Chapter 72: The disappointment is cruel

**STEVEN WOLKER'S POV**

I watch the entire medical team acting bravely to stabilize Sophie, pacing back and forth, desperate, watching and relieved, as after the intravenous medication, she stops groaning in constant pain minute by minute. I look down to see Nathaly slowly standing up, her eyes fixed on mine, her disheveled hair partially covering her face. I couldn't afford to pay attention now, I gesture to one of the informants to take care of her too, and he confirms that he will do so.

I follow the stretcher carrying Sophie as it exits through the service elevator where there is more space for it. Everyone around is watching the scene, frightened and surprised, but I don't care about anything anymore.

"It's going to be alright!" I gasp, running alongside.

I fix my eyes on hers, but she seems distant, avoiding my gaze as tears constantly stream down her face. I feel a sharp pain in my chest.

I get into the ambulance, refusing to leave her alone for even a minute. They clear the way with the siren blaring to the hospital, and when I try to hold her hand to give her strength, she pulls it away, tearing me apart inside.

Minutes later, we arrive at the hospital, and they take her inside, preventing me from going beyond that area. Despite all my turbulent actions and being out of control, I didn't want her to lose the baby. I didn't want to lose it; it was mine. I know it was, because even though I don't remember our history, I feel in her gaze all the feelings she had for me. I want to be a father; everything happened at the worst moment of my life, and I couldn't handle it as easily as everyone expected of me.

"Mr. Wolker?!"

I immediately stop; the floor could have opened up with how much I've been pacing. I widen my eyes and approach the doctor who apparently had been attending to Sophie during the pregnancy.

"Is everything alright? I know you are excellent professionals and did your best to save her and my son," I approach nervously.

She lowers her head and takes a deep breath. At that moment, I thought of the worst, the worst in every possible way. Everything became an even bigger mess.

"Sophie is medicated; at this moment, she is under the effect of the anesthesia applied for the procedure..." she doesn't finish.

I look at her, and at that moment, a tear involuntarily falls from my face. My arms weaken and fall heavily as if I were powerless. I take a step back, but in reality, it feels like I'm falling.

"Calm down, sir," she becomes concerned.

"I'm fine, the baby... don't... don't tell me that..." I can't say it.

"She lost the baby, unfortunately. We confirmed the malformation, and indeed, the pregnancy was very dangerous for her, and he might not have survived much longer, but he could have died in this... accident."

I take a few more steps back, sitting in the chair and bringing my hands to my face. When I left that alley, the first impression I had was that something bad was going to happen, and I wasn't wrong, that damn traffic. I would have saved so much time if I hadn't stopped there like an idiot. I feel guilty in every possible way.

"I'm sorry. As soon as the effect of the general anesthesia wears off, please let me know so I can see her."

I remain silent, head bowed. I didn't want to look at anyone; I didn't even want to move a muscle of my body. She was anxious; how would she feel after what happened? Fear takes over me.

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**SOPHIE MADSON'S POV**

I was blessed for a few months to carry a little angel in my womb. I was blessed to be part of this beautiful gift of life that is motherhood. I didn't hold him in my arms, but I held him in my heart. I didn't hear his cry, but I imagined his voice countless times in my head. My baby didn't touch my breasts for nursing, but I nourished him with love. He might have been different from others, perhaps he didn't come at the right time, and that world wasn't ready to receive something so innocent; my life was a mess.

"Mommy, it's not time yet..." the child's voice echoes in the darkness.

I try to search and look around, but I can't find him. Then I feel a small hand touching my face. My heart tightens, and I try to grab it, but I can't.

I open my eyes, observing the bright white ceiling with solid lights. I heard the doctors speaking nervously before I blacked out that I had lost my baby, and they needed to save my life, a great life they wanted to save. I would prefer to go along if it weren't for my mother.

"She's awake!" the nurse confirms.

The doctor was jotting down some things, and I turned my face slowly. She approached and touched my hand affectionately. I was so spaced out and in shock that I couldn't say anything, not even cry.

"How do you feel, Sophie?" the doctor asks.

"Empty!"

She sighs and then continues to stroke my arm. I look away at the white wall of the place and become pensive, still assimilating everything that happened. Knowing about the conditions I was already going through was like preparing for this.

"I'm sorry; I know that nothing I say will lessen this pain. But everything will be fine; destiny will take care of that, and you remain healthy."

She meant it was healthy to have more children. I wasn't thinking about that possibility now; it wasn't like, "One didn't come into the world, I'll make another," not at all.

