Hearts in chaos: Hearts Entwined book 4

31

As Mia stood in the kitchen, her body still weak from the fever and flu she had been battling, she felt a sudden wave of dizziness wash over her. Her grip on the countertop tightened as her vision blurred, but it wasn’t enough. Within moments, her knees gave way, and she collapsed to the floor with a faint thump.

The sound wasn’t loud, but it was enough to alert Jin, who was sitting in the living room with Jiwoon. His head snapped up, his heart instantly racing with panic. “Mia?” he called out, but there was no response.

Jiwoon, sensing his father’s alarm, looked up with wide eyes. “Daddy? What happened?”

Without a second thought, Jin sprang from his seat and rushed into the kitchen. What he saw made his heart drop—Mia, lying on the floor, motionless. His breath caught in his throat, and for a split second, his mind went blank with fear.

“Mia!” he shouted, dropping to his knees beside her. He gently shook her, but her eyes remained closed, her face pale and her breathing shallow. “No, no, no,” he muttered under his breath, his hands trembling as he fumbled to check her pulse. It was weak, but it was there, and that gave him a small sliver of relief.

“Daddy, what’s wrong with Mia?” Jiwoon’s small voice was full of fear as he stood in the doorway, clutching his stuffed animal.

Jin didn’t want to scare his son, but there was no time to explain. “Jiwoon, stay here, okay? I’m going to take Mia to the hospital.”

Without wasting another second, Jin carefully scooped Mia into his arms, her limp body feeling unnervingly light. He grabbed his car keys from the counter, his mind racing with a million thoughts, all of them focused on one thing: getting Mia the help she needed.

He rushed out to the car, carefully placing her in the passenger seat and fastening her seatbelt before running back to Jiwoon, who was still standing in the kitchen, his eyes wide with confusion and fear. “Daddy, is Mia going to be okay?” he asked, his voice trembling.

Jin knelt down, trying to stay calm for his son’s sake. “Mia’s just really sick, but I’m going to take her to the hospital, okay? I need you to be brave for me.”

Jiwoon nodded, his lower lip quivering, but he stayed strong. Jin grabbed his hand and led him to the car, placing him in the backseat and buckling him in. Once both of them were secured, Jin got behind the wheel, his hands shaking as he started the car and sped towards the hospital.

The drive felt like an eternity, even though it was only a few minutes. Jin kept glancing at Mia, his heart pounding with fear as she remained unconscious beside him. He couldn’t stop the guilt from creeping in—he had pushed her too hard. She hadn’t fully recovered, and he should have insisted she rest more. Now, seeing her like this, he realized just how much he had taken her presence for granted.

They arrived at the hospital in record time, and Jin wasted no time getting out of the car. He rushed inside, carrying Mia in his arms while Jiwoon followed closely behind. The hospital staff acted quickly when they saw her condition, immediately bringing a stretcher and wheeling her away to the emergency room.

Jin stood in the waiting area, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps as he watched the doctors disappear down the hallway with Mia. Jiwoon clung to his leg, his small hand gripping tightly as he looked up at his father, his eyes filled with worry.

“Is Mia going to be okay, Daddy?” Jiwoon asked again, his voice small and scared.

Jin knelt down, pulling Jiwoon into his arms. He wanted to reassure him, but the truth was, he didn’t know. “She’s going to get the best care, Jiwoon. The doctors will help her, okay?” He tried to sound confident, but his voice wavered with the fear that had been gripping his heart since the moment Mia collapsed.

They sat in the waiting room, the minutes dragging on like hours. Every time a doctor or nurse walked by, Jin’s heart skipped a beat, hoping they would come with news. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, a doctor approached them.

“Are you Mia’s family?” the doctor asked, looking at Jin and Jiwoon.

Jin nodded, not bothering to correct the assumption. “Yes, I’m Jin, and this is Jiwoon,” he said quickly, his voice filled with urgency. “How is she?”

The doctor’s expression was calm but serious. “Mia was severely dehydrated and has been battling a strong flu virus. Her body is weak from the fever, and she hasn’t had enough fluids, which is why she collapsed. We’ve admitted her and started her on IV fluids to help rehydrate her and bring down the fever.”

Jin exhaled, feeling a wave of relief wash over him, but it was tinged with guilt. He should have been more careful. He should have made sure she was resting and not trying to do too much. “Will she be okay?” he asked, his voice still shaky.

The doctor nodded reassuringly. “She’s going to be fine. She just needs rest and time to recover. It’s a good thing you brought her in when you did.”

Jin nodded, grateful but still feeling the weight of his own carelessness. “Can we see her?”

The doctor smiled kindly. “She’s resting now, but you can see her. She’s in room 304.”

Jin thanked the doctor and led Jiwoon down the hall to Mia’s room. As they entered, he saw her lying in the hospital bed, her face still pale but her breathing steady. The IV was hooked up to her arm, slowly replenishing her fluids.

Jiwoon let go of Jin’s hand and ran to Mia’s bedside, carefully climbing up on the chair beside her. “Mia?” he whispered softly, his little face full of concern.

Mia’s eyes fluttered open, and she smiled weakly when she saw Jiwoon beside her. “Hey, buddy,” she whispered, her voice still faint but full of warmth.

Jiwoon’s eyes filled with tears. “You scared me,” he said, his voice trembling. “Don’t be sick anymore.”

Mia reached out and gently ruffled his hair. “I’m sorry I scared you. I’m going to be okay now.”

Jin stood by the doorway, his heart swelling with emotion as he watched the exchange. He couldn’t deny how much Mia had come to mean to both him and Jiwoon. Seeing them together, the way she cared for his son, it made him realize just how much he didn’t want to lose her—not just as Jiwoon’s nanny, but as something more.

He stepped closer to the bed, his voice soft as he spoke. “Mia, I’m so sorry. I should have made sure you were resting more. This is my fault.”

Mia shook her head slightly, her tired eyes meeting his. “It’s not your fault, Jin. I pushed myself too hard.”

Jin frowned, guilt still gnawing at him, but Mia’s smile was reassuring. “I’m going to be okay,” she repeated, her gaze steady. “You don’t have to worry.”

But he couldn’t stop worrying. The fear of losing her, even for a moment, had shaken him more than he’d realized. As he looked at her lying there, weak but still strong in her own way, he knew he couldn’t keep pushing away the growing feelings he had for her.

Jiwoon stayed by Mia’s side for the rest of the evening, refusing to leave until he was too tired to keep his eyes open. Jin eventually carried him out, promising they would come back to visit Mia in the morning.

As he left the hospital that night, Jin’s mind was racing. He had been through so much in the past few months—Mina’s betrayal, raising Jiwoon on his own, trying to keep everything together. But now, with Mia in their lives, things had started to feel right again. And as much as he had tried to deny it, there was no escaping the truth anymore.

Mia wasn’t just Jiwoon’s nanny. She was becoming someone far more important to both of them.

And Jin wasn’t sure what to do about it.