Chapter 7 #2
About an hour later, a nurse approached us. "Ms. Miller? Mr. Black is out of surgery and asking for you."
"For me?" I repeated, "But... we're not family."
"He was quite insistent," the nurse replied with a faint smile. "He's still groggy from the anesthesia, but very determined to speak with you."
Reluctantly, I rose, taking Leo's hand. "Lead the way."
William Black looked frail against the white hospital sheets, but his eyes brightened when we entered his room. "Alison. You stayed. And this must be your son."
"Leo," I confirmed, keeping a firm hold on my son's hand. "We wanted to make sure Winchester would be okay until your family arrives."
William nodded to the small dog curled in a makeshift bed in the corner of his private room. "He seems quite comfortable, thanks to you." His gaze shifted to Leo, studying him with interest. "Hello, young man. How old are you?"
"Four and a half," Leo answered, his natural shyness overridden by the direct question.
"Mr. Black, I don't mean to be rude, but why did you ask to see me? We've returned your dog, and your family will be here soon."
William sighed, shifting against his pillows. "Dr. Reeves told me you declined further blood testing."
"That's right," I confirmed. "I don't see the point."
"I understand that," William said softly, "But I just received your blood, and that shouldn't be possible unless…"
A chill ran down my spine. "What exactly are you suggesting?"
Before William could answer, the door opened, and my heart sank as Victoria Black swept in, followed by an elegant older woman who could only be her mother.
"Daddy!" Victoria exclaimed, rushing to his bedside before stopping short at the sight of Leo and me. "What is she doing here?"
William frowned at his daughter's tone. "Alison saved my life today, Victoria. Show some respect."
Victoria's eyes narrowed as she looked between us. "Saved your life? How convenient that she happened to be there when you were injured."
"The world doesn't revolve around your petty grudges," William said firmly. "Ms. Miller kept pressure on my wound, brought Winchester to the hospital, and has been waiting hours to ensure my safety."
Victoria's gaze shifted to Leo, who shrank closer to me under her scrutiny. Something flickered in her eyes as she registered his appearance.
"And who is this?" she asked, her voice falsely sweet.
"My son," I answered shortly, placing a protective hand on Leo's shoulder. "We should be going now that your family is here, Mr. Black."
"Wait," William called as I turned to leave. "Take my card, at least." He gestured to the bedside table. "In case you reconsider the testing."
Victoria intercepted, snatching up the card before I could reach it. "Testing? What testing?" She glanced at the card, frowning at whatever was written on it. "Daddy, this is your private line. What exactly is going on here?"
"Something that doesn't concern you at the moment," William replied with surprising firmness. "Give Ms. Miller the card, Victoria."
For a moment, Victoria looked like she might refuse, but something in her father's expression made her reluctantly extend the card, barely touching it as she handed it to me.
I took it, slipping it into my pocket without looking. "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Black, but I'm really not interested in pursuing whatever you think this blood anomaly might mean."
Taking Leo's hand, I led him from the room, Winchester's soft whine following us as we left. Only when we were safely in the elevator did I exhale fully, the tension of the encounter leaving my shoulders.
"That lady didn't like us," Leo observed perceptively.
"No, she didn't," I agreed, seeing no point in lying. "But it doesn't matter. We probably won't see her again."
In the car, I finally examined William's card. His name was embossed in elegant script, with a phone number beneath it. On the back, a handwritten note read: The blood doesn't lie. We need to talk. —WB
I stared at the cryptic message, unsettled by its implications.
What could my blood possibly have to do with the Black family?
I'd grown up in foster care, bounced between homes after my supposed parents lost custody due to neglect.
There had never been any mention of a connection to a wealthy family like the Blacks.
As I drove us home, Leo dozing in his car seat, my mind raced with possibilities. Was William Black simply confused after his accident? Or was there something to his claim about the blood markers?
And if there was—if by some bizarre twist I did share genetic markers with the Black family—what did that mean for me? For Leo?
I glanced at my sleeping son in the rearview mirror, his features so reminiscent of his father, a man who didn't even know he existed. One paternity secret was enough in my life. Whatever William Black thought he knew about my blood, I wanted no part of it.
Some doors were better left closed, some mysteries better left unsolved. I had built a life for Leo and myself through hard work and determination. No strange blood test or cryptic message from William Black was going to change that.
Or so I believed, unaware of how completely my carefully constructed world was about to unravel.