Chapter 6

Isabelle was admitted to the hospital again. After three hours of treatment, the glass shards embedded in her body were finally removed. She rested there for a few days before being discharged. There were still matters to handle. She first withdrew some cash from the bank and then contacted a small, discreet care facility in the suburbs. She was willing to donate money to renovate the facility and purchase new ventilators, all to ensure they would accept Isaac and keep his stay confidential. The director gladly agreed, and once she and Isaac received new identities, they could sign the transfer contract. Isabelle could not take Isaac with her alone, but she left him enough money to last a lifetime. She visited Isaac's hospital room again to share the good news. As she reached the corridor outside Isaac's room, she saw Isaac's caregiver, Lucy Granger, being pushed by a middle-aged couple. Lucy fiercely guarded the door behind them. "Ms. Spencer, you're finally here! These people are trying to take the ventilator from Mr. Isaac's room!" Lucy cried. Isabelle rushed over and shoved the intruders back, shouting, "What do you think you're doing? This is a hospital! Who gave you the right to barge in like this?" "Don't act all high and mighty," the woman sneered. "Everyone knows the Ashfords have kicked you out. If you touch me again, I'll have my son-in-law deal with you. Get out of the way! That cripple brother of yours won't last long anyway. My son still has a chance, and he needs that ventilator to survive." Isabelle stumbled and fell. Her vision dimmed as she looked up to meet Amber's triumphant gaze. "You look pathetic, Isabelle," Amber said with her arms crossed. "You can't stop my parents. That ventilator is mine." She turned to the bodyguards and ordered coldly, "What are you waiting for? Help them!" The guards immediately restrained Lucy and stormed into the room, roughly pulling the medical equipment from his body. "No! He'll die without it!" Isabelle screamed, throwing herself forward. She shoved her way through the crowd and flung her arms around Isaac to shield him. "Get out! Don't touch him!" she shouted. Amber's mother, Jolene Delroy, cried out and fell to the floor. Amber hurried to her side, glaring at Isabelle in anger. "Ms. Spencer, why did you push my mother? Mr. Ashford sent us to move the equipment. If you're angry, don't take it out on innocent people!" "Ouch, that hurts," Jolene moaned, clutching her chest. Just then, Noah walked in and heard the commotion. He glanced at Amber. "What's going on?" he asked, clearly displeased. Amber let out an annoyed sigh, playing the victim. "Forget the ventilator. My brother's injury isn't serious. He doesn't really need it." She put on a pitiful look and added, "Ms. Spencer is acting crazy. She's already knocked my mom down twice. We really can't deal with someone like her." Noah instantly understood what had happened. His expression darkened. He turned to his bodyguards and said coldly, "Can't you even handle one woman?" Earlier, they had held back from hurting Isabelle. But now, seeing the displeasure on Noah's face, one of the men seized her arm and dragged her out of the way. "Noah, stop them! Please!" Isabelle screamed, watching helplessly as the ventilator was pulled from Isaac's body. Desperation filled her eyes as she pleaded with him. "Don't let them take it. He'll die without the ventilator! Please, I'm begging you!" Noah's expression darkened. Isabelle was becoming increasingly unruly. She was now screaming like a lunatic, completely forgetting the composure he had once instilled in her. She no longer carried herself with the grace expected of Mrs. Ashford. "Belle, you're being difficult again," he said coldly. "Why are you making a scene and throwing your weight around? Did I not discipline you enough?" Isabelle trembled all over. She opened her mouth but couldn't make a sound. She could only watch helplessly as Noah's people took away the ventilator. They shoved her to the ground. She scrambled up immediately and rushed to Isaac's side. His face had already turned purple. She quickly pressed the emergency button, but no one responded. A terrifying thought flashed through her mind: Noah was punishing her and had deliberately stopped the doctors from helping her brother. "Doctor! Please help! Is anyone there? I'll pay! I'll pay as much as it takes! Someone, please save my brother!" Her screams echoed down the empty corridor. She pounded the elevator button over and over, but it stayed stuck on the first floor. She dashed for the stairwell, missed a step, and tumbled down. Ignoring the pain, she forced herself up and kept running down five flights of stairs. By the time she finally found a doctor and brought him back, it was already too late. Isaac was gone. The lack of oxygen had taken his life. Standing in front of his hospital bed, Isabelle felt as if the life had been drained from her. She stared blankly at him, but no tears came. It hit her then. Some kinds of pain ran so deep that even tears couldn't reach it. She regretted everything deeply. She wished she had never gone home with Noah or let herself fall in love with him.