Chapter 110
Rachel froze, her heart skipping several beats. “What?” There was no way she was leaving this house.
“I said you’re fired.” Her voice was cold, cutting. “I’ve tolerated your presence because Grandfather insisted, but clearly, you’ve overstepped your place p>
“Sandra—” Henry’s tone sharpened, his breath shortening.
But she just ignored him. “You were hired to help, not to drag him around town, driving like he was some driver. But since you seem to think you know what’s best for him, why don’t you pack your things and p>
“That’s enough p>
The command cracked through the air like thunder; low but powerful.
Sandra flinched, startled by the sudden force in Henry’s voice.
He took a step forward, his chest rising unevenly. “You will not speak to her that way,” he said, each word clipped and shaking with effort. “Rachel has done more for me in these few weeks than you have in years. And if you think you can before he could finish, he felt a piercing pain in his head and before any of them could know what was happening, Henry had already collapsed.
“Mr. Camden!” Rachel dropped to her knees beside him, her hands trembling as she reached for his pulse. His skin felt clammy, his breathing shallow and uneven.
“Oh my God! Please,” she whispered, shaking him gently. “Henry, can you hear me? Please, say something p>
But he didn’t move.
She turned sharply to Sandra who was still in a daze, panic flooding her voice. “Help me let’s get him to the hospital, quickly p>
But Sandra just stood there, frozen in disbelief, her face pale. Then her expression hardened, and her voice came out shrill, trembling with anger more than fear as she immediately rushed over to where her grandfather was lying down.
“This is your fault! You… you pushed him too far! I told you to stay away from him! I told you to know your place!” she screamed.
Rachel looked up, tears streaking down her face. “What? No! He was fine, we were just p>
“Don’t lie to me!” Sandra snapped, her voice cracking. “If you hadn’t taken him out like some kind of adventure partner, this wouldn’t have happened! He’s sick, and you knew it p>
Rachel’s voice broke. “I know that, and I was careful. Please, Sandra. This isn’t the time p>
“It’s exactly the time!” Sandra took a shaky step forward, eyes flashing. “You’re not even supposed to be here anymore. You’re fired. Leave. Now p>
Rachel blinked at her, horrified. “You’re asking me to leave him like this p>
“I’m asking you to get out before you make it worse p>
Rachel’s tears fell faster now, her voice trembling but determined. “Please, I’ll go if that’s what you want. Just let me make sure he’s fine first. We can fight later, I promise. But not now, not while he’s lying here! He needs medical attention p>
Sandra folded her arms tightly, her lips trembling, torn between anger and fear. “You have no right to say that. He’s my grandfather p>
“And I’m his caregiver; at least until I leave,” Rachel shot back, her voice breaking. “Sandra, every second we waste arguing is another second he doesn’t get help! Please, we need to get him to the hospital now p>
Sandra’s jaw clenched, her breath coming out uneven. “You don’t tell me what to do p>
“Then don’t do it for me!” Rachel cried, almost shouting now. “Do it for him! Please, look at him. He’s your grandfather for crying out loud p>
Sandra’s eyes darted toward Henry’s still form. His chest barely rose. The sight of it made her voice falter, her defiance cracking.
Rachel softened instantly, her voice trembling. “I swear, once we get him to the hospital, I’ll leave. You’ll never see me here again. But please, Sandra, let’s save him first p>
The silence that followed was taut and suffocating. For a moment, the only sound was Henry’s uneven breathing and Rachel’s soft sobs.
Then, finally, Sandra exhaled shakily and knelt beside her grandfather. “Help me get him up,” she whispered, her voice tight.
Rachel didn’t hesitate. Together, they lifted Henry, as they half-carried, half-dragged him toward the car.
Outside, the late afternoon light seemed cruelly calm. Rachel opened the passenger door and carefully helped Sandra settle Henry in. His head lolled against the seat, his breathing ragged.
Sandra hesitated before turning to Rachel, her expression still guarded, but the panic in her eyes betrayed her.
“You drive,” she said finally, voice cold but trembling.
Rachel nodded quickly, wiping her tears. “I will.” ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ
She climbed behind the wheel, hands shaking as she started the engine. The tires crunched against the gravel, and the car sped out of the driveway.
Sandra held Henry’s hand tightly in the back seat, whispering broken reassurances while Rachel’s gaze stayed fixed on the road, her heart pounding in her chest.
She didn’t dare look back, but she could hear Sandra’s soft, desperate voice behind her.
