Chapter 61

Chapter 61
The driver of the car, Dr. Ryan, breathed a sigh of relief as the car screeched to a halt. Thankfully, he hadn't hit the lady, but she had fallen down. What was she thinking, walking on a busy road without following the rules? He watched as no one came to her aid, some people even recording videos. He quickly opened the car door and got down, rushing to her side.
As he knelt beside Anna, he held her hand to check her pulse. Something wasn't right. He was a doctor, and he knew it. He carried her in his arms and walked towards the car, his heart racing with concern.
Flashback
Fernandez sat in his office, going through files, when Mr. Thompson entered. "Sir, this is the medical records information of Mrs. Silvia Anderson from three years till now." Fernandez nodded, taking the file from Mr. Thompson. He felt lucky that Anna hadn't come to work, trying to save Reyna from punishment by being a good wife.
As he read the file, he discovered that Anna's mother had been diagnosed with cancer three years ago and kept it a secret. Anna would feel terrible when she found out. 'Anna needs to know about this,' he thought.
He looked at Mr. Thompson and asked, "When is her next appointment?" "Today, sir, in one hour." Fernandez rubbed his brow, thinking deeply, then checked his time and looked up at Mr. Thompson. "Get my car ready, I'm going to City hospital!" "Right away, sir!" Mr. Thompson nodded and left.
One hour later, Mrs. Anderson left the hospital after her appointment, the same routine, with little time left. As she exited, she saw Antonio Fernandez, her son-in-law. Her heart raced, feeling nervous. Had her husband borrowed money again? Was Fernandez here for another unreasonable request?
"Good day, Mrs. Anderson. May I have a word with you?" Fernandez asked, opening the car door for her.
Mrs. Anderson nodded, "Okay," and entered the car, Fernandez sitting beside her. "I hope there's no problem? Is Anna fine? Is she doing well?" Mrs. Anderson asked anxiously.
Fernandez looked at her, his eyes piercing. "If you care about Anna and truly love her, why did you let her marry me? Why didn't you oppose your husband?"
Mrs. Anderson's eyes dropped, her voice barely above a whisper. "I let you marry Anna because I know only you can protect her."
Fernandez's eyes locked onto Mrs. Anderson's, his expression unreadable. "I don't understand what you're saying. By keeping your illness a secret from Anna, are you protecting her as well?"
Mrs. Anderson's eyes widened in shock, and she quickly averted her gaze, stuttering, "W-what do you mean by illness? N-nothing's wrong with me, I'm absolutely fine."
Fernandez's sigh was laced with frustration. "You don't need to lie to me, Mrs. Anderson. I know you're diagnosed with late-stage cancer."
Panic etched itself onto Mrs. Anderson's face, her eyes darting wildly as she questioned, "H-how do you know? I-is Anna aware of this?"
Fernandez's expression softened, his voice gentle. "No, Anna isn't aware of this. I was planning on telling her."
Mrs. Anderson's hands folded together, her eyes pleading. "P-please don't tell Anna about my condition. I've been keeping it a secret for three years, pretending I didn't see her efforts, pretending I was like her father. But that wasn't true. Whenever I saw her come home tired after work, I felt useless, felt bad as a mother. But I had to keep up the act."
Fernandez's eyes clouded, his mind racing. He hadn't expected this. A mother protecting her daughter by giving her the cold shoulder, while his own mother had abandoned him when he was just three years old because his father wasn't rich.
He took a deep breath, his voice barely above a whisper. "Okay, I promise not to tell Anna. But I will arrange the best doctor for your treatment."
Mrs. Anderson's face crumpled, tears streaming down her face. "T-thank you, Antonio. Thank you for understanding."
Fernandez's heart ached, his emotions raw. He hadn't felt this way in years, not since his mother left him. He reached out, his hand covering Mrs. Anderson's. "I'll do everything I can to help you, to protect Anna."
As the flashback faded, Fernandez's eyes refocused on the present, his mind reeling with the weight of Mrs. Anderson's secret.
Fernandez's eyes snapped back to the present, his mind racing with worry. He checked his wristwatch, an hour had passed since Anna left, and she still hadn't returned. He quickly grabbed his phone and dialed her number, but it rang out on the bed, her phone lying abandoned.
"Where has she gone?" he muttered to himself, pacing around the suite. This was Dubai, a foreign city, and Anna knew no one here. He thought she'd leave in a huff, but return to talk things through. But she wasn't here.
He stormed out of the suite, his long strides devouring the distance to the reception. "Have you seen my wife?" he demanded, his voice low and urgent.
The receptionist shook her head, "No, sir, I haven't seen her."
Fernandez's eyes narrowed, his mind racing. He quickly called Soraya, his voice firm. "I need to see the security footage, now."
Soraya's smile faltered as Fernandez's anger washed over her. "Y-yes, of course, Antonio."
The butler approached, his eyes wide. "Sir, I saw Madam leave, she looked lost in thought. I tried calling her, but she didn't answer."
Soraya's smile returned, her voice dripping with malice. "Well, maybe she's out having fun, bored with you already."
Fernandez's fists clenched, his eyes blazing with anger. "You think this is a joke? Anna is my wife, and I won't tolerate you insulting her. I've kept my temper in check for her sake, but don't think I won't unleash it on you. Anna is everything to me, strong and fierce, unlike you. And if you ever speak against her again, I'll shut your mouth, and your entire life."
Soraya cowered, fear etched on her face. "I-I'm sorry, Fernandez."
Fernandez's gaze lingered, his anger still simmering, before he turned to the security footage, his eyes scanning the screens for any sign of Anna.