Chapter 5 - The Hospital Examination
At Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, warm fluorescent lights illuminated the quiet private room where Eleanor sat on an examination bed.
Dr. Robert Vance, a leading geriatric specialist, carefully checked her lungs with a stethoscope while monitoring her blood pressure.
Julian stood near the window overlooking the rainy skyline of New York City, his black shirt unbuttoned at the collar in deep exhaustion.
"Her body temperature dropped dangerously low from being soaked in cold water for twenty minutes, Julian," Dr. Vance reported gravely.
"If she had stayed outside another ten minutes in that freezing breeze, she would be facing severe hypothermia," the doctor added.
Julian gripped the edge of the window sill, his knuckles turning stark white as a wave of intense guilt washed over his chest.
He had spent six months blinded by Chloe’s charm, completely unaware of the subtle emotional torture she was inflicting on his widowed mother.
"I'm so sorry, Mom," Julian choked out, turning around to take Eleanor's wrinkled, cold hands into his own. "I brought that monster near you."
"Don't blame yourself, son," Eleanor murmured softly, her dark eyes glinting with a sharp, unyielding intelligence.
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"Chloe didn't just attack me because she's spoiled... she did it because she found out who I really am," Eleanor revealed softly.
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