Anovel of My motherś ex chapter 18 by authoress
The hospital walls felt colder than usual as Sophia paced outside Rylee’s room. The sound of beeping monitors and distant footsteps filled the air. She and Carla had received the call earlier in the day: Rylee’s was in the hospital for days.
Sophia arrived alone.
Carla, despite her usual loyalty, was unavailable. “I can’t come right now, Sophia. I’ve got to deal with Trisha,” Carla said over the phone, her voice tense.
Sophia clenched her fists in frustration. “Carla, this is some petty fight. Rylee needs us. She’s—”
“I said I can’t,” Carla interrupted, hanging up.
With no other choice, Sophia had rushed to the hospital room alone. her heart racing as she approached the doctor stationed near Rylee’s room.
“Miss Hayes,” the doctor began solemnly.
“She’s critical,” the doctor said grimly, his tone devoid of comfort. “We’ve identified stomach cancer. Her condition is fragile, and she requires immediate treatment. You’ll need to contact her family.”
Sophia swallowed hard, trying to process the gravity of the situation. Her hands shook as she fumbled with her phone, dialing Victoria, Rylee’s mother. The call went straight to voicemail. Again.
“She needs you, Mrs Victoria,” Sophia whispered into the phone, her voice breaking. “Please, pick up.”
Inside the hospital room, Rylee stirred weakly, her consciousness flickering like a fragile candle in the wind. Every six hours, her eyes would flutter open, just enough to meet Sophia’s worried gaze before exhaustion pulled her back into unconsciousness.
The only constant in her fleeting moments of awareness was Sophia, who sat beside her, offering soft words of encouragement, wiping her tears, and promising that she wasn’t alone.
“It’s okay, Rylee,” Sophia whispered, holding her hand tightly. “I’m here. You’re not alone.”
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At the university, Professor Julian Drake had just concluded his lecture. He scanned the classroom, noting the empty seat near the back.
Rylee wasn’t there.
After dismissing the class, Julian approached Carla near the lockers. “Carla,” he called out, his tone concerned. “Where’s Rylee? She missed class.”
Carla, in the middle of an argument, barely glanced at him. “Not my problem,” she snapped before storming off toward Trisha.
Seconds later, Julian saw her throw a punch, escalating the chaos in the hallway.
Frustrated, Julian decided to let it go. But as he turned to leave, a group of female students surrounded him.
“Professor Drake, these are for you!”
“Do you have plans tonight?”
“I’d love to discuss my paper with you sometime!”
Julian sighed, trying to maintain professionalism as he navigated through the sea of attention.
“Ladies, please,” he said firmly. “Focus on your studies.”
Just as he began to feel overwhelmed, his best friend, Professor Tommy Brooks, appeared with a grin.
“Alright, move along, everyone,” Tommy said, ushering the students away. “The man’s a professor, not a celebrity.”
🫢😎🫢😎🫢😎🫢😎
The two friends headed to a sophisticated restaurant downtown, its elegant décor offering a brief escape from campus life.
Tommy smirked, leaning back in his chair. “Let me guess. Another swarm of admirers this morning?”
Julian rolled his eyes, running a hand through his hair. “If I get one more ‘thoughtful gift’ or invitation to coffee, I might lose it.”
“They just can’t resist the brooding professor vibe.” Tommy chuckled, sipping his wine.
“I’m really tired.” Julian smiled.
“Man, they really don’t leave you alone, do they?” Tommy teased as they settled into a booth.
Julian smirked, though his thoughts were elsewhere. “It’s exhausting. And Rylee… she wasn’t in class today.”
“Maybe she’s sick,” Tommy suggested, raising a brow. “Or skipping. You know how students are.”
“Rylee’s not like that,” Julian replied, his concern evident. “Something feels off. Besides last four days, when she fainted the doctor said it was exhausted and low blood sugar but she was supposed to be out by now.”
Tommy shrugged, trying to lighten the mood. “Well, while we’re here, let’s talk about something other than students. How about the mess in the education sector? Or the latest political drama?”
Julian leaned back in his chair, allowing himself to be momentarily distracted. The two professors delved into a lively discussion, touching on topics from the state of American politics to advancements in technology and the evolving world.
“You know,” Tommy said, gesturing with his fork, “sometimes it feels like we’re teaching in a completely different era than the one we grew up in.”
“Tell me about it,” Julian replied, swirling his drink. “The speed at which things change… It’s overwhelming.”
As their conversation continued, Julian’s attention was drawn to the restaurant’s entrance. His breath caught as he saw Victoria walking out of the restaurant , her figure poised and elegant.
She was as beautiful as ever, her dark hair framing her face perfectly. Her eyes scanned the restaurant briefly before locking onto Julian. For a moment, neither of them moved.
Victoria’s expression was unreadable—cold, distant, and yet, tinged with something unspoken.
“Julian,” Tommy said, snapping him out of his trance. “Who’s that?”
“No one,” Julian muttered, though his heart raced.
“Mhmmm” Tommy teased “That was Victoria right? I don’t even want her to see me right now”
Victoria lingered for a second longer, then turned and disappeared into the bustling street outside.
Julian’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps. He turned to see Sophia approaching their table, Her face was pale, her eyes rimmed with exhaustion and tears and her movements frantic.
“Professor Julian,” she said, her voice trembling.
“Sophia?” Julian stood, his concern deepening. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Rylee,” Sophia said, tears streaming down her face. “Her condition’s gotten worse. The doctors… they said it’s bad. I’ve been trying to reach her mother, but I can’t get through. Please, you have to come now.”
“She has stomach cancer, please!!” Sophia said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Julian didn’t hesitate. “Let’s go.”
Tommy watched in silence as Julian grabbed his coat, threw some cash on the table and followed Sophia out of the restaurant, their urgency cutting through the elegant atmosphere.