A ringing filled my ears. I suddenly remembered a cocktail party where someone had deliberately provoked me, picking at the scar of my miscarriage. I'd thrown a glass of red wine in their face.
Back then, Piers hadn't hesitated to pull me behind him, shielding me without a second thought.
Now, for Julie's sake, the woman who'd killed my mother and left my grandmother clinging to life, he'd struck me with his own hand.
Tears fell before I could stop them. I wiped them away roughly.
This was the last time I would ever cry for him.
"I won't apologize."
His expression turned to ice. He flung a sheet of paper at me.
"Then let's see who lasts longer, you or your grandmother!"
My heart seized. It was a consent form for a bone marrow transplant. The patient line bore my grandmother's name. The diagnosis: acute myeloid leukemia. The scheduled surgery time...
Right now.
His words echoed in my mind, the threat to make sure she never woke up again. I forgot everything else and sprinted toward the operating room.
Outside the surgical suite, the doctor was surrounded by bodyguards, pacing frantically.
The moment he heard footsteps, he called out past me: "Mr. Stephens! The myeloablative conditioning is already complete. If you halt the surgery now, the patient will die!"
Cold terror swept through my entire body. I collapsed hard onto the floor.
Over one slap, he'd ordered them to stop my grandmother's surgery while she lay between life and death.
Piers ignored the doctor completely, gazing down at me with leisurely composure.
Every shred of pride and stubbornness I had left shattered into dust.
My grandmother's life was in his hands. I had no choice.
I dragged myself up and walked to Julie. I lowered my head.
"I'm sorry. Please... let the surgery continue..."
Seeing me submit, Piers's expression eased slightly. He raised his hand to signal the bodyguards to let the medical team through.
His hand hadn't even dropped when Julie let out a little gasp and leaned against him, pressing her hand to her nose with a delicate frown. "Piers, the disinfectant smell in here is so strong. I feel dizzy..."
His face hardened instantly. "Get the doctors back here! And bring every nurse and physician in this hospital. I will not allow anything to happen to Julie!"
I grabbed Piers's arm. "My grandmother still needs doctors to save her life! You can't do this!"