Chapter 7 - The Ambush at the Hospital
On Wednesday morning, just as the attending physician was giving Sarah the preliminary approval for discharge, the heavy wooden doors of the private maternity ward swung open with a loud bang. I stood up from my chair instantly, my body tensing as I recognized the two women trying to push past the nursing station desk.
It was my mother, dressed in a somber black dress like she was attending a funeral, accompanied by Chloe Sterling. Chloe looked like she had just stepped off a runway, wearing an immaculate beige trench coat, designer sunglasses, and carrying a massive bouquet of white lilies—traditional sympathy flowers.
“I have a legal right to see my grandson!” my mother shouted at the head nurse, waving a piece of paper in the air. “I am his emergency contact! This man is holding my daughter-in-law hostage!”
Chloe stepped forward, placing a manicured hand on my mother’s arm with an exaggerated show of gentleness. “Please, nurse. We are just here to help. Ethan is going through a terrible domestic crisis, and we want to offer our support to the baby.”
I stepped out of Sarah’s room, closing the door firmly behind me so she wouldn't have to look at their faces. I walked down the polished hallway until I stood directly between them and the security doors.
“You have five seconds to turn around and walk toward the elevators before I have you both arrested for trespassing,” I said, keeping my hands relaxed at my sides, refusing to give them the emotional outburst they were clearly fishing for.
Chloe pulled off her sunglasses, looking at me with wide, artificially sympathetic eyes. “Oh, Ethan. Look at you. You look so exhausted. Your mother told me everything about how Sarah has completely collapsed under the pressure of motherhood. You don't have to carry this burden alone anymore. I moved back to the city yesterday. I bought a gorgeous five-bedroom condo in the arts district. We can take Leo there. We can hire professional nannies. You can finally have the peaceful, elevated life we always talked about in college.”
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I looked at Chloe—really looked at her—and felt nothing but profound disgust. She was a scavenger, hovering over what she thought was a dying marriage, eager to pick the bones clean and claim the prize she thought she deserved.
“Chloe, you are a sad, delusional woman,” I said clearly, making sure the three hospital security guards rapidly approaching down the hall could hear every word. “I dumped you ten years ago because you were a manipulative liar. I would rather live in a cardboard box under a bridge than spend five minutes in your presence. And as for you,” I turned my gaze to my mother, “your restraining order was signed by Judge Harrison at 8:30 this morning. Officer Davis, please remove these two individuals from the hospital grounds. If they resist, call the city police and execute the arrest warrant for violating an active protection order.”
