David's Pov

"I can't believe you're doing this to me again." Dawn pouted, watching me crossed-armed as I knotted my tie in front of her mirror.

"We've talked about this baby." I reminded, smoothening the silky silver band over my black-sleeved shirt. "It can't help it if a client needs me at the office urgently."

Lies.

More lies. They just kept adding up and it sickened me to the stomach that I had to do this but it couldn't be helped. I was already knee-deep in it.

"I know but it still sucks." She sighed and got up from the bed to come to me. "I was hoping to spend some quality time with you today."

I turned from the mirror to look at her. Her ponytail was messy. Loose curls slipped over her sleepy face. "When I get back, you'll have me all to yourself, I promise."

She sucked in a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. "Not like I have a choice."

"Don't be that way, my love." My lips quirked up in a soft smile as I caressed her cheeks with my knuckles. "I'll be back early, I promise."

Much to my surprise, she placed her hand on the back of my neck and drew me so close that her breasts were against my chest, and I could feel the stiff points under the silk material begging to be spoiled with kisses.

"I'll trust you this time." Her words were accompanied by an unanticipated kiss on the lips.

The need for more overtook my senses immediately. I merged my tongue with hers, taking every essence of her. I gave myself a second and let my hands roam over her body, recognizing every soft curve hidden under the black thigh-high silk nightdress she wore.

When she moaned into my mouth, my cock strained against my pants. I knew if this continued, I was not going to make it out of that door but I needed to because the results were coming in today and so was my stepmother.

"Dawn," I managed, but she was needy and relentless and those damn tits just kept teasing.

"Please stay, David." She begged, not bothering to conceal the lust in her voice. "I need you right now." One of her hands slid towards the front of my pants and ran firmly over my arousal. "I know you want this too."

Fuck, I did. There was nothing I wanted to do more at this moment than taste her wetness and spend my time playing with her body until she was so ready for me.

But I couldn't.

I just fucking couldn't.

I groaned, pulling her hand away from my crotch. "I'm sorry, baby," I knew I was going to hate myself for doing this. "I can't."

Hurt shimmered all over her eyes. "It's fine, I understand." She gave me a soft smile but the sadness behind those blue orbs was palpable. "I'll see you later."

"Dawn—"

"No, it's fine honestly." She cut me, walking back to sit on the bed. "Just...go."

"I'll make it up to you, I promise." I picked up my keys and headed towards the door. I didn't want to spend another minute in the room because I knew I would falter. "I love you," I told her when I opened the door to step out.

"I love you too." Her reply was desolate and somewhat void. She was mad at me. I knew. But it couldn't be helped.

***

The VIP floor had nurses and doctors running around. When doctor Anthony came up to me, he didn't have his usual demeanor and I'd experienced enough to know that it meant nothing good.

"How is Alex?" I asked him specifically with raw panic in my voice.

"Mr. Argent." He took in a deep breath and stared at me for a moment before speaking.  "There has been changes in your son's calcium and sodium levels."

I furrowed my brows. "What does—what the hell does that mean?"

He took off his glasses and expelled a sigh. "Mr. Argent, It caused a life-threatening seizure."

My stomach cramped. "I don't understand, he was perfectly fine yesterday."

"The thing about cancer is that it's never predictable. The good news is it didn't invade the linings of his brain and we were able to perform a quick spinal tap to stabilize his condition, but there is an 80% chance that it will occur again."

"Isn't there anything you can do?" What about the test results? Is it out yet?"

"I'm afraid, it's not. There's been a little delay in the laboratory. We might need to begin treatment without it. If this seizure should reoccur, it might lead to permanent neurological disorders."

Fuck. "Do whatever you have to do." I urged. "I'll settle the bills."

"As long as your son keeps fighting, we will do everything within our power to see that he makes it out of this."

"Thank you very much. Can I see him now?"

He nodded. "Yes you can but we had to put him on Diazepam injections for his brain to regain its muscle function so he might most likely be asleep."

"Thank you once again."

"I'm glad I could be of help. See you around Mr. Argent," With that, he walked away, giving me a moment to release the shaky breath I held.

It felt as though everything got fucked up by the day. 

Once I regained my composure, I walked into the room and met Alex indeed asleep with Stella kneeling by his side.

She got up on her feet when she saw me and wiped the tears that had stained her eyes. "What did the doctor say? They've decided to keep me in the dark and I'm freaking out."

I nodded my head towards the door, silently urging her to step outside.

When the door closed behind us, she asked again. "David, please be honest with me, what did the doctors tell you."

"Nothing important. He'll be fine, Stella. You on the other hand need to go home and rest." Or take a shower because she smelt so much like disinfectant.

"How can I?" Her creole eyes were red and filled to the brim with tears. "I can't leave him here."

I placed a hand on her shoulder. "If you don't, you'll end up in no better state than he is."

"I don't mind. I don't mind switching positions with him. He's all I have David. I don't know... I don't know what I'll do if he—" her shoulder racked with gut wrenching sobs that made my heart bleed. She wiped her eyes but the tears returned.

"I understand how you feel." I brought her into my chest for a hug and she melted into my arms immediately.

"It's killing me, David," she choked out, soaking my shirt. "I thought he was going to die." She clutched me hard. "He was shaking and thrashing around and I got so scared. I...I..." Her words reduced to sobs and stutters.

"It's okay. Everything's going to be fine." I encouraged, stroking her hair gently as I tried to stay composed myself.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't affected by all this myself.

I held her as tight as I could for a few more minutes and after her crying subsided, she pulled her head away from my partially drenched shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed between words. "I'm usually not like this."

"It's fine." I reached for my pocket and handed her my handkerchief. "I don't mind."

"I do."

The familiarity of the voice that echoed from behind made me turn and my gut froze in place when I saw Paula standing by the doorway with her arms folded like she'd been watching us for some time.

"I bet Dawn would too." She continued, releasing her arms and digging them into her lab coat as she took a few steps closer and studied us with an assessing air.

"David, who is she?" Stella asked, breaking the awkward silence that lingered in the air. I turned to her with a forced smile. "It's my sister-in-law. Go back in. I'll handle this and join you."

Her brows creased worriedly. She looked at Paula one more time and looked at me before nodding and once she was inside the room, I turned to finally face the one and only thorn in my flesh.

"I didn't know you worked here now."

"I don't." She answered stiffly. "One of my patients got transferred here and I was paying a visit. Fancy meeting you here. Shouldn't you, I don't know, be with your wife instead of mooning in another woman's arm?"

There it was.

"She's just a friend, Paula," I explained as simply as I could but the snarky look she gave me told me she didn't believe me.

"I wager Dawn doesn't even know you're here?"

My silence made her sigh.

"Thought as much," she stepped forward, getting uncomfortably close to my face. "I don't like you, David, but I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt because Dawn is madly in love with you and frankly, I don't get what she sees in you but get this." Her perfectly groomed nail tips poked my chest. "If you ever make her cry or hurt her in any way, I will bleed you out and use your dead body as a cadaver for my students."

The dark look in her eyes made sure to leave a print. I swallowed. "I will never hurt Dawn."

"Something we can both agree on." She pulled back and gave me one last glower. "Have a nice day, Mr. Argent." With the gracefulness of a lioness, she turned around and walked away without a backward glance.