Chapter 13 - The Awakening
Three days later, the atmosphere in the hospital had entirely shifted from despair to cautious optimism. Arthur Pendelton had been officially indicted on multiple federal charges, including attempted murder and corporate fraud. Vance Pharmaceuticals had issued a public apology, completely clearing Sarah Jenkins' name and restoring her patents.
But none of that mattered to Leo. The only thing that mattered was sitting in a chair next to his mother’s bed.
Sarah’s eyes fluttered open. The ventilator had been removed the day before, and though she was incredibly weak, the terrifying gray pallor had vanished from her skin. She turned her head slowly, her eyes locking onto her son.
"Leo?" she rasped, her voice barely a whisper.
"Mom!" Leo cried, burying his face carefully into her shoulder, mindful of the wires and tubes. "You're awake! You're really awake!"
Tears leaked from Sarah’s eyes as she weakly stroked her son’s hair. She looked up and saw Marcus Vance standing in the doorway, a gentle, relieved smile on his face.
"Marcus..." Sarah breathed. "You saved me."
"No, Sarah," Marcus corrected softly, stepping into the room. "I just paid the bills. Your son is the one who saved you. He saved my daughter, and he saved my soul. I'm just trying to pay off a debt I can never truly repay."
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Marcus pulled up a chair beside the bed. "When you're fully recovered, Sarah, your job is waiting for you. Head of Research and Development. The company is yours to run. We are going to fix the mistakes of the past, and we are going to save lives. Real lives."
Sarah squeezed Leo's hand, looking at Marcus with profound gratitude. "Thank you."
