Contracted To You-Chapter 59: Emergency

"I got this little something for you." Maren, Ezra’s mother, handed Noah a not-so-little gift. The boy instantly lit up with excitement at its size.

Wrapping his arms tightly around the gift, he exclaimed, "Thank you, Grandma! You’re the best grandma!"

Maren placed a hand on her heart, touched by the boy’s sweetness.

Dawn’s mother interjected, "Noah, you said I was the best grandma before. Have you changed your mind?" Her voice was playfully wounded, and Noah looked up, momentarily speechless.

Feigning tears, Dawn’s mother raised her hand to her eyes.

"I have two best grandmas! You’re also the best!" Noah quickly responded, hoping to cheer her up. It worked, as she broke into a chuckle, and the rest of the family joined in, delighted by the sweet exchange.

Noah truly was an incredible child.

The dinner flowed seamlessly. It was lovely and filled with conversation as both families enjoyed their time together, though Ezra seemed indifferent to the lively atmosphere around him.

After dinner, as they moved on to dessert, the conversations split into small groups—Ezra’s dad and Dawn’s father chatted together, while Ezra’s mother and Dawn’s mother discussed their own topics. Meanwhile, Noah unwrapped his gifts, and he was captivated by an airplane that Ezra’s mother had given him. It was large and beautifully designed, immediately seizing his interest.

Dawn, on the other hand, was busy taking pictures. Ignoring Ezra’s command not to post anything, she could justify her actions.

Dawn thought that today’s celebration was important and deserved to be shared. A smile spread across her face.

"One step away from being Mrs. Thorne," she boldly captioned her post, including a family picture.

Almost instantly, comments flooded in as if people had been eagerly waiting for this.

"Are they really getting married?"

"This is a dream come true! I’ve been waiting for this day."

"I’m sure Dawn is the luckiest woman on earth right now, marrying Ezra Thorne!"

"Ezra is just as lucky to have Dawn and Noah. What a beautiful family they’ll make!"

"Dawn must be overjoyed. You deserve this happiness; I can’t wait for your wedding!"

Dawn smirked at the avalanche of positive comments; her plan was unfolding perfectly, and each sweet comment elevated her spirits.

"You look unusually happy," Ezra remarked, approaching her on the balcony with a glass of wine in hand.

"Miss me, huh? That’s why you came looking for me?" Dawn teased, her eyes sparkling as she turned to him.

Ezra raised an eyebrow in response. How could she be this bold to think he missed her when that wasn’t why he was here at all.

"I made it clear not to share anything about my life online, especially when the future is uncertain," he stated, his tone icy.

Dawn merely smirked, rolling her eyes, crossing her arms defiantly.

"Ezra, can’t you see? Our families support our marriage. So, you need to accept it—fast," she replied, her voice dripping with mockery and amusement.

Everything would go according to her design; she wouldn’t let anything derail her plans.

Ezra glared.

Dawn shifted her gaze up and down, an amused smile playing on her lips. He was so cute. Here he was, resisting.

But it was futile; she was here to stay.

Returning her focus to her phone to bask in the glow of her online approval, her expression shifted as confusion clouded her face.

What was happening?

Where was her post? Dawn eyes her phone with furrowed brows.

Where was the photo of her and Ezra, and all those lovely comments?

Her heart sank as the page showed it hadn’t been posted; how could that be?

"Is it clicking now?" Ezra’s voice came from behind, taking a sip of his wine.

Dawn clenched her phone and spun to confront him, glaring fiercely. "Did you take down my post?" she demanded.

Ezra simply smirked in response.

Dawn closed the distance between them, crossing her arms. "Why did you take it down?" she asked, and as realization dawned on her, a scoff escaped her lips.

"Is this about Evie? Are you still hung up on her? Is that why you took down the post—to protect her fragile heart from breaking? To prevent any misunderstandings?" Dawn demanded, her voice rising with intensity.

She loathed Evie. What was it that this brat did to win over Ezra so completely?

When she was with him, he never demonstrated this level of concern; he barely showed any at all.

So why was he so infatuated with Evie? What spell did she cast over him?

She wasn’t even half as beautiful as Dawn; yet here she was, pulling at Ezra’s heartstrings and drawing out his affection.

Evie lacked the influence, the wealth that Dawn had, and she wasn’t part of the elite circle. She was merely a failed relationship coach, and still, Ezra had feelings for her? It baffled Dawn.

