Chapter 3

For Bella Cobb, no sliver of hope was ever worth giving up.

For his own son, waiting was just something he'd gotten used to.

The room went dark in front of me. If my brother-in-law hadn't caught me, I would have hit the floor.

My phone buzzed. A message from the man I'd once loved.

【Transfer the boy to the hospital under my name. I'm on my way.】

That was the thing that steadied my mind. I gripped my brother-in-law's hand.

"Can you get those specialists to do the surgery at a different hospital?"

"I'll move my son. Is that possible?"

He blinked for a second, then nodded at once.

"Of course. I'll coordinate it."

Grayson Chavez cut in fast.

"Wait!"

He was torn. Those specialists coming to his hospital to operate had been a chance for the staff to learn from them.

It was supposed to be good for the hospital and good for the patient both.

But things had escalated to this point, and that put him in a bind.

Zachary jumped in to stop it too.

"The boy's condition is so fragile. Transferring him does him no good at all!"

He knew exactly what was at stake.

Those specialists hadn't come for Bella Cobb.

The moment my transfer went through, his plan collapsed.

His tone softened.

"It's only one match. Once Bella's surgery succeeds, the hospital will find new marrow for Julian as soon as possible."

My heart went colder still.

This one compatible marrow match, Julian and I had waited half a year for it.

For half a year, every time Julian went through dialysis, the pain wrecked him.

Not once had Zachary comforted him.

His office was even on the same floor as Julian's ward.

He rarely came by.

His show of weakness now was nothing but a play to win Bella something.

I looked at him, cold.

"I already said it. I'm transferring him."

Bella straightened up, like she wanted to say something.

I had no patience for their act. I said it straight.

"And you can drop the whole line about coming from another timeline."

"You want to marry Bella Cobb and have a child of your own. Fine. I'll let you."

"Once Julian's surgery is done, I'll have my lawyer send you the divorce agreement."

"All I want now is for my son to be safe and to live an ordinary life."

Zachary's eyes turned dark and vicious.

He caught the uncomprehending looks drifting his way, and denied it on reflex.

"What are you talking about? What other timeline—"

Before he could finish, I played back his own earlier words on my phone.

【Your son isn't going to die anytime soon. Since I'm here, I'm going to save my wife.】

【Wait for the Zachary of this timeline to come back, and let him figure something out for you.】

Grayson wet his lips and couldn't help glancing at Zachary.

"Are you maybe under too much stress lately?"

"Should you go see someone in psych?"

I had no interest in tangling with them. I faced Grayson head-on.

"Just process the discharge papers now. Whatever happens after we leave, we'll take it on ourselves."

Seeing how set I was, Grayson raised an eyebrow.

Zachary started to panic.

"What do you mean, take the consequences yourselves?"

"Does the other side know Julian's condition? You switch hospitals out of nowhere. Have you thought about what that could do to the boy?"

"Can't you show some sense?"

My temples throbbed.

Zachary looked at Grayson.

"Senior, this is a rare learning opportunity for our hospital. If you let them transfer out—"

"When do you think a chance like this will come again?"

Grayson hesitated.