Chapter 2 Bone marrow theft and being caught in the act

The smell of antiseptic in the Mount Sinai Hospital lobby made Calleigh's stomach churn. She gripped Lily's small hand tighter.

Lily walked slowly beside her. The four-year-old wore a thick, yellow knit beanie pulled down low to hide the patches where her hair had fallen out. Lily kept turning her head, her pale blue eyes scanning the crowds of people.

"Is Daddy coming from his meeting?" Lily asked, her voice small and raspy.

Calleigh forced her stiff lips into a smile. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Yes, sweetie. He's at a very important morning meeting on Wall Street. He said he'll try his best."

They walked past the reception desk and headed toward the hematology department.

Inside the doctor's office, the air felt too thin. Dr. Evans sat behind his desk, flipping through Lily's thick medical file. He wouldn't meet Calleigh's eyes. The muscles in his jaw were tight.

Calleigh's pulse hammered in her ears. "Dr. Evans? The registry called yesterday. They said there was a match."

The doctor closed the folder. He pressed his lips together and let out a heavy sigh. "Mrs. Graves. There was a match. But..."

"But what?" Calleigh leaned forward, her hands gripping the edge of his desk so hard her knuckles turned white.

"The marrow was reallocated," Dr. Evans said, his voice entirely too calm. "It's a matter of protocol, Mrs. Graves. The national registry's algorithm reprioritized based on a sudden critical case. It's automated... The other patient is already in pre-op prep."

The words felt like a physical blow to her chest. Calleigh couldn't breathe. Her lungs refused to expand. "Reallocated? You told me Lily was at the top of the list! She doesn't have time to wait for another match!"

"I'm deeply sorry," Dr. Evans muttered, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "It's out of my hands. The other patient is already in pre-op prep."

Calleigh's vision swam. "Please. Call them back. Tell them my daughter needs this to live."

Dr. Evans shook his head slowly. "It's out of my hands."

A small hand tugged at the hem of Calleigh's sweater. She looked down. Lily was staring up at her, her eyes wide and wet.

"Don't cry, Mommy," Lily whispered. "I'm not hurting today."

Calleigh dropped to her knees. She pulled Lily into her chest, burying her face in the soft wool of the yellow beanie. She squeezed her eyes shut, letting the hot tears soak into the fabric.

Ten minutes later, Calleigh walked out of the office. Her legs felt like lead. She held Lily's hand, letting the child guide her down the long, sterile corridor.

They turned the corner, entering the VIP ward wing. The hallway here was quiet, lined with thick carpets and mahogany doors.

As they walked past room 402, a sound stopped Calleigh dead in her tracks.

It was a low, deep laugh.

Calleigh's entire body went rigid. The blood rushed out of her head, leaving her dizzy. She slowly turned her head toward the partially open door.

Through the narrow crack, she saw the hospital bed. A little girl with dark hair sat propped up against the pillows.

Sitting on the edge of the bed was Hakeem.

He was holding a small pocket knife, carefully peeling the skin off an apple. His face was relaxed, a soft, genuine smile playing on his lips.

Standing right beside him was Erlinda. She was wearing a soft cashmere cardigan, her hand resting casually on the back of Hakeem's chair. She was looking down at his profile, her eyes filled with unmistakable devotion.

Hakeem sliced a piece of the apple and held it out.

"Thank you, Uncle Hakeem," Chloe said, taking the apple. She opened her arms. "Hug?"

Hakeem chuckled. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the little girl, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Erlinda shifted closer, her hip brushing against Hakeem's shoulder. He didn't pull away.

Calleigh's chest felt like it was being crushed in a vice. The air in her lungs turned to ice.

Lily stopped walking. She followed her mother's gaze through the crack in the door.

Lily's face lit up. "Daddy!" she yelled, her voice echoing loudly in the quiet VIP hallway.

The sound shattered the scene inside the room.

Hakeem's head snapped toward the door. The warm smile vanished from his face in a fraction of a second. His features hardened into a mask of pure ice.

Erlinda gasped softly, her hand flying up to rest against her collarbone. She took a quick step back, her eyes wide with manufactured innocence.

Hakeem stood up. He dropped the knife onto the tray and marched toward the door. He pulled it open, his massive frame blocking the view of the room.

He stepped out into the hallway and pulled the heavy door shut behind him with a solid click.

He looked down at Calleigh, his eyes dark and furious. "Why the hell are you stalking me?"