraging smile. "The doctors will do their best to help her, sir. And your blood, it will help a lot." He nodded gently. "She’s in good hands. Just hang in there, sir."

Zeke said nothing, just stared at the blood. He didn’t even know his daughter existed until now and already, he was terrified of losing her.

His daughter.

Claire.

Zeke dropped his gaze to the floor, his hand forming a tight fist on his knee. His heart ached with a pain he’d never known before, consuming.

If anything happens to her...

God, please... no. Not like this.

***

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