Keep it Secret - COMPLETED

Chapter 24

The drive to the hospital is a blur. The rain pours heavily, making it difficult to see through the windshield. Inside the car, the tension is suffocating. Helen silently sobs in the passenger seat, her hand clutching her husband's arm. Elijiah sits in the back, staring out the window, lost in a haze of fear.

"We should never have let her leave. What if... what if we don't get to see her again?" Helen was sobbing.

Fernando grips the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white.

"Don't say that. We'll get there in time. She's going to be okay. She has to be."

Elijiah's heart is pounding in his chest. His mind races with thoughts of Stella-her laughter, her smile, the way she would light up a room. Now, all he can think about is the possibility of losing her... no. He shake his head.

"This is my fault. I shouldn't have let her go." He whispered

His aunt heared him and turns around, her tear-streaked face filled with sorrow.

"No, Eli. We're all to blame. We didn't listen to her... we let her down."

He nods, but the guilt still weighs heavily on him.

They arrive at the hospital, rushing through the emergency room doors. The cold, sterile air of the hospital hits them as they approach the front desk, desperate for news.

"We're here for our daughter, Stella Harper. She was brought in after a car accident." Fernando asked frantically.

The nurse checks her records and nods solemnly.

"She's in surgery right now. The doctors are doing everything they can. Please take a seat in the waiting area." The nurse calmy said.

Helen covers her mouth to stifle a sob, and Fernando gently pulls her into his arms, trying to hold it together. Elijiah paces back and forth, unable to sit still. The minutes feel like hours as they wait for any news.

Hours later, the sterile walls of the hospital echo with the sounds of beeping machines and hurried footsteps. Stella is out of the operating room but still unconscious, lying in a hospital bed, connected to a series of machines keeping her alive. The doctors have done everything they can to stabilize her, but her injuries are severe.

In the waiting room, Mr. and Mrs. Harper sit in stunned silence, their faces pale and tear-streaked. They had rushed to the hospital after receiving the call no parent ever wants to get.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the doctor walks into the waiting room, his expression grim.

Just then, a doctor approaches them, his expression serious.

"Can I talk to you two alone, Mr and Mrs. Harper?" The Doctor asked.

Helen looks up to Elijiah who was about to complaint.

Helen gives him a pleading look and he nodded and leave the room for a while giving them a privacy.

Helen's heart races, fearing the worst. They follow the doctor into a private room, their anxiety palpable.

Doctor said "I need to speak with you about Stella's condition. Mr. and Mrs. Harper, there's something you need to know. During the examination, we discovered that Stella is... pregnant."

The words hit them like a freight train. They exchange horrified, confused looks. Pregnant? With Elijiah's child?

Helen whispered, her voice trembling "Oh my God... she's carrying his baby..."

Fernando covers his face with his hands, overwhelmed by the reality of the situation. His daughter is not only fighting for her life, but now they know she's pregnant. The child growing inside her is a product of the forbidden love they tried to prevent.