The Day Our Promise Breaks

Andrew was tearing down the road, his heart pounding as he hung up the phone with Charles. Worry etched deep into his face, he was racing against the clock to get to the hospital.

Josephine had seemed to be on the mend, so why on earth had she gone into shock all of a sudden? Having just gone through major surgery, she was already in a fragile state; a shock now was incredibly dangerous. If they didn't get to her in time, she might not pull through. And even if they did manage to stabilize her, she could slip into a coma and never come back.

These terrifying thoughts fueled Andrew's urgency, and he pushed the pedal to the metal, determined to reach the hospital as fast as he could. Every second mattered in such a dire situation; even the tiniest delay could be critical. He couldn't bear the thought of losing Josephine.

At the hospital, just outside the emergency room, Evelyn stood pale and tense, her anxiety evident. Adam had suggested they take turns looking after their mom, so Evelyn had sent him home to catch some rest, planning to swap shifts the next day.

That evening, Evelyn had started feeling the familiar ache of her period cramps. She'd let the nurse know before popping over to the grocery store across the street to grab some tampons. She was gone for less than half an hour, but by the time she returned, everything had gone sideways-her mom was in shock and rushed into emergency care.

Evelyn stood there, dazed and helpless, as time seemed to stretch into eternity. Finally, the doors swung open, and Andrew appeared.

Evelyn couldn't move, her feet felt like they were stuck in cement. Her lips parted, but no sound emerged.noveldrama

"Dr. Nelson, how is Ms. Josephine?"

The nurse broke the silence, stepping forward with concern etched all over her face. She needed to know what had happened. Surely... she hadn't survived, right?

"Ms. Evelyn, I'm so sorry. Your mother was in shock for too long. I managed to keep her alive for now, but whether she wakes up is up to her."

In other words, Josephine was likely facing a long road ahead, potentially remaining in a vegetative state.

"You should brace yourself for that possibility."

Andrew hated to be so blunt, but he had to be honest. Just then, Charles arrived, catching the tail end of the grim news.

Evelyn, already struggling with severe period cramps, had been holding herself together with sheer determination. But hearing the devastating update was too much. Her vision blurred, and she started to faint.

"Eve!"

Charles was there in a flash,

catching her in his arms and holding her protectively. He'd seen her

through her last period and knoweto

how debilitating the cramps could be. Even painkillers hadn't helped; she'd needed an IV drip to manage the pain.

While Andrew arranged for Josephine to be taken back to her room, he also set up an IV for Evelyn to ease her discomfort.

Gently, Charles wiped the cold sweat from Evelyn's forehead and held her icy hand. Seeing her so pale and vulnerable pulled at his heartstrings, and he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.

In the stairwell, the nurse wrestled with a storm of emotions after hearing about Josephine's vegetative state. Fear, worry, guilt—and yet, a strange sense of excitement.

Having worked in the hospital for

nearly ten years, she'd seen plenty of

life-and-death situations. Death

didn't shake her much anymore. But

this time was different; she felt afraid, worried, and guilty because she'd been the one to meddle.

But the money was impossible to ignore. Half a million dollars was an enormous sum, something she'd only earn after ten long years of hard work. As a nurse, she was often stuck with the dirtiest, toughest jobs, dealing with the rude and dismissive patients who didn't see her as human.

She was fed up with it all. So when someone dangled half a million to pull Josephine's oxygen tube while Evelyn wasn't around, the temptation was too great to resist.