Chapter 485

The sterile hospital corridors reeked of antiseptic.

Every second counted as Evelyn's life hung by a thread.

The operating room doors swung open abruptly.

Dominic and the twins rushed toward the white-coated physician, desperation in their voices as they demanded answers about Evelyn's condition.

Alexander's small frame tensed visibly, his breath caught in his throat while awaiting the doctor's verdict.

The middle-aged physician removed his mask with grave finality. "Who's the patient's next of kin? She requires immediate surgery and we need family consent!"

"Doctor, I'm just her employee," Sebastian said anxiously. "The children are too young to consent. Mr. Blackwood is en route. Could you operate first and get his signature upon arrival?"

Time was slipping away, but without proper authorization, the medical team's hands were tied.

Alexander asked with unsettling calm for a child, "How serious is my mother's condition? What procedures does she need?"

The doctor marveled at the boy's composure before delivering the devastating news. "We must terminate the pregnancy immediately and perform a uterine curettage. Worse still, your mother's leg injuries are beyond repair - we must amputate to prevent fatal infection."

The words struck like physical blows.

Alexander's face drained of color while Isabella's silent tears stopped mid-stream. Even Sebastian stood frozen.

Their unborn sibling would be lost. Their mother might never walk again.

"Decide quickly," the doctor urged. "Every minute worsens her prognosis."

Isabella tugged at the doctor's coat, her swollen eyes pleading. "Please save Mommy's baby! Don't take her legs! This is all my fault..."

The physician could only pat her head sorrowfully. "Without surgery, your mother will die."

Alexander's jaw set with determination. "We'll wait for Father. He'll find a way." He immediately called Dominic again.

Stuck in gridlock, Dominic nearly rammed through traffic after hearing his son's report. "Put the doctor on," he demanded.

Once the physician explained the dire situation, Dominic's response shocked him. "Save the baby if possible, but my wife keeps her legs!"

"But Mr. Blackwood, without amputation-"

"Can you guarantee her survival for twenty-four hours? Yes or no?"

The surgeon hesitated. "We can stabilize her, but delaying will-"

"Then do it. I'll be there in ten minutes." Dominic knew Evelyn's perfectionist nature - she'd rather die than live disabled.

Hanging up, he immediately dialed another number. "Julian, drop everything and get to A City now!"

When traffic became hopeless, Dominic abandoned his car mid-street and sprinted toward the distant hospital.

Bursting into ICU, he found Evelyn barely recognizable - tubes snaking from her pale form, blood matting her hair against the pillow.

She looked like a dying flower, petals moments from crumbling.