She is improving
RENEE'S POV
I grabbed one coffee cup from a vendor on the street corner and made my way out of the chill and into the sterile smell of the now familiar hospital.
I wanted to check on my mother again, to see what condition she was now in.
The nurse at the front desk gave me a sympathetic nod, recognizing me from my daily visits. I forced a small smile in return before making my way down the hall to her room. The steady beep of machines greeted me as I stepped inside, my mother’s frail figure barely making an imprint against the crisp white sheets.
Her once-vibrant skin looked pale under the fluorescent lighting, dark circles forming under her eyes. I set my coffee down on the windowsill and perched on the chair beside her, reaching for her hand. It was cold. Too cold.
"Hey, Mom," I whispered, squeezing her fingers gently. "I’m here."
She didn’t stir. My throat tightened.
I had spent weeks hoping she would improve, waiting for some kind of miracle. But every time I walked into this room, she seemed a little weaker. The doctors said it was only a matter of time.
A heavy sigh left my lips as I leaned back in my chair. My mind was already in turmoil, still reeling from everything else happening in my life—especially Bane.
The door creaked open, snapping me from my thoughts. I turned, and my eyes fall on the doctor.
"Miss Renee, your mother fought for her life and managed to gain her consciousness, she can hear you and she will reply but faintly",
Tears stung my eyes the moment I heard the doctor's words. I immediately gripped my mother’s hand, her weak but unmistakable smile warming something deep inside me. For weeks, I had feared I’d never hear her voice again, and now, here she was awake, speaking, fighting.
“Mom,” I whispered, my voice breaking. I leaned in closer, desperate to hold on to this moment.
Her fingers twitched in mine, her eyes filled with exhaustion but also something I hadn’t seen in a long time recognition.
"Alice my daughter !" Her voice was like a dream. Warm and soothing to the nerves. It made everything I worried about melt away and none of it mattered anymore. All those problems were little in comparison to seeing the smile on her face as I walked in.
"Yes mummy its me", I retorted nearly crying.
“I missed you,” she murmured.
A shaky laugh bubbled from my lips. “I missed you too. So much.”
The doctor stepped forward, his voice calm and measured. “She’s still very weak, but this is a good sign. Her body is responding well. She needs plenty of rest and no stress.”
I nodded quickly, swallowing past the lump in my throat. “Of course. Whatever she needs.”
Mom’s tired eyes studied me, her gaze lingering as if she could see the weight I carried. “You look… troubled, sweetheart.”
I tried to smile, but it felt forced. “I’m okay, Mom. I just—” I hesitated, glancing at the doctor, who gave me a knowing look before excusing himself from the room.
Once we were alone, she gave my hand a light squeeze. “Talk to me.”
The concern in her voice nearly undid me. I wanted to tell her everything about Ethan, the surrogacy contract but I didn't want to worry her.
Instead, I forced a reassuring smile. “It’s nothing you need to worry about. You just focus on getting better, okay?”
"I'm paying all the bills, you going to get the best medical care",
She didn’t look convinced, but she was too tired to press further. “I’m so proud of you, Alice,” she whispered, her eyelids growing heavier. “No matter what happens… you’ll find your way.”
A sharp pang hit my chest. Was it that obvious I was lost?
"Lily misses your voice mom", I tried to change the subject.
Her lips curved into a faint smile at the mention of Lily. “How is she?”
“She’s okay,” I said softly. “She keeps asking when you’ll come home.”
Mom’s gaze turned wistful, her fingers twitching slightly in my grasp. “Soon, I hope,” she murmured. “Tell her… I love her.”
“I will,” I promised, blinking back the fresh sting of tears.
The room fell into a comfortable silence, but my mind was anything but calm. My mother’s words lingered, their weight settling deep in my chest. No matter what happens… you’ll find your way.
But what if I didn’t?
What if I was making the biggest mistake of my life?
The surrogacy contract with Ethan felt like a lifeline and a trap all at once. I needed the money for Mom’s treatment, but at what cost?
My heart clenched as I thought about Ethan. About the way he looked at me, like I was both an enigma and a solution to a problem he couldn’t solve. I knew this arrangement was purely transactional for him—he needed an heir, and I needed financial security. That was all.
And yet… it didn’t feel that simple anymore.
Mom let out a soft sigh, her body relaxing.
"I feel sleepy, Alice my love", She spoke and I nodded my head.
I brushed a gentle hand over her forehead, my heart aching at how fragile she looked. "Rest, Mom. Let me go and work too," I whispered.
Her fingers gave mine one last, weak squeeze before her eyes fluttered shut. I stayed still, listening to the soft rhythm of her breathing, trying to hold onto the moment of peace. But my mind wouldn’t stop spinning.
I exhaled, pushing back the anxiety threatening to consume me. For now, she was stable. For now, she was here.
For the first time in weeks, hope flickered inside me.
Slipping my hand from hers, I stood and stretched, grabbing my now-cold coffee from the windowsill.
I was now ready to go and deal with Ethan.
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