Chapter 37
âDad, so what do you suggest we do?â
Markâs eyes were spinning like tops, âLet me think.â
Shela sat on the couch, fuming.
âHer belly sure did her proud, got knocked up on the first try. If only I had that kind of luckâ¦â
Too bad, Elgin wouldnât touch herso no chance of getting pregnant for her.
âIâve got it!â Mark clapped his hands, âShela, Iâve got a plan.â
He leaned in and whispered the whole scheme into Shelaâs ear.
âGreat!â Shela beamed, âWe can for sure make this work!â
âAlright, Iâm on it!â
Meanwhile, at the Ramirez Group, Letitia suddenly sneezed a bunch of times and felt a chill run through her.
âAre you coming down with a cold? Vidonia walked over, offering her a tissue, âLayer up, health comes first.â
âItâs nothing, just an itchy nose. Letitia chuckled and stood up, heading to the break room.
âDesigner Sanders, a colleague called out to her, âsomeoneâs waiting for you at the front door.â
âMe?â
âYeah, go check it out.â
Who would come looking for her at the Ramirez Group?
Letitia agreed and went to the front door, only to see the director of AquaCity Psychiatric Institute, Mark Ward, with both hands full of gifts, wearing a grin from ear to ear.
âWhat are you doing here?â
Mark had been a pain in her neck at AquaCity Psychiatric Institute, and had even set her up with that old man. His daughter, Shela, had been a thorn in her side time and againâ¦
âBrought you something, Mark said, âdonât look down on it, eh?â
Letitia didnât take it, just scoffed, âYou bringing me gifts? What do you want!â
âI really wanted to give you a little something, to build up your strength. After all, youâre pregnant now!â
She quickly looked around, worried that someone might have overheard!
Mark just laughed, âLook at you, scared stiff. Letitia, you know the drill. Youâre Mrs. Ramirez now but carrying another manâs child. If this gets out, youâre gonna have a rough time.â
âWho was the man that night?â Letitia clenched her teeth, âYou must know!â
âWanna know? Take the gifts.â Mark looked at her with a smirk.
Iâm not taking it! Who knows whatâs in there!â Letitia was on high alert, not falling for his tricks.
Just take it, Mark insisted, shoving it into her hands.
Letitia kept backing off, âI said no!â
âYou will take it, donât be too proud to accept a little help.â
Mark kept pushing, Letitia kept refusing, and finally, she lost her patience and swung her arm, âCanât you understand English? Stop grossing me out!*
The gifts fell to the ground, and a whole box of high-end supplements for women.
What a waste of good stuff âWhale he was talking, suddenly, Mark clutched his heart, started shaking, and his lips
turned pale.
Letitia was startled, âYou, whatâs happening to youâ¦â
Before she could finish, Mark had collapsed backward with a thud.
âAh! Dad!â Shela burst out from nowhere, âDad, whatâs wrong with you! Wake up! Donât scare me! Call an ambulance, quick!â
Security guards ran over, and the place turned into a frenzy. Letitia stood outside, watching as a crowd surrounded Mark, trying to resuscitate him, completely dumbfounded.
Soon, an ambulance arrived with sirens blaring, rushing Mark to the hospital.
âLetitia, youâre to blame for this!â Shela pointed at her, âIf anything happens to my dad, I wonât let you off the hook!â
âI didnât do anythingâ¦â
âYouâre still denying it! We have surveillance, everythingâs been recorded, you canât escape!â
Letitia responded, âFine, check the cameras. Iâm innocent.â
Hearing this, Shela suddenly cracked a sly smile, then quickly hid it. But Letitia saw it clear as day, feeling uneasy, her gut telling her this was all a setup.
But right now, she couldnât guess what Mark and Shela were really after!
Elgin came striding out, his gaze sweeping over Letitia.
âMr. Ramirez!â Shela ran up to him, tears streaming, âYou have to stand up for me. My dad canât be in trouble, heâs worked hard all his life and now itâs time for him to enjoy itâ¦â
Elgin cut her off, âWhat happened?â
Shela, sobbing, answered, âDad said, Letitia is now Mrs. Ramirez, a different status than before. And since Iâm by your side, he felt really sorry for me. So, he just wanted to butter Letitia up. But just after meeting her for a few minutes, my dad suddenly passed out!â
âThe Dean came out of nowhere with gifts, saying he wanted to give it to me, I had no idea what was going on.â Letitia said, âI didnât accept it.â
âHe had good intentions, you couldâve just taken it! Or thrown it away later, why reject him to his face!â
ââ¦â
Shelaâs shrill voice drowned her out, âI have no time to argue with you. Iâm going to the hospital to be with my dad! Mr. Ramirez, come with me! Letitia, you too! Youâre the culprit!â
Outside the emergency room, Shela was curled up in Elginâs arms, wailing and playing the victim.
Letitia stood alone to the side.
3 9 E
Finally, the operating room door opened and the doctor came out.
Shela rushed up, âHowâs my dad?â
âHe had a sudden cerebral hemorrhage, still in critical condition.â
âHow could this happen?â
âProbably due to excessive emotional agitation, the patient is elderly and has high blood pressure, the doctor explained,
shouldnât have been in any arguments.â
Shela immediately turned to Letitia, âItâs your fault! Youâre the reason my dad had a stroke!
The doctor added. The surgery went relatively smoothly, but⦠weâre low on blood supply at the hospital, we need a transfusion. Which one of you has a matching blood type?â
I stared at Letitia.
Thatâs when Letitia finally got it! What they wanted.. was her blood! Blood draw!
Chapter 37
Sheâs pregnant, if they took too much blood, her baby would be in danger!
Letitia began to back away, but just then, Elgin grabbed her hand, and she felt a tingle all over.
âWhere are you off to, huh?â he asked, âLetitia, you made this mess, now youâve got to fix it.â
Elginâs eyes were just brimming with apathy.
âItâs none of my business, none of this⦠I didnât do any of it!â
Shela fired back right away. âMy dadâs been healthy for years, so why does he suddenly have a stroke after seeing you?â
âHow should I know? He got all worked up on his own!â
âHeâs still fighting for his life. Without blood, heâll die!â Shela pressed on, âAre you just gonna stand there and watch my dad die without giving him some blood?â
Letitia was about to say something when, suddenly, Shela dropped to her knees with a thud.
âIâm begging you, please save my dad, Letitia, heâs my nearest and dearest⦠I canât lose him, canât you just donate a little blood, pretty please?â