“Hold on, Grandfather… please, hold on p>
Rachel blinked hard, her knuckles white around the steering wheel. He has to make it, she told herself. He has to.
The sharp scent of antiseptic filled the air as Rachel rushed through the hospital doors, her heart hammering against her ribs.
“Emergency! Please, we need help! He collapsed p>
Within seconds, nurses appeared with a stretcher. Sandra followed closely behind, clutching her grandfather’s hand as they transferred him, her face pale but tight with control.
Rachel stood back, chest rising and falling rapidly as they wheeled Henry toward the emergency room. “Please, he’s been feeling dizzy—he p>
But the nurse cut her off gently. “We’ve got him, ma’am. Please wait outside p>
The doors swung shut, sealing Henry away from them.
For a moment, all Rachel could hear was the echo of her own breathing. Then she turned toward Sandra who was standing rigid, arms folded, eyes fixed on the closed doors.
Rachel swallowed hard. “He’ll be fine,” she said quietly, her voice trembling. “He just needs rest p>
Sandra’s head snapped toward her, eyes glinting with fury. “Don’t. Don’t pretend you care more than I do p>
“I didn’t say that,” Rachel whispered.
“But you think it,” Sandra spat. “You think because you talk softly and make him smile that you know him better than I do. You don’t. You’ve been here barely a month, and already you’ve managed to drive him to exhaustion, twice p>
Rachel flinched. “That’s not true. He wanted to go out. He he needed it p>
“Needed it?” Sandra scoffed bitterly. “He needed rest! And you, playing the perfect little caretaker, dragged him around like some companion on a picnic! What were you thinking p>
Rachel’s lips trembled. “That maybe a bit of sunlight would make him feel alive again p>
Sandra froze for a second, her expression faltering but only for a moment. “You had no right,” she said coldly. “You’re a helper, not family p>
Rachel’s throat tightened. She could barely breathe through the ache in her chest. “I know,” she whispered. “And I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen p>
Sandra folded her arms tightly, looking away. “Sorry won’t fix it if he doesn’t wake up p>
That last sentence shattered whatever composure Rachel had left. Tears spilled down her cheeks, silent and raw.
“I’ll leave,” she said hoarsely. “Like I promised. But please, just let me stay until they tell us he’s okay p>
Sandra didn’t answer. She just stared at the double doors, her face pale under the harsh fluorescent lights.
So Rachel sank into one of the cold metal chairs along the wall, burying her face in her hands.
Minutes bled into hours. Nurses came and went. Every time the doors swung open, Rachel’s head shot up, hope flickering only to die again when no one called their name.
At last, the doctor stepped out, tall, calm, with tired eyes. Both women rose immediately.
“Mr. Camden is stable,” the doctor said, his voice measured. “It was a mild cardiac episode, likely stress-induced. I told you to watch him and let him rest properly after the last time. If this continues, I might not guarantee you his safety p>
“What are you saying doctor? Is he okay?” Sandra cut in impatiently.
“He’s fine, for now. But he’ll need close monitoring for the next few days p>
Rachel let out a broken breath of relief, her knees nearly giving out. “Thank God she whispered.
Sandra closed her eyes briefly, exhaling. “Can we see him p>
“Just for a moment,” the doctor said. “He needs rest p>
They followed him down the corridor.
Henry lay on the hospital bed, pale but breathing steadily. The beeping of the heart monitor filled the small room, a fragile reminder that he was still here.
Sandra moved to his side immediately, clutching his hand. “Grandfather she whispered, her voice trembling now, stripped of all the sharp edges.
Rachel stood quietly by the door, tears blurring her vision. She wanted to move closer, to make sure he was really okay, to touch him and feel the warmth of a live person but she knew her place.
When Sandra finally looked back at her, Rachel understood.
“You can go now,” Sandra said softly, her tone unreadable. “He’s in safe hands. You’ve done enough p>
Rachel’s lips parted. “Please, just a minute p>
“Go,” Sandra repeated, her voice firmer this time. “If he wakes up and asks for you, I’ll tell him you cared. But right now, leave p>
Rachel hesitated then nodded slowly. Her eyes lingered on Henry’s peaceful face one last time before she turned and walked out, the quiet click of the door behind her echoing louder than any word.
Out in the hallway, she leaned against the wall and let herself cry softly, and helplessly, the sound of the heart monitor still ringing in her ears.
She hadn’t expected him to mean this much neither had she expected being fired to hurt this deeply.