BIT

Chapter 57

Rebecca awoke to the soft hum of hospital machinery and the antiseptic smell of disinfectant. The harsh fluorescent lights above made her squint, and as she turned her head, she saw Jacob sitting beside her, his face etched with concern.

“Jacob?” she croaked, her throat dry and raspy

Jacob leaned forward, relief flooding his face. “Becky, you’re awake. Thank God,” he said softly, squeezing her hand gently.

Rebecca tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in her abdomen made her wince. “Lily… where’s Lily?” she asked, panic rising in her voice.

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“She’s fine,” Jacob reassured her quickly. “Cathy and Olive are taking care of her. She’s safe.”

Rebecca sighed, the tension in her body easing slightly. “What happened? I remember collapsing in the lobby…”

Jacob nodded, his expression serious. “You were bleeding pretty badly from your C- section wound. The paramedics got you here just in time. They had to perform emergency surgery to stop the bleeding and repair the damage.”

Rebecca closed her eyes, absorbing his words. The events of the past few days – the confrontation with Victoria, the stress, and the worry – had all taken a toll on her. “Thank you, Jacob. For being there. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t shown up.”

Jacob shook his head. “Don’t thank me. I’m just glad you’re okay. You and Lily have been through enough.”

Just then, a nurse entered the room, her smile warm and reassuring. “Good to see you awake, Mrs. Specter. How are you feeling?”

“Sore,” Rebecca admitted, managing a small smile. “But better.”

The nurse nodded, checking the monitors and making a few notes on her chart. “You’ve been through quite an ordeal. It’s important to rest and let your body heal. If you need anything, just press the call button.”

After the nurse left, Rebecca turned back to Jacob. “How long have I been out?”

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“A couple of hours,” Jacob replied. “Cathy and Olive will be back soon. They wanted to let you rest for a bit.”

Jacob cleared his throat softly. “Um, Becky, sorry if I’m being forward. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. Um, did something happen between you and Harvey?” he asked cautiously. Rebecca was startled and turned her face away. A year ago, Jacob had witnessed Harvey trying to win her back after a few months of their divorce. And now, after a year of reconciliation and having a baby, she couldn’t possibly say that they were heading for a second divorce. She felt truly ashamed. “Becky, you don’t have to answer,” Jacob interjected, waving his hand dismissively.

Not long after, the door opened slowly and Cathy appeared, followed by Olive who was pushing a stroller with Lily inside. Rebecca was about to get up from the bed when. Jacob reflexively held her shoulder. “Try to stay lying down for at least a day. You don’t want your stitches to open again, do you?” he admonished firmly.

“Jacob is right, don’t worry about Lily. Look, she’s sleeping soundly. Olive already changed her diaper and fed her, so just lie down and relax, okay?” Cathy chimed in, half glaring.

Rebecca winced, “Sorry for troubling the three of you…”

“Jacob, I heard you canceled your meeting because of the incident earlier. Just go! Olive and I will take care of Becky. By the way, thanks for calling me, I didn’t even know you had my number,” Cathy said lightly.

Jacob sneered. “I got it from Becky’s social media bio,” he answered earnestly. Cathy chuckled, “Of course you did!”

Jacob hesitated for a moment, then stood up, “Alright, I’ll head out. But I’ll be back to check on you later, Becky,” he said, giving her hand one last squeeze before leaving the

room.

Cathy watched him go, a mischievous smile on her face. “Looks like someone still has a soft spot for you,” she teased.

Rebecca rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t help but smile faintly. “Don’t start, okay?”

She sighed, leaning back against the pillows, and said, “But yeah, I owe him big time.”

As they settled into a comfortable silence, the nurse returned to check on Rebecca’s vitals. She offered a reassuring smile as she adjusted the IV drip. “You seem to be

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Chapter 57

recovering well. Just remember to take it casy and avoid any stress.”

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“That’s easier said than done,” Rebecca muttered, thinking about the confrontation with Victoria and the looming threat over her family.

Just then, Cathy’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and her expression turned serious. “Becky, it’s from Harvey’s number. Do you want me to answer it?”

Rebecca’s heart skipped a beat. She nodded slowly. “Put it on speaker.”

Cathy pressed the answer button and Harvey’s voice filled the room. “Cathy, where’s Becky? Is she alright?”

It was indeed his voice. Rebecca gripped the bed sheet tensely, scared of what she might hear.

“She’s here, Harvey,” Cathy replied, her voice steady. “She’s been through a lot, but she’s okay. You’re on speaker.”

There was a pause for a few seconds before Harvey finally spoke. “I have to go,” and then the call abruptly ended. Rebecca stared in shock, feeling like she had just lost her last chance to talk to her husband. “What was that?” she murmured, her voice choked with emotion. Cathy took a deep breath, “One thing’s for sure, he sounded very aware. It means he’s conscious and not under the drug.”

“So this is all real? So Harvey left me because he wanted to? He didn’t even ask about his daughter? How could he?” whispered Rebecca while shaking her head in disbelief. She turned to look at Lily, sleeping peacefully in the stroller and felt utterly heartbroken.

Cathy rubbed her arm, trying to comfort her. “There’s always another possibility; we can’t just jump to conclusions,” she said, trying to be reassuring. Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the door, and shortly after, someone appeared from behind it. “Um, may I come in?” asked a young woman in a neat business suit. Rebecca frowned, “Who are you?”

“Good Evening, Ma’am. I am Giselle, the repres