No, this wasn’t Ezra. Someone like him wouldn’t be involved with someone like Evie.

Evie had to have manipulated him in some way. Dawn had always known she was a witch!

Her tone softened, her eyes misty as she confronted Ezra. "That day I saw you kissing her, it’s clear you don’t care about your family as much as you do about your ’mistress,’ right?" she challenged.

Ezra met her gaze with a blank stare, unaffected by her tears.

If he didn’t know better, he might have thought Dawn was sincere, but he was no fool; she was nothing but a liar and a pretender.

"This isn’t about Evie," Ezra stated calmly, determined to unsettle her. She blinked at him, confused.

"This is about you. I warned you not to assume anything—especially not to take on the role of my wife."

He moved closer, fixing his intense gaze on her. "Do you have any idea why I’m doing this?" he asked, his voice tightening. "It’s to spare you from disappointment later on."

A woman like her, who had only come to disrupt his life, separating him from Evie—how could she seek happiness?

What did she expect to find? He rolled his eyes at the thought, infuriated.

Meanwhile, Noah was on the staircase, reaching for something stuck in the air.

His toy airplane.

The boy strained to grab it. "Just a little bit farther," Noah focused, stretching out his hand.

No one noticed him. The grandparents were preoccupied with each other, and everyone else was too absorbed in their tasks to pay attention.

Suddenly, Noah’s leg twisted, and he screamed as he plummeted from the stairs. He tumbled violently, rolling down until he collapsed at the bottom.

Dawn heard his scream.

Her gaze whipped to the side, seeing her son fall, her eyes widening in shock. Was that Noah?

"Noahhhh!!!" she screamed, her voice piercing the air.

Ezra turned and sprang into action, racing to save the little boy—but it was already too late.

The grandparents, both sets of parents, and the staff rushed to the scene, gathering anxiously.

Ezra reached Noah’s side, cradling him and shaking him gently. "Noah? Noah?" he called, but the boy lay unresponsive. His heart had stopped.

Ezra’s eyes met Dawn’s, and the terror in her expression was unmistakable as tears pooled in her eyes. "He’s not responding," Ezra said, shocked.

They had to rush Noah to the nearest hospital.

Ezra took control, driving at breakneck speed through the traffic, disregarding the blinding lights of oncoming cars.

In the back seat, Dawn held Noah, wailing uncontrollably. This time, her tears weren’t fake; they were raw with despair.

How could she not cry? Her son had fallen, and she had no idea what was happening to him.

"Please, baby... open your eyes. Mommy’s here," she pleaded, gripping his small hand, but his still, battered face stared back at her.

His eyelids were closed, his face and body marred with cuts and bleeding from the fall.

"This is all my fault. I should never have given him that toy," Ezra’s mother lamented, blaming herself for giving Noah the very toy that led to his accident.

They soon realized it had been the toy that Noah had wanted, and it was this desire that had caused his fall and injury.

"You shouldn’t say that," Dawn’s mother addressed her.

"You didn’t anticipate this outcome," she added, placing a reassuring hand on Ezra’s mother’s shoulder as the woman wailed and blamed herself for the situation.

"It wasn’t your fault," Dawn’s mother insisted, continuing to comfort her. "And Noah will be fine," she asserted confidently as they arrived at the nearest hospital.

Ezra slammed his car door shut and rushed to the back seat, swiftly lifting Noah into his arms. Dawn emerged from the car as well, her cries as she followed quickly behind him.

"Emergency! My son’s life is in danger!" she called out, her voice cutting through the chaos.

A stretcher was quickly brought, equipped with the necessary equipment to help Noah breathe. The medical team laid him down and began to move him toward the treatment area, with Dawn determinedly trailing behind.

"Madam, you cannot follow us into the ward," the nurses stated firmly, but Dawn was resolute.

"I need to be with him!" she insisted.

"Madam, please," one nurse begged, trying to reason with her.

Ezra stepped in, holding Dawn back to ensure Noah received the care he desperately needed.

He gripped her arm as she cried, and she instinctively turned to him, seeking solace in an embrace.

Ezra stiffened as she wrapped her arms around him, but in that moment, he didn’t push her away from him, just because of the situation they were in. But he kept his eyes focused on Noah being taken into the ward.

Doctors were ready and poised to save Noah.

Ezra couldn’t help but hope for the little boy’s recovery, regardless of whether it was his child or not.