The Contract Bride of Mr. Reid-Chapter 95: The shadowy figure

The light above the operating room finally turned off. Bella, who had been waiting restlessly for what felt like an eternity, shot to her feet, her anxiety morphing into raw impatience.

His hand resting gently on her shoulder, Theodore offered a strained smile. "Relax, Bella. Everything will be fine."

Bella couldn’t relax. Her fingers danced a nervous jig, and her legs trembled beneath her. "I hope so," she mumbled, "but I just can’t wait any longer."

"Bella." Theodore turned to her toward him. "The best doctor is performing the surgery. Have faith in him."

She nodded, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Every tick of the clock felt like a hammer blow to her chest.

Finally, after an age that stretched into infinity, the door to the operating room swung open. A tall figure in blue scrubs emerged, his face etched with fatigue but his eyes holding a spark of hope.

Bella and Theodore surged forward in a wave of shared anxiety. The doctor, sensing their desperation, offered a reassuring smile.

"The surgery went well," he announced his words soothing balm to Bella’s frayed nerves. Relief washed over her, warm and welcome.

"We’ll keep the patient in ICU for the next forty-eight hours for observation. This is crucial, as we need to see if the transplant is rejected."

"Rejection?" Bella’s voice cracked, her worry laced with a flicker of newfound fear.

The doctor nodded. "It’s when the body recognizes the new organ as foreign and tries to fight it off. But don’t worry, we’ll be monitoring her closely. Stay positive." With that, he turned and disappeared back into the sterile labyrinth of the hospital.

Bella felt a mixture of relief and lingering anxiety. Theodore wrapped an arm around her, drawing her close. "See, everything is going to be okay," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

Bella leaned into him, her heart still heavy with worry. What if something went wrong?

Sensing she was still worried, Theodore called out, making her look at him. "Bella! She will be fine."

She met his gaze, a question lingering in her eyes. "But what if there are complications?"

"There won’t be," Theodore countered firmly. "Even if something unexpected arises, the doctors are there. They are the best, remember? And the most important thing – the surgery itself is a success."

Bella took a deep breath, willing the knot of tension in her stomach to loosen. He was right. Focusing on the

"You are right. We should hope for the best."

"Exactly. Now sit down and relax." With a gentle nudge, he guided her back to the chair. "You haven’t eaten anything since morning. Let me go grab you something to eat."

The exhaustion that had been masked by worry finally settled in. As Theodore disappeared down the hallway, Bella leaned back in the chair and took a deep breath, trying to center herself. Her gaze remained fixed on the double doors of the operating room, waiting for her mother to be pushed out.

Unbeknownst to her, a figure lurked in the shadows. He watched her intently, his face obscured by a hood pulled low. Just as he took a step toward her, he heard Bella’s phone buzzed. He stepped back, watching her.

Bella jumped slightly, startled from her anxious reverie, before pulling the phone out of her pocket. Bridget’s name flashed on the screen. With a trembling hand, she answered.

"Hello."

"How was the surgery?" Bridget asked, sounding worried.

"It went well."

"Thank goodness," Bridget sighed with relief. "I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there with you, dear. Joe is going on a sight inspection with his boss. As soon as he is out the door, I’ll be on my way."

"Don’t worry about it, Bridget," Bella assured her, forcing a lightness that didn’t quite reach her voice. "Theodore is here with me."

"Thank heavens for Theodore," Bridget said. "Tell him to stay with you until I get there, alright?"

"He will be," Bella asserted. Sunday was Theodore’s day off. "Take your time."

"Alright, dear. I’ll call you later."

The call ended.

Bella tucked the phone back into her pocket. The suspicious figure in the shadows remained motionless, his gaze still fixed on her.

Just then, the double doors of the operating room hissed open. Bella shot to her feet, her heart hammering against her ribs. A team of nurses emerged, carefully pushing her mother on a gurney. An oxygen mask obscured her face.

Bella surged forward, desperation fueling her steps. A firm hand landed on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. A young nurse, her face etched with concern, shook her head gently.

"Please, ma’am, step back. We’re taking her to the ICU. You can visit her later." The nurses efficiently moved the gurney away, leaving Bella rooted to the spot. Despite the protest in her throat, she could only watch as her mother disappeared down the hallway.

From the shadows, a figure emerged and moved towards her, his steps purposeful. But before he could take another step, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway.

The hooded man, who had been hiding there all the time, came out and approached her. But his steps halted yet again when he saw Theodore rushing over.

"Bella..."

The figure rushed back to his hiding place.

Bella flinched and turned to Theodore. "They are taking Mamma to the ICU."

Theodore squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Okay, come with me."

They followed the nurses, a grim procession through the sterile corridors. As they reached the intensive care unit, the door remained firmly shut.

A stern-faced nurse materialized in front of them. "You can’t enter this zone," she declared firmly. "Please wait in the waiting area. We’ll call you when the patient regains consciousness."

"But I just want to see her," Bella pleaded. "Only for a moment."

"Ma’am," the nurse pressed, "try to understand. The patient is still unconscious. We need to monitor her closely."

"But I’ll just see her from a distance," Bella insisted.

"Bella, Bella..." Theodore pulled her back. "Listen to her. They know what they’re doing. Let them do their job. They’ll take good care of your mom, hmm?"

Bella opened her mouth to protest, but Theodore cut her off. "Come," he said, guiding her towards a waiting area directly opposite the ICU. "Let’s grab something to eat first. I know how hungry you must be." He handed her a sandwich he had just brought. "I am starving."

He unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite. "Not bad. I didn’t expect the food to be good in the hospital canteen."

Bella reluctantly took the sandwich, her mind still on her mother. She took a bite of the sandwich, trying to calm herself. Theodore sat beside her, eating his own sandwich, oblivious to the fact that someone was watching them sneakily.

Theodore’s phone buzzed, shattering the quiet. He fetched his phone from his pocket and saw Tristan’s number. A frown creased his brow. Hadn’t he explicitly told Tristan he wouldn’t be disturbed today?

He answered the call reluctantly with a hint of annoyance. "What’s wrong?"

"We finally have a lead on the guy from the Moonlit Bar. It’s too sensitive to discuss over the phone. Can you... can you come down to the office right now? I’m waiting for you."