led. She collapsed onto the floor again and sta

once been one of her father's closest friends, ev

tightly and warned her that Brian could never be trusted. The only w

She rejected her father's arrangement and even

. I'm already with the man I love, and

ould turn to him if she ever needed help. His assistance came with one condi

his mind. After responding ang

an would always be beside her and

ejected so harshly was C

ng the Harding family insignia touched

aircraft with the blood cooler in his hands. Five medic

ragged painfully by. Every second lef

the emergency room d

doctor and grabbed his a

"Getting the blood and medical specialists here from Leacrest in su

as a loud ringing drowned

her condition wouldn't have become this critical..." The doctor sighed helpless

gency room doors without fully

bed. Even with the ventilator, her st

face, and unshed tears glistened in

rd the empty doorway. Her voice was barely

ng, and tears burn

hter and struggled to keep her voi

-old should have carried. Her voice faded to a whisper. "Mommy, I know I'm going to die. Daddy d

. Tears ran freely down her face

those bags. I hate that he never picks me up from school. And I hate that he slapped me... Mom

rs spilled from her eyes. "I w

face as she gave Bethany's hand one final squeez

d slipped from Bethany's gras

rlot

e emergency room and continued l

orium employee placed a sma

armth still

st her chest, but no tear

r. He placed a small wreath on the urn before offering her a ph

and spoke through he

hough speaking louder might break her. "I

uth. "You don't need to apologize. Yo

nized Brian's true nature sooner and stopped believing he

rlotte didn't make it, but... I'll still honor my pr

because a six-year-old girl needed saving. Your promise had nothing t

mbered what you promised years ago and gave me everything

amond mine, and I won't return for two weeks. Use that time to handle your daughter's funeral and end your