Outside the hospital, Vivian spotted Noah standing away from the car. Without regard for her own appearance, she approached and got ahold of him. “Tell me what’s going on, Noah. Did Finnick really want to get rid of this baby?”
Noah was shocked when he first saw her burst out of the doors. He avoided meeting her eyes when she questioned him. His gaze was filled with guilt and a certain sense of helplessness.
“Yes.” That took him some time to say.
That answer seemed to have sapped all the energy from her. Her hands fell away from him, and her eyes were filled with incredulity.
“How could this be? How could he lie to me?” Vivian muttered as she wept. “No, I don’t believe it…”
Vivian’s words were at odds with what she had already acknowledged to be true. Noah was Finnick’s most trusted aide, so his words must reflect Finnick’s intention.
To think that Finnick’s affections and concern over the past few days were all mere pretenses. That he had this planned out all along. Vivian’s heart felt like it was being rend.
Her face was awash with tears. She did not understand why there was a need for such cruelty. If Finnick could not tolerate the baby, he could have told her so and they could have amicably parted ways. Why was there a need for this deception?
“Grab her, quick!” While mired in her sorrow, Vivian heard a series of footsteps coming her way with haste.
When she turned in their direction, she saw those people who were about to operate on her coming out of the hospital in pursuit.
“Hurry, Noah…” In her anxiety, she grabbed onto Noah, hoping for him to take her away.
That was when she realized that it was Finnick who had Noah send her here, which meant he would definitely not help. For all she knew, he might even give those people a hand in sending her back to the operating table.
With that in mind, she relinquished her grip and retreated from him before she made a break for the other side of the street. She must not allow herself to get caught. She would not allow anyone to harm the unborn baby inside of her.
Noah’s fingers tightened against themselves as he watched her fleeing silhouette, his face consumed by contrite. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Norton. I’m so, so sorry…”
As he muttered under his breath, the phone in his pocket started vibrating. Contempt washed over his face when he saw what was on the display.
“How’s it progressing?” A woman’s laid back voice came through the other end.
“I’ve done as you’ve asked, now let my parents go!” Noah hollered into the phone.
The voice responded with a chuckle. “Relax. So long as you do what you’re told, you have my word that they’ll come to no harm.”
“You’d better make sure of that!”
“Rest assured that I will,” the person replied impatiently before she hung up.
The veins throughout Noah’s body pulsed as he gripped the phone tightly in his hand. Once his parents were safe, he vowed to make the woman pay.
As this was happening, Vivian sprinted along the street. She was in a state of dishevelment, still dressed in the hospital gown, with no shoes on. The so-called doctors and nurses were hot on her heels.
She turned the heads of passers-by who engaged in hushed commentary amongst themselves.
“Could she have escaped from an asylum?
“What else could she be, being chased by doctors as well.”
“Shall we call the police?”
“Forget it. It’s none of our business…”
…..
Vivian vaguely overheard what was said, but their opinions were the least of her concerns. The only focus was to keep running. She could not afford to get caught and be sent back to the hospital cause her baby would be surely lost otherwise.
