Mated by Contract to the Alpha
Chapter 217
I gripped his hands tighter, my nails digging into his skin. “I need to see her. Right now.”
“Rebecca, it’s your wedding reception-”
‘I don’t care. She’s my mother, and she’s dying.” The words tore through my throat. “I need to go to her. Tonight.”
B
I turned to find Dominic standing in the doorway, his eyes dark with concern. He must have sensed my distress through our bond. Without hesitation, I moved toward him.
“My mother has cancer,” I said, the words still not feeling real. “Pancreatic cancer.”
Understanding immediately filled his eyes. His hands came up to cup my face, thumbs gently wiping away tears I hadn’t realized were falling. “When do you want to leave?” His voice was steady, certain.
His immediate support, without question or hesitation, made my heart swell with love even through my pain.
“Now,” I replied, my voice breaking. “I need to see her now.”
He nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. “I’ll arrange everything. We’ll go immediately.”
“But the guests-” I began.
“Nothing is more important than your family,” he said firmly, his hands warm and steady on my shoulders. “My parents will understand. Raymond will handle the rest of the celebration.”
91
Within twenty minutes, we were in Dominic’s car. I sat in the back with my wedding dress billowing around me, still trying to process the news. Dominic reached back occasionally to squeeze my hand, his thumb stroking over my knuckles. He didn’t speak, but his presence was a steady comfort, his eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror with silent support.
When we arrived at my parents‘ apartment building, I was struck by how much shabbier it seemed than I remembered. Inside, the furnishings were sparse, the living room containing only a worn couch and a simple television stand.
“We sold most of the furniture,” my father explained, noticing my surprise. His shoulders slumped with defeat. “The experimental treatments your mother wanted to try… insurance doesn’t cover them.”
Fresh guilt washed over me. While I’d been living in luxury at Sterling Manor, my parents had been selling their possessions to pay for
cancer treatments.
“After Jason died,” my father continued, his voice thick with emotion, “your mother took it so hard. She couldn’t forgive anyone. Not even herself. She wouldn’t let me contact you.”
My brother’s name sent a fresh wave of pain through me. His death in a car accident two years ago had torn our family apart.
“I’ve failed you, Rebecca,” my father said, tears streaming down his face, his voice breaking. “There’s nothing I can say to change that.”
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Chapter 217
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I moved forward and embraced him tightly. “I love you, Dad. I forgive you. We don’t need to talk about it anymore.”
Dominic stood quietly by the door, giving us space. When I met his eyes, he nodded solemnly, I’ll arrange for the best medical team,” he said softly, his voice filled with determination. “Whatever treatment options exist, we’ll find them.”
I nodded gratefully before turning back to my father. “Take me to her.”
He led me down a short hallway to a bedroom door, which he pushed open gently. The room was dimly lit, with medical equipment creating an irregular symphony of beeps and hums. And there, in the center of the bed, lay my mother.
She looked so small, so fragile–nothing like the vibrant, strong–willed woman who had raised me. Her skin had a yellowish tint, stretched too tightly over her bones. Her once–thick hair lay thin and lifeless against the pillow. A nasal cannula provided oxygen, and an IV stand next to the bed dripped medication into her arm.
I moved to the bedside chair, my wedding dress rustling loudly in the quiet room. Her breathing was shallow, labored. I reached out and took her hand–so thin I could see every bone–in mine.
“Hi, Mom,” I whispered, my heart breaking at the sight of her.
Chapter Comments
R
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6 days ago
Jason was shot, not car accident ???
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