Chapter 4

"Chloe, don't be childish!" Julian's voice hardened.

"You wouldn't destroy the whole company just to throw a tantrum, would you?"

"It's just a temporary handover. A year at most."

"Once you're ready to come back, your position will be waiting for you."

His tone softened slightly. "I've already spoken to the doctor. Leo's treatment is fully arranged."

"Just focus on taking care of our son, and come back when he's better. Isn't that a perfect plan?"

"Besides, if it weren't for our marriage, Hailey wouldn't have left the country in heartbreak, and she wouldn't have ended up with an abusive husband."

"We owe her this."

I finally screamed. "I don't owe her a damn thing!"

"She chose to go abroad, she chose to marry that man, and she chose her own life!"

"Why does she get to steal Julian and my career just because her life turned out miserable?"

"You're too emotional right now," Julian said coldly.

"I'll come to the hospital to see you guys once Hailey's welcome ceremony is over."

He hung up.

Right then, a shrill alarm blared inside the ICU.

Doctors and nurses rushed to Leo's bedside. Within seconds, they hooked him up to a portable monitor and began wheeling him out of the room.

I panicked and threw myself in front of the bed.

"Where are you taking my son?"

"Is he having surgery?"

"Has the specialist arrived?"

I grabbed the doctor's sleeve, my voice cracking with panic.

"You said the specialist surgeon was coming! He was supposed to land this afternoon. Why are you moving him now?"

The doctor looked confused. "The specialist surgery has been canceled."

A bomb went off in my head. "Who canceled it?"

"The child's father."

The doctor explained, "Mr. Miller called a few minutes ago. He said the out-of-state specialist's surgical plan was too risky, and he refused to consent to the operation."

"He signed the discharge papers and the refusal of treatment form electronically, demanding we stop the current treatment plan immediately."

"He said he is arranging to transfer the child to another hospital."

I staggered back, nearly losing my footing.

"I am his mother! I do not consent to a discharge! My son is too weak to be moved. You can't take him away!"

I clutched the guardrail of the bed.

"You can't move him."

"Please, I beg you, don't move him. The specialist is almost here. Just give him a few hours, and he'll have a chance to live."

The doctor looked at Leo's rapidly dropping vitals, his expression grim.

"Mrs. Miller, we understand your feelings."

"But our hands are tied."

The doctor sighed. "Mr. Miller just submitted proof of paternity along with the written refusal of surgery. As the father, he is the primary legal guardian on file."

"An out-of-state specialist's surgery is not classified as emergency surgery. When the two guardians disagree, we have no legal right to force the operation. We can only maintain basic life support or proceed with the transfer he authorized."

My mind went completely blank.

"He is not Leo's father! His signature doesn't count!"

The doctor gasped. "What?"

"He isn't! I can prove it to you!"

I shielded the bed with my body, frantically pulling out my phone to dial Julian's number over and over again.

After a dozen failed attempts, he finally answered. The background was filled with loud applause and chatter.

"Chloe, I'm right in the middle of Hailey's welcome ceremony. Let's talk later."

I forced down the burning hatred in my chest. "I'll give the position and the project to Hailey."

The line went quiet for a second. "Really?"

"But on one condition. Sign the divorce papers I sent you right now. Revoke the medical refusal, and transfer all of Leo's medical decision-making authority to me."

Julian immediately grew suspicious. "I'm not signing those divorce papers. I'm not letting you use our marriage to throw a tantrum."

I softened my voice, pretending to break. "I'm just hurting, Julian. I need you to prove you still care about me."

"Sign it, and we can start over. Show me that you actually value me and our son."

He hesitated.

I added coldly, "If you don't sign it right now, I will send the contract to our competitor. The project will be gone, and Hailey's welcome ceremony will become the laughingstock of the industry. Choose, Julian."

Julian finally let out a long sigh. "Fine, I get it. But using a divorce to throw a fit is really crossing the line, Chloe."

"Okay, I'll sign."