Chapter 724



“Don’t worry. The nurses will be here to look after you,” Kallie reassured her.

“But I don’t want them,” Elma said, her voice small. “I don’t like strangers. I’d rather be by myself.”

“I’ll stay with you tonight, Elma,” Jake interjected.

Only then did Elma nod, her eyes still glued to Kallie.

Elma asked, her voice filled with worry, “But if I get better and go home, will I never see you again? Then I don’t want to get better! I don’t want to go home.”

Kallie was taken aback. “Don’t say that, Elma,” she chided gently. “Being sick isn’t fun. You need to get better.” Elma said nothing, her eyes downcast.

Kallie’s heart ached for the little girl. She couldn’t help but glare at Jake, a wave of anger washing over her. This was his daughter, for God’s sake! Couldn’t he protect his own child from Cara’s cruelty? Cara practically worshipped him. Surely, he could put his foot down and make her stop.

Sensing Kallie’s accusing stare, Jake’s expression hardened with resolve.

“Elma, I promise you,” Jake said firmly. “I won’t let anyone bully you ever again. Not even your mother.”

Elma’s eyes lit up, and a sweet smile spread across her face.

Kallie scoffed inwardly, thinking he was just trying to appease Elma with empty promises. “I hope you mean that, Mr. Reeves,” she said, her voice laced with skepticism. “You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep.”

Jake’s gaze met Kallie’s, his expression earnest. “I mean what I said,” he said, his voice low and sincere.

Kallie exited the ward, a hand fluttering to her chest as if to calm her racing heart. She figured she needed to distance herself from Jake. It was for the best. Each encounter with him ignited a torrent of emotions she couldn’t control, leaving her feeling overwhelmed and heartbroken.

A wry, self-deprecating smile touched Kallie’s lips. “Damn it,” she muttered to herself, cursing her foolish heart for falling for someone so utterly off-limits. Time, she hoped, would eventually mend the cracks in her heart.

Despite the dim illumination, the hospital corridor felt eerily cold and menacing in the hushed stillness of the night. Shadows stretched long and distorted, creating an unsettling ambiance. The fluorescent lights above flickered ominously as Kallie neared the elevator, casting dancing shadows that played tricks on her eyes.

A figure materialized abruptly at the elevator entrance, their eyes fixed on Kallie with an icy intensity that sent shivers down her spine.

Kallie recoiled, her breath catching in her throat. It took a moment for her to register the woman’s identity. It was Cara, her face etched with a chilling expression. But something was undeniably amiss. A palpable aura of malice radiated from Cara. Cara’s eyes burned with a murderous rage, her entire demeanor radiating a chilling intent.

Cara typically showed hostility toward Kallie. However, at that moment, her eyes glinted with a cold ferocity, exuding a lethal intent and profound loathing. She looked like a wraith, hungry for vengeance.

Usually, Cara took great care in her presentation, always donning stylish, luxurious clothing and flawless makeup when she stepped outside. But now, she appeared dramatically less composed, her appearance marred by a disheveled nightgown and tousled hair.

Feeling Cara’s chilling stare, a deep-seated fear quickly took root within Kallie, seemingly crawling up from her very soul, engulfing her senses.

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