Chapter 159

Isabella's face was a portrait of sheer terror. Her lips quivered violently, and her fingers twisted together in a white-knuckled grip. It was as if she was being swallowed whole by an abyss of paralyzing dread.

Lucas's eyes drifted from Isabella's anguished expression to some distant point behind her, his gaze piercing through her like she was made of glass.

His mind raced with thoughts.

"Was Claire this terrified when she shattered her leg in that horrific crash years ago?

How did she even manage to navigate conversations while recovering alone in a foreign country?

She’s nothing like Isabella.

Claire is the kind who swallows her pain in silence rather than drawing attention to it.

Did she ever lock herself away and weep? Did she ever feel utterly abandoned?

I wasn’t there for her when she needed me most.

She must despise me for that."

Just then, Isabella suddenly clutched her head between her hands and broke into desperate, choking sobs.

"Isabella, stop this. We need to talk." Lucas's voice was firm yet distant. "Will you consider getting treatment overseas? If you push me away now, what future do you have left?"

Her grip on his sleeve tightened. "Please, don't shut me out. Just... give me this one chance."

The medical expenses were astronomical. Without Lucas's support, Isabella knew she stood no chance.

His silence stretched until her desperate plea finally broke through.

Lucas exhaled sharply, his expression hardening. "Focus on the surgery first. We'll figure out the rest after."

Relief flooded her.

After. That meant he hadn't completely given up on her.

The accident had been devastating, but if it bought her Lucas's sympathy, perhaps it wasn’t a total loss.

Losing the lead dancer role paled in comparison to losing him.

As long as she could keep him close, nothing else mattered.

Then Lucas froze.

His gaze locked onto Evelyn, sitting quietly on a bench nearby.

Surprise flickered in his eyes before he strode toward her.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was rough with disbelief. "Shouldn't you be with Claire?"

The air between them crackled with unspoken tension.

Evelyn gestured toward the sealed operating room doors. "Claire's in there."

Lucas froze, his breath catching. "Inside the OR? What the hell is she doing in there?"

Evelyn pressed her lips together, refusing to answer.

Beside them, Isabella tilted her head, feigning concern. "Could it be... something's wrong with the baby?"

The words struck Lucas like a physical blow. His pulse skyrocketed, and suddenly, he couldn't stand still. He raked a hand through his hair, pacing like a caged animal.

"Something's wrong? Why wouldn't she tell me?"

Then—it hit him.

His face drained of color. His hands shook violently.

Before anyone could stop him, he lunged for the doors, slamming his palms against them with enough force to rattle the frame. "Claire! Get out here right now! Don't you dare—don't you dare touch our baby! Open this door! NOW!"

His outburst drew shocked stares from nearby patients and staff.

A nurse rushed over, her voice sharp with authority. "Sir, this is a restricted area! Lower your voice immediately, or I will have security escort you out."

Lucas didn’t respond. His crimson eyes burned with desperation, his entire body trembling.

"Claire, please! Open the door! We can fix this!" His voice broke, raw with emotion. "I know you're furious. I messed up—I know I did! Just let me explain!"

The thought of Claire going through with the termination made his chest tighten unbearably.

He understood what it meant.

It meant she had given up on him. On them. Their marriage, their future—all of it, gone in an instant.

The realization hit him like a sledgehammer, crushing the air from his lungs. An invisible weight pressed down on him, making it impossible to breathe.

Lucas slammed his fists against the operating room door, his knuckles turning white. Silence answered him.

"Claire, I'm begging you!" His voice echoed through the sterile hallway, drawing shocked glances from nurses and patients alike. He ignored them all, his focus solely on the woman behind that door.

"One more chance. That's all I ask!"

His words hung in the air, unanswered.

The seconds stretched into eternity.

Then—nothing.

Lucas's entire world narrowed to that single door.