My head was experiencing so many turbulences that I hadn't reached the point of dealing with it, totally anesthetized and shocked. That woman dared to pretend to be falling and took me along. I didn't have the strength now, but one day I would, and she would pay for everything; I would take care of it myself.

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**STEVEN WOLKER'S POV**

"She woke up!"

I jump out of the chair and follow the doctor; she walks hastily, and I follow her steps. I look ahead at the long corridor, my heart aching with anxiety and worry. I didn't know how to look at her; I would let it happen naturally.

When I enter the room, she stares at the wall and then turns her head towards me. I see no reaction on her face, and she remains severe and silent. I remember everything I said to her that day and feel ashamed, like trash.

"I'm sorry!" My voice is tearful.

She looks at me, genuinely locking eyes with mine, and I lower my head, unable to look straight ahead. I'm beside her and try to touch her hand again; the same thing that happened in the ambulance repeats, and she immediately pulls her hand away from mine. I've lost her, I presume.

"You don't feel! You never felt," she asserts bitterly.

"I do feel, Sophie, in the toughest and most confusing way possible, but I feel. I will feel it for the rest of my life."

She gives a sarcastic smile; I see in her face a woman marked by losing her first child, and I couldn't imagine one percent of her pain. But I was hurt, strangely hurt inside.

"Get out of here now!" she commands.

"We can have other children in the future, two or three... we will finally build our family," I suggest.

"GET OUT OF HERE NOW!"

She screams, and the doctor enters, startled. She comes to me and asks me to leave because it wouldn't be good for her with everything she was going through. I'm disappointed and leave that room worse than I entered.

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**SOPHIE MADSON'S POV**

He leaves the room, and this time, I can't hold back. I bring my hands to my face, and painful tears take over me intensely. The only thing going through my head is that if that accident hadn't happened, I wouldn't be going through all of this now; we would be happily awaiting our child, not going through an announced tragedy.

I hear the door open again and fixate, startled. Steven's grandmother enters. She came to the bed hurriedly and touched my face, kissing my forehead tenderly, and I could feel her tears wet there.

"I don't know what to say... I..." she's in tears.

"I know!"

It was the only thing I could say. She had always been a wonderful woman to me, and I know it hurt her a lot as a grandmother. She had always dreamed of a grandson running around the house.

"All of this will pass, my dear; I know you deserve all the best in your life, and this will make you feel stronger," she consoles.

Her words are accepted, and I force a smile. It is not very genuine, but it was the most I could deliver at that moment.

We stay there for a while, caressing each other; I also tell her about what happened, and she is completely shocked and furious, but I can't talk anymore. I was tired and starting to feel a little pain, so the doctor asked for rest, making the sweet lady leave.

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Three days later...

I had already left the hospital. I was at Mrs. Madson's house because she demanded that I be cared for. I didn't want to; I resisted, but after the doctor said I needed serious care and that it would be better not to be near him at that moment, I went there. There was no one since my only family member was my mother, who was still in the hospital finishing her treatment.

I stayed in one of the rooms on the house's first floor so I wouldn't have to go up or down stairs because I still walked with difficulty. I was thirsty, and the water in the pitcher ran out. I left the room slowly, and when

I got near the stairs, I heard Steven and his matriarch arguing. I stopped and stood, somewhat hidden, listening to what was happening.

"Nathaly can't be alone; she needs help, and I will bring her," he asserts.

"You hit your head and not only lost your memory but are also going crazy. How dare you consider that possibility?"

"Everyone confirmed that Sophie pushed her; the security cameras partially caught it, and that's what is seen. She was just trying to protect herself; she's asking for help."

After hearing that from him, my heart was torn from my chest and squeezed right in front of me. She's a shameless, cunning criminal, but he couldn't nullify my whole character and know I wouldn't stoop to that level.

"You're so blinded, taken by that slut, that you can't see everything she's doing. She's the one who ran you over; she's the one who made the plan to take Sophie to the stairs. You need a reality check, Steven," she's more nervous than ever.

"You talk as if Nathaly were a cruel villain. This isn't a soap opera, Grandma!"

"I can't take it anymore!"

"I'm sorry for losing my son; I know I could have given much more of myself, but that doesn't negate the fact that she was a victim in this."

I watched the two of them face to face when I saw a firm slap precisely hitting Steven's face; his grandmother unleashed all her anger by striking him.

"I'm disappointed in your irrationality, especially in your stupidity."

She asserts; I put my hand to my chest, feeling devastated by everything I just heard. Tears roll down my face, and I give up on getting water, returning to the room in tears.