Chapter 90 Failed As A Man

Chapter 90 Failed As A Man
EILEEN POV:

“He has been fed from the bottle and checked. Don’t worry, he looks fine,” the nurse reassured. “If you need to talk, we are all here for you,” she added after a beat. 

I jerked my head and winced when the needle that was too big for Harry inched closer to him. 

“Can you soothe him?” she questioned. 

I nodded hurriedly and caressed his cheek, speaking to him in soft tones and hoping it wouldn’t hurt too much. Just like his other shots, his expression pinched and he sniffed. But the needle was already pulled out and fat tears blurred his face. 

His cries were soft and my heart ached. He clearly couldn’t understand what had been said, but someone he did. And he still didn’t cry loudly. 

My poor baby. 

“Please follow me. We have to do X-Rays next.”

If the situation weren’t dire, I would admire the contraptions necessary to keep a baby stationary for one of those tests. I watched from a distance as she was twisted and turned. He didn’t cry. His eyes wandered around, searching for something. 

And the moment he was in my arms again, he nuzzled into me.

I walked out of the radiology room and was led to the VIP ward. I did so without thinking much. That was until I saw Dominic standing outside the ward, having a heated conversation with a cop. 

I couldn’t help but wander over to him. As I stepped closer, I caught the conversation. 

“How could you bring my kids’ kidnapper to the same hospital?” he questioned. “What makes you think any of this is safe?”

The cop had his arms on his waist. He looked deeply uncomfortable as he answered. “Mr. Presley, I understand your concern, but he is being guarded by cops. He will not come out.”

Dominic shook his head. “He went past bodyguards and tried to hurt my family. I will not condone this. Take him somewhere else.” He was not negotiating. Instead, he was telling the cops he was having none of it. 

“He is here?” I found myself saying. 

Dominic turned around, his eyes widening in fear. He stepped back. “Eileen… Bethany is alone in the room. Can you–”

I shook my head. “I need to know this,” I countered. “I am not comfortable being anywhere near Arthur. Have him leave.” I had no idea how I mustered up the confidence, but my voice didn’t waver. 

“Ma’am he complained of injury and we can’t take him anywhere else right now because of…” He paused. “Processes.”

This had been the first hospital in the vicinity. I understood, but to bring the person who filled me with fear close to my babies after what he had done? These people were crazy to think I would allow it. 

“Well, he is pretending,” I said without missing a beat. 

The officer sighed. “He is in the emergency room right now, waiting for someone to see him. We have him handcuffed and being watched by two officers. If you are still worried, we will station a few cops here, as well.”

Dominic crossed his hands across his chest. “Why can’t he be moved?” he asked directly. 

The cops pressed his lips together. “The other hospitals are crowded and the media has already caught wind of the situation. Right now, they are hunting the cops down. We can’t move him without the security of the hospital being compromised.”

I gritted my teeth. 

“I will have a chat with the person in charge,” Dominic replied before turning. “Eileen, let’s go back.” He placed his hand on my arm and though reluctant I allowed him to walk me to the room Bethany was in.

“Is he going to be let off?” I asked in a small voice. Dominic froze. 

“No, Eileen. There is no way he is ever seeing Bethany again,” he promised. I nodded. We placed Harry down in the crib. Soon, both the kids were asleep. There might have been some calming medicine involved, but the doctor assured it was necessary for the occasion. 

I heard the clock tick once everyone else in the room filled out.

“Lucy is in the next room. She is also sleeping, and Greg is with her,” Dominic broke the silence. I looked at him blankly before nodding. He looked down at his phone and typed something on the phone before returning his attention to me.

“We need to talk.”

Oh, those words again. I wound my fingers together and kept them on my lap. I stared at them, wondering if this was the moment the ball dropped.

“Okay,” I said under my breath. 

I was ready. 

Or as ready as I could be. 

“I have been a complete failure,” Dominic said. 

‘What?’ 

My brows knitted together. I didn’t know what to say. Was this a new way to breakup with someone? An advanced version of ‘it’s not you, it’s me.’

“I promised you I would keep Bethany safe, but I was the one who put her in danger.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but he placed his finger over my lip, stopping me. “Eileen, let me finish,” he pleaded. I nodded. “I know you think I fucked up. I know you want to break up because I am an incapable–”

“Are we breaking up?” I couldn’t help but speak against his finger. 

He froze. He took his finger back and cocked his head to the side. “Do you not want to?”

“Do you want to?” I panicked.

He was far too kind to place any blame on me. But to put it all on himself…

“No!” he protested. “I don’t want to break up. Why would I want to break up?”

“But you said–”

“I thought you wanted to break up!” he exclaimed.

We simultaneously turned to the side to check if the kids had stirred from the sudden noise.

“I don’t. I thought you wanted to break up with me because I… because Arthur wouldn’t take Harry if not for me.”

He shook his head in disbelief. “That would never be the case,” he insisted. “But I failed as a man.”

I winced. “Is it because of what Arthur said?”