The One He Dismissed Became The One He Died For novel Chapter 270

"I'll be right there."

He hung up the phone and grabbed his shirt off the sofa, throwing it on. "I have to go to the hospital. Go to sleep without me."

"I'll drive you. Your leg hasn't fully healed." Claire snatched the car keys, beating him to the entryway.

They rushed out the door, and Claire drove fast and steady through the night.

On the way, Miles stayed on the phone with the Head of Pediatrics, reviewing the medical reports being sent over and discussing the infant's condition.

His voice was incredibly grim. "Wilms' tumor. It's been left untreated for far too long."

They arrived at the brilliantly lit emergency wing of the hospital.

Miles got out of the car. "The child is very young, and the situation looks complicated. The surgery is going to take a long time. Go home."

Without waiting for an answer, he sprinted toward the emergency surgical unit.

Claire didn't leave. She followed him up to the surgical floor, watching as Miles disappeared through the restricted doctors' entrance.

The fluorescent lights in the hallway cast a sickly glow, the air thick with the sharp scent of antiseptic.

The baby's mother was weeping so hard she couldn't catch her breath. She collapsed outside the operating room doors, sobbing uncontrollably as she pleaded to the empty hallway.

"Dr. Zimmerman is our only hope. Please, baby, you have to survive."

"God, if you need to take a life, take mine! Please, just leave my daughter alone!"

"It took me from twenty-seven to thirty-five just to have this baby! I took all those injections to keep her safe... why are you doing this to me? Oh God..."

*Please! Please!*

The agonizing sound of her desperate sobbing echoed relentlessly down the long corridor.

Claire's heart ached terribly. She wanted to offer comfort, but the words caught in her throat, refusing to come out.

The red light above the operating room burned bright.

After what felt like an eternity, the family finally quieted down. They looked over at Claire, their voices trembling with tears.

"Miss, are you..."

"I'm... waiting for Dr. Zimmerman."

"Are you his wife?"

"I'm fine. Why haven't you gone home yet?"

Claire looked away. "I couldn't stop worrying."

Something soft and fragile shifted deep within his chest.

He didn't say anything else, simply turning to walk toward the ICU.

The lights in the intensive care unit were kept dim. The green lines on the heart monitor beeped in a steady, reassuring rhythm.

The tiny infant lay perfectly still in the hospital bed, her small body wrapped in white bandages. Her miniature hands peeked out from under the blanket, an oxygen sensor taped to her fingertip.

The family stood outside the glass, staring motionlessly at the fragile life inside.

Miles quietly gave the attending nurses a rundown of the post-op care instructions.

Standing behind him, Claire held up her thumb and index finger to show a tiny gap. "She's so small. Just this tiny."

"Let's go. Time to go home." Miles took her hand and led her away.

Behind them, the nurse assigned to the baby stared at their retreating figures for a very long time.