Right then, Robbie finally understood just how badly he''d messed up.


    If his parents really went through with the divorce, like Grandma hinted, it wouldn''t


    be long before he had a new stepmom. And if Dad had another kid with her, that would mean someone else fighting him for the family inheritance.


    Dad was already pretty distant most of the time. If he ended up caring more about


    a new kid, Robbie might even lose his ce as the Ratcliff family''s heir.


    No way. He couldn''t let that happen.


    He bit his lip, ready to beg again, but then he spotted someone walking toward them.


    Sebastian watched from a distance as Reese crouched beside Robbie, her voice soft. For a second, surprise flickered through his eyes before his lips curved into a small smile.


    It had been ages since he''d seen the two of them like this, sharing a moment that actually felt like family.


    "Dad."


    Robbie quickly let go, took a careful step back, and greeted Sebastian.


    Sebastian seemed to be in a good mood. "What are you two talking about?"


    "Nothing, really." Robbie shook his head. "I heard something about broken ss and wanted to make sure Mom was okay."


    He remembered what Grandma had told him: don''t ever let Dad know Mom wanted a divorce.


    And deep down, he felt it too. If Dad found out, there''d be no way to fix things.


    Sebastian''s eyes softened as he nced at both of them, then reached out and gently ruffled Robbie''s hair. "As long as I''m here, nothing''s going to happen to your mom."


    Robbie''s eyes lit up. Judging by Dad''s expression, he wasn''t nning on divorcing Mom. All Robbie had to do was keep working on Mom, be extra good, and maybe things would go back to normal.


    Reese stood up, her gaze drifting across Sebastian''s shoulder. "Didn''t you have to go to the office? What are you doing back here?"


    Sebastