Sebastian, who had already led his mother and Caroline inside, sprinted out of the house.
"What happened to her?" He asked frantically.
Olivia shook her head, in confusion, unable to speak.
Sebastian scooped Laurel up in his arms and ran to his car, with Olivia following closely behind him. Their home was a twenty-minute drive from a private medical facility.
Upon arrival, Laurel was immediately rushed into the ER. Olivia spoke to the doctors, describing what had happened to Laurel, emphasizing that the little girl had spent a few days with her grandmother.
Olivia was convinced that Priscilla had hurt Laurel and if the doctors could prove it, she would go to any length to make the woman pay. They waited for several hours until eventually, a middle-aged doctor approached them. "Mr and Mrs Gilbert?" He called.
Olivia and Sebastian exchanged an awkward glance. They resented each other, but were still bound by marriage.
"Correct." Sebastian answered. "How is Laurel?"
"She has regained consciousness, so you're allowed to see her." The doctor informed.
Olivia heaved a sigh of relief, then tried to walk past the doctor in a bid to see her daughter, but he stopped her.
"You might want to hold on." The doctor said. "The results of her blood tests just came in."
"Good." Olivia said, glad that the hospital acted quickly. "What did Priscilla do to my daughter?" She enquired.
"Nobody is responsible for your daughter's condition, Mrs Gilbert." The doctor replied. He inhaled deeply before disclosing what would certainly be the worst news the couple had ever heard.
"Laurel Gilbert has been diagnosed with Leukemia in it's fourth stage."
Olivia felt her heart stop. She could not believe what the doctor had just revealed. It had to be a fake diagnosis.
"Blood cancer?" Sebastian asked. "There has to be something wrong---"
"The diagnosis is accurate, Mr Gilbert." The doctor's tone was firm, but sympathetic. "I am afraid she only has a few weeks left to live---"
Olivia's breathing seized and her vision became blurry. Her knees felt weak and soon she could not even feel her feet.
"Olivia!"
The last thing she heard before falling to the floor, was Sebastian screaming her name.
Olivia opened her eyes the moment she felt someone kiss her forehead.
"Desmond." She called, surprised. He was standing beside the hospital bed Olivia lay in.
"How are you feeling?"
Olivia looked around the room in an attempt to recall what happened. She remembered fainting after hearing her daughter's diagnosis, but nothing more.
She sat up. "Why are you here?" She whispered. "Sebastian would---"
The doctor walked in. "Mrs Gilbert. You scared us for a minute with that faint." He said. "How are you feeling?"
"Better." Olivia replied quickly. "Where's my husband?"
"He left a few minutes after you collapsed." The doctor looked at Olivia pitifully. "It's been three hours."
Olivia did not feel disappointed, Sebastian had done worse things to her. After a few checkups by a nurse she was taken to the Emergency Department to see Laurel.
"What happened between you two at home? Why did he suddenly leave the hospital?" Desmond asked, while following Olivia closely.
Olivia let out a bitter chuckle. "Leaving his unconscious wife and dying daughter is exactly what I expect from Sebastian."
Desmond stopped in his tracks. "Dying daughter?" He asked, surprised.
Olivia inhaled. She was living her worst nightmare. "Laurel was diagnosed with stage four cancer."
Desmond was so shocked, he could not find the right words to say.
They walked into the room to see Laurel sitting up with a pillow against her back.
Olivia rushed to Laurel's side, embracing her gently. "How are you feeling sweetheart?"
"Much better." The little girl spoke against her mother's shoulders.
"Did your granny know you were sick?" Olivia asked.
"She didn't care." Laurel spoke sadly.
Olivia rubbed her daughter's back sympathetically, then started asking the nurses questions about Laurel's wellbeing.
The little girl looked at Desmond curiously, then tugged at her mother's sleeve. "Who is he, mummy?"
Olivia glanced at Desmond, wondering how to introduce him to her daughter. "He's my friend, his name is Desmond." She introduced.
Desmond grinned at the little girl. "Hello, Laurel. How do you do?"
Laurel returned the smile. "I'm okay."
Soon, Laurel was injected with medication which made her fall asleep. Olivia sat, watching her daughter in a drug-induced sleep while Desmond watched her.
"I'm very sorry." Desmond said to Olivia after the nurses left. He was sitting beside her on the couch in Laurel's hospital room. "I can't imagine how you're feeling, I don't have any children of my own."
"Why?" Olivia asked, staring into his eyes.
Desmond simply shrugged. "Well, I've never been married." He answered. "And I don't think I've ever been in love."
Olivia looked away from him. "How is that possible? You're close to thirty."
"Correct, I'm twenty nine and…" Desmond stopped speaking midsentence.
Olivia followed his gaze. He was staring at her bruised neck.
"Did he try to strangle you?" Desmond asked, shocked and furious.
"Desmond!" Olivia called as Desmond sprang up from his seat. She stood in front of him, stopping him from leaving the room. "Desmond stop!"
"I'm going to find Sebastian and I swear on everything holy, I will---"
Olivia did not let him complete his threats. "It doesn't matter!"
He looked at her, confused. "He could have killed you and you say it doesn't matter?!"
"Because I'm getting a divorce!" Olivia fired back.
Desmond was quiet for several seconds. He gazed at Olivia admiringly, then pulled her into a hug. "I am so proud of you."
After a while, Olivia pulled away. "Thank you."
She did not notice the tears rolling down her eyes until he cleaned them with his fingertips.
"Divorcing a billionaire will be difficult. You'll need a team of some of the most brilliant lawyers as well as a place to stay until the divorce is finalized." Desmond explained.
Olivia sighed. "I know."
"I have access to some of the best lawyers in the country and my house has fifteen bedrooms." Desmond suggested while holding Olivia's hands. "You and your daughter are welcome to stay for as long as you want and my legal team is all yours."
Olivia removed her hands from his, then took a step back. "Thank you for your generous offer, but I'm doing this on my own."
Desmond scoffed. "Quit being so stubborn! Sebastian is a billionaire, he will hire some of the best lawyers whom he knows you cannot afford."
Olivia stared at him with a firm expression. Her mind was made up. "It's getting late, Desmond. Go home."
"I'm not leaving until---"
Olivia interrupted. "I insist." Her stern tone left no room for argument.
Desmond scoffed. "I'm done trying to help you." He said, then walked out of the hospital room and slammed the door.
Olivia wanted to stop him from leaving, but how could she tell him that she was rejecting his help because she was already falling in love with him? Falling in love again was a risk she would never take.