Chapter 110

Steven was down on one knee by the bed, his voice low and shaky as he tried to reach her. "Lucie, honestly, this isn't as complicated as you think. You don't have to be so upset about it."

He tried for a reassuring smile. "Nothing in our lives has to change. I still love you. I love our family, always."

"Shut up!" Lucie's whole body was trembling. She wanted to slap him so bad, to

hit him until he finally understood, but she barely had the strength to lift her hand.

Steven's head was spinning. "Okay, okay, I'll stop. Just calm down, alright? Please, lie back down. You still have the IV in."

He reached out, trying to gently guide her back onto the pillow.

Lucie forced her arm up, using every bit of energy she had left, and slapped him hard across the face.

Smack.

"Don't touch me. Get out. Get out!" she screamed, her voice breaking.

She started coughing-deep, wracking coughs that shook her to the core. The pressure in her chest was overwhelming, and suddenly, she spat out a mouthful of blood.

As the blood left her lips, the tightness in her chest finally let up for a split second. But then, everything went dark. A thick blackness closed in, and she lost consciousness.

Steven froze in horror for a moment. Then he snapped into action, panic flooding his voice. "Lucie! Somebody help! Doctor! Please!"

The medical team came running. "What happened?"

"My wife-she just coughed up blood and passed out! Hurry!"

They swarmed around Lucie. "She's in cardiac arrest. Start the resuscitation- now!"

"Get the defibrillator!"

A nurse tried to move Steven away. "Mr. Heath, you need to leave the room."

He shook his head, wild-eyed. "No, I'm staying. I'm not leaving her!"

He darted around to the other side of the bed, grabbing Lucie's cold hand. "Babe,

wake up. Please. I'm sorry. This is all my fault. Please, just wake up.”

"Mr. Heath, please don't interfere." The nurse's tone was urgent but gentle. "You're making it harder for the doctors to help her."

It took both pleading and pushing before the nurses finally managed to get him out of the room.

Steven stood outside, completely lost, his mind a mess. He just hovered by the door, his heart pounding so loudly it drowned out everything else.

Miranda and Marian came hurrying up, planning to check on Lucie, but stopped short when they saw the doctors rushing in. Steven, what's happening now?" Miranda called, worry etched across her face.

"Is Lucie okay? Tell me she's alright," Marian added.

Steven just stared at the floor, lips dry, unable to form a single word.

Miranda's voice turned sharp with frustration. "Steven, can't you even talk to me right now?"

Marian tried to help. "Sir, your mom is just worried about Lucie."

Steven finally snapped. "Mom, Marian, please—just leave me alone. I can't deal with any of this right now."

The two women shared a glance, then turned to a nurse who was rushing by with equipment.

"Nurse, what's going on in there? How's my daughter-in-law?" Miranda asked, her voice trembling.

The nurse barely slowed down as she answered, "Mrs. Heath had an acute heart attack. We're doing everything we can."

Miranda's face went pale. "What? How did it get this serious all of a sudden?"

Marian's lips curled into a cold,

barely-there smile. She was secretly

wishing

for the worst, hoping Lucie

wouldn't make it out of that hospital room:

Miranda looked at Steven again, her anxiety mounting. "Steven, maybe you

should call Mr. Anderson. He needs to know."

But Steven didn't hear her. He was

lost in his own world, silently

begging for Lucie to pull through, his

heart heavy with re

telling her the truth. fo

Some things, he realized too late, were better left unsaid.

Inside the room, Lucie's heart had simply given out under the weight of it all. The

shock had been too much for her to bear.