Chapter 181

A couple of days ago, he'd been totally fine with Lucie. More than fine, actually.

"Steven, you just don't want me anymore, do you?" Bria's face crumpled as she slid off him, her voice barely a whisper.

"Bria, that's not it at all. I... I just think maybe I should see a doctor, you know? You don't think less of me for that, right?" Steven tried to sound casual, but his nerves showed.

She looked at him, eyes wide and stunned. "You're thirty-one. How could you just... not be able to?"

He scrambled for an excuse. "Well... after twenty-five, things kind of go downhill for guys. It's a real thing."

"Was it like this with Ms. Anderson, too?"

Steven glanced away, searching for a convincing lie. "Lucie and I hardly did anything. Maybe once or twice a month, tops."

The truth was, he'd been all over Lucie. Every night. Two, three times, unless she was on her period.

"Is that really true?" Bria pressed.

"It is. I swear!" The lie came too easily. He'd always been good at this.

"I'll go see a doctor tomorrow, get checked out, maybe get some meds or something."

Bria gave him a long, searching look, trying to figure out if he was for real.

The doubt in her eyes made Steven sigh. He decided to flip it back on her. "Wait, Bria, you're not the one getting tired of me, are you? If things really stay like this, are you going to leave me?"

She shook her head, serious now. "Steven, I love you. I don't care what happens. I'm not going anywhere. Ever."

Relief flooded his face. "Good. I'll find the best doctor, don't worry."

He changed the subject fast. "Are you hungry? I could make you something."

"Let the housekeeper do it."

"No, I want to cook for you myself." Steven stood up, eager for an excuse to leave the room for a while.

Suddenly, being alone with her felt way too much. He still loved her he knew he did. She was the most important woman in his life.

So why couldn't he...?

His phone started buzzing.

He was halfway to the kitchen when the butler called.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Heath, you need to come to the hospital right away! Your mother got so upset, she fainted. We just brought her in."

Steven's heart jumped. "Is it serious?"

"She's at the hospital now. We're still waiting for news. It might be her heart. Please, get here as soon as you can!"

"I'm on my way." He hung up, running through worst-case scenarios in his head.

"Bria, my mom's in the hospital. I have to go," he said, grabbing his jacket and car keys.

Bria looked worried. "Is it bad?"

"I don't know yet. I need to check it out."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

He shook his head. "No, it's fine. I'll call you if anything happens."

"Okay. Be careful."

He gave her a distracted kiss on the forehead and hurried out.

New Amberton Hospital

Miranda lay in her hospital bed, fidgeting and anxious. "Is Steven here yet?"

"I just called him. He's on his way," the butler told her.

"Will this really work?" Miranda sounded nervous.

Marian grinned. "Of course it will. Faking a heart problem is easy, and there's nothing like a heart attack to get his attention. Just act like you're at death's door and he believe it for sure."

Shannon added, "Steven loves you. If he thinks you had a heart attack because of

all this stress, he'll definitely change his mind."

Miranda nodded, convinced. "You're right. I'm his mother-there's no way

he'd and by and watch 4

Something really happened to me."

"Lie down. Don't give yourself away," Marian reminded her.

"I know, I know..."

"Ma'am, Mr. Heath is here," the nurse announced.

Miranda immediately went limp and closed her eyes, pretending to be unconscious.

Marian and Shannon threw themselves at her bedside, wailing. "Please wake up! You can't leave us!"

The door banged open.

Steven rushed in, pale and out of breath. "Mom, are you okay?"

Miranda lay perfectly still with an IV in her arm and an oxygen mask on her face.

Marian wiped at her eyes. "You finally made it. The doctor said she suffered a huge shock-a real blow to her heart."

Shannon sobbed, "Steven, Mrs. Heath's always been fragile. She really can't handle this much stress."

Steven stepped closer to the bed, worry etched into his face.

He glanced down and couldn't help noticing his mom's color looked good and her breathing was steady. Even with her eyes closed, he could see her eyeballs twitching behind her lids.

She was definitely awake. And listening.

"What did the doctor say?" he asked.

"They said it was a sudden heart attack,” Marian replied.

"Go get the doctor," Steven said, voice tight. "If it was really a heart attack, shouldn't she be in the ER or ICU?"

"Uh—the doctor already did an emergency treatment,” Marian stammered.

A moment later, the doctor hurried in.