Chapter 239 Hell
"No." Emma lowered her eyelids. "I'm just worried that Matthew doesn't want to see us, afraid he might do something rash. I didn't mean to stop you from going in."
"Really?" Charles continued to stare at her.
Before entering the emergency room, Isabella was taken to a prep room where she donned a sterile gown, cap, and gloves.
The emergency room was frigid, and the lighting was as stark and white as fresh snow.
Matthew lay under that harsh, white light, his upper body bare, covered in tubes. His face was stained with a brownish mess, making it hard to tell if it was blood or disinfectant.
Next to him, on a medical tray, was a short nail, gruesomely coated in flesh and blood, emitting a putrid, decayed smell.
The doctors were doing their best to save Matthew. As Isabella stepped in, she heard someone exclaim, "The patient's heart has stopped!"
Then, a piercing sound came from the machine.
"Prepare for defibrillation!"
"Is the family here?"
"She is here." Someone pushed Isabella forward.
Isabella took two steps forward, watching as the defibrillator was pressed onto Matthew's chest.
She saw Matthew's lifeless body jerk up like a puppet, his frail body shaking uncontrollably before falling back down heavily.
The line on the heart monitor was straight.
Isabella was stunned, completely terrified by the scene.
At this moment, a young doctor turned to her and asked, "So young, are you the patient's mother?"
Isabella shook her head. "No, I'm not."
"Then you are the patient's..."
"Friend." Isabella squeezed out the words.
She thought, 'Matthew and I can barely be considered friends, right?'
The doctor frowned. "Give me your hand."
Isabella hesitantly complied.
The doctor grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer, placing her hand on Matthew's.
The cold touch made Isabella instinctively want to pull her hand back, but the doctor said, "Talk to him! Keep talking to him. The golden rescue period is within four minutes of cardiac arrest. After that, he can't be saved!"
With that, the doctor turned back to the defibrillator.
Isabella felt her arm go numb for a few seconds. As she gazed at Matthew's lifeless face, the image of her daughter Sweetie's innocent visage surfaced in her mind.
She thought, 'Matthew can't die! Matthew absolutely can't die!'
Isabella tightly gripped Matthew's hand, bending down slightly, and began to speak to him.
"Matthew, I am Isabella. Can you hear me?
"I don't care if you can hear me or not. I'm telling you, you are not allowed to die!
"Matthew, wake up! Do you hear me? You can't die! you can't die!"
Time passed second by second. Isabella had never felt that four minutes could be so long yet so short.
No matter how fervently she pleaded and regardless of the doctors' relentless efforts to resuscitate him, Matthew remained unresponsive while the sound from the heart monitor continued without pause.
Someone sighed, and the doctor pulled the defibrillator away.
Isabella turned around to see everyone looking at her and Matthew, a layer of invisible sadness enveloping the room.
She thought, 'Have they given up on the rescue?
'What about my Sweetie?'
A nurse came over and gently pulled Isabella. "Sorry, we've done our best."
"No!" Isabella broke free from the nurse's hand."He can't die! he can't die!"
Isabella turned back, shaking Matthew vigorously, her voice loud. "Matthew, wake up! Do you hear me!"
The doctors had seen too many scenes like this. They didn't pull Isabella away, silently watching, giving her space to vent.
Outside, Jack supported Seb as they walked over, hearing the cries from inside.
Jack paused, looking at Seb.
Seb was expressionless, but when Jack reached out to open the door, Seb suddenly raised his hand, stopping him.
"Mr. Landon?"
Seb silently shook his head.
Isabella's cries continued for two minutes, then gradually subsided.
She collapsed to the ground, thinking of Sweetie, her heart aching.
She thought, 'Why would God toy with me in such a cruel manner?! I have been so close to bringing Sweetie back home.'
Suddenly, the sound from the machine changed, no longer the monotonous long beep, but a rhythmic, regular beat.
Everyone froze for a few seconds.
"There's a heartbeat!"
"Quick, continue the rescue!"
Matthew didn't die.
Isabella pulled him back from the brink of hell.
After half an hour of resuscitation, Matthew finally clung to life.
Emma hugged Isabella, crying. "Thank you, Bella. The Landon family owes you a life!"
Isabella's eyes were red and swollen. She looked around and hoarsely asked, "Where's my daughter?"
"Someone has been sent to get her, it will take some time. Why don't you rest for a bit?" Emma said.
Isabella shook her head, pushing Emma away. "How long will it take?"
Charles said, "At most in two days. We've booked their tickets; you'll see her in two days."
Isabella nodded, finally feeling a weight lift off her heart. "Then I'll go back and wait. I hope you're not lying to me."
Isabella returned home to find Seb's car parked in the yard.
She got out of the taxi and entered the house.
As she changed her shoes at the door, Nina came out of the kitchen. "Bella, you're back?"
"Nina," Isabella called softly, walking over to gently hug Nina.
Nina was startled, still holding a spoon, and gently hugged her back. "What's wrong?"
"Nina," Isabella closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of Nina's embrace, just like when they were young and relied on each other. Every time she had trouble, Nina would hug her, giving her strength and warmth.
"I'm so tired." Isabella said.
Nina patted her shoulder and said gently, "If you're tired, go rest. Take a nap. I'll make dinner for you."
"Okay." Isabella nodded and went upstairs.
Nina stood downstairs, watching Isabella's figure until it disappeared from view before turning and heading back to the kitchen.
The upstairs was eerily quiet. Isabella pushed open the bedroom door and found Seb sitting at the desk, bathed in the bluish glow of his computer screen.
She walked over and saw a jumble of documents on the screen, the text scrolling as he moved the mouse. Yet, his eyes seemed unable to focus on anything in particular.
"Seb?" Isabella sensed his agitation and softly asked, "Why didn't you wait for me after your check-up and came back first?"
As she spoke, she bent down to hug him.
When she touched Seb, she noticed him stiffen slightly, then heard his hoarse voice. "Where did you go?"
