The Bride Widow
Chapter 137: Ch 137: Asking for help Part 2

Chapter 137: Ch 137: Asking for help Part 2

Daniel’s frustration reached a boiling point as he sat in his office, staring at his phone. He couldn’t believe he was being stonewalled by someone he used to share his life with. He was a powerful man, used to getting what he wanted when he wanted it, and now he felt helpless.

With no direct way to contact Anabella, Daniel decided to cross a line he once thought he’d never need to. If she wouldn’t come to him, he’d find her himself.

He picked up his desk phone and dialed his IT department. "I need a trace run on an old phone number," he said, his voice sharp and businesslike.

The IT head on the other end hesitated. "Sir, is this a legal inquiry?"

Daniel rolled his eyes. "It’s a personal matter. Just check the records. I need to find where this person is."

The man stammered but complied, knowing better than to question Daniel directly. After a few minutes, he responded, "Sir, the phone number registered to that name has been deactivated for some time now."

Daniel clenched his fists, barely suppressing his irritation. "What about a new number? Did she set one up?"

"Yes, sir. A new number is active under her name, but... tracking it would require special permissions—"

"Just do it," Daniel interrupted. He didn’t have time for bureaucratic red tape. "Find her."

There was a pause on the other end, a moment of hesitation that Daniel recognized as moral conflict. "Sir, I’ll see what I can do," the IT head finally said.

"Good," Daniel snapped before ending the call.

A few hours later, Daniel’s phone buzzed with a text. It was from IT: Location identified. She’s at a hospital.

Daniel’s stomach tightened at the revelation. A hospital? Why the hell was she there?

For a moment, concern warred with frustration in his mind. He had wanted to find her to demand her help, but the idea of Anabella being in a hospital unsettled him.

He called IT again. "What hospital?"

The response was immediate. "We traced her to St. Mary’s Medical Center."

"Good work," Daniel said curtly before hanging up. He grabbed his coat, already making plans to drive there.

As he navigated the busy streets toward the hospital, his mind raced with questions. Why hadn’t she told anyone she was in the hospital? Was it something serious? Part of him wanted to brush it off as her being dramatic, but another part—the part he rarely acknowledged—felt a twinge of guilt.

Daniel didn’t bother stopping at the reception desk when he arrived. He was too impatient for bureaucracy. Instead, he cornered the first nurse he saw. "I need to know where Anabella—" he glanced at his phone for the full name, "—Anabella Thompson is."

The nurse looked startled. "I’m sorry, sir. We can’t disclose patient information."

Daniel inhaled sharply, trying to keep his temper in check. "Listen, I’m her... family. She’s my—" he hesitated before settling on, "—former partner. I just need to check on her."

The nurse frowned but didn’t budge. "Hospital policy, sir."

Daniel was about to argue when a familiar voice interrupted him.

"Mr. Ross?"

He turned to see a doctor in a white coat approaching. The name tag read Dr. Simmons.

"Yes," Daniel said briskly.

"I overheard. I can’t give you specifics, but if you’re here for Ms. Thompson, I suggest you speak to her directly."

Daniel exhaled, barely managing to mask his annoyance. "Fine. Just tell me where she is."

Dr. Simmons hesitated but finally pointed him toward the waiting room near Anabella’s ward.

As Daniel walked down the sterile hallway, his chest tightened. He hadn’t seen Anabella in months, and the thought of her being unwell gnawed at him. Still, he pushed the feeling aside, focusing instead on his need for answers.

When he reached the waiting room, he paused outside the door, his hand on the knob. For a fleeting moment, he wondered if he was crossing a line by coming here uninvited.

But that moment passed as quickly as it came. Daniel turned the knob and stepped inside.

______

Anabella’s eyes widened as the door to her hospital room creaked open, revealing the one face she least expected—or wanted—to see.

Daniel Ross stood in the doorway, his sharp suit looking out of place in the sterile, clinical setting. His expression was unreadable, a mix of determination and something that resembled guilt, though she doubted it could be genuine.

"Daniel," she said flatly, her voice devoid of warmth. "What are you doing here?"

Daniel stepped inside, closing the door behind him as if to block any chance of escape. "I needed to see you," he said simply, his tone firm yet subdued. "We need to talk."

Anabella shook her head, her heart sinking at the sight of him. Just when she thought she’d finally found some semblance of peace, he had to show up and remind her of everything she was trying to leave behind. "I don’t want to see you," she said, her voice steady but laced with tension. "You shouldn’t be here. Please leave."

Daniel’s jaw tightened, and he moved closer to the side of her bed. "I’m not leaving until we talk. I need your help, Anabella."

"My help?" she repeated, her voice rising slightly in disbelief. "After everything, you think I owe you that?" Her hands clenched the thin hospital blanket covering her lap, a physical effort to keep herself grounded.

"This isn’t about owing anyone," Daniel said, his tone edging toward frustration. "I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important."

Anabella laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "Important? What could possibly be so important that you’d come crawling back here after abandoning me like I was nothing?"

Daniel’s face flickered with something—regret, perhaps—but he masked it quickly. "I didn’t come here to argue," he said. "I came here because I need your connections. You’re the only one who can help me right now."

Anabella stared at him, her disbelief morphing into anger. "You’re unbelievable," she muttered. "Do you even hear yourself? You come here, uninvited, to my hospital room, after ignoring me and treating me like an afterthought, just to ask for favors? Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds?"

Daniel bristled but didn’t back down. "This isn’t just about me," he said. "It’s about my company. My future. If you ever cared about me, even a little, you’d understand why I need to fix this."

Anabella’s eyes blazed. "If I ever cared about you?" she repeated incredulously. "Do you hear yourself? You don’t get to play the victim here, Daniel. You don’t get to pretend that I’m the one who has to fix the mess you made."

Daniel stepped closer, his tone softening but his resolve unshaken. "Anabella, please. I know I’ve made mistakes. I know I hurt you. But this—this is my livelihood we’re talking about. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t absolutely necessary."

Her voice broke slightly as she spoke, though her gaze remained fierce. "You have no right to ask me for anything, Daniel. Not after everything you’ve done."

Daniel remained silent for a moment, his gaze locked on hers. For the first time, he looked unsure of himself, his usual confidence wavering. "I don’t know where else to turn," he admitted finally, his voice quiet but strained.

Anabella’s heart twisted at his words, but she refused to let herself soften. She had spent too long rebuilding the pieces of her life he had shattered to let him tear her down again. "That’s not my problem," she said firmly. "And it never will be."

Daniel’s shoulders sagged slightly, but his eyes still burned with determination. "I’m not leaving," he said. "Not until you at least hear me out."

Anabella turned her head away, unwilling to let him see the flicker of vulnerability she felt. "Suit yourself," she said coldly. "But don’t expect me to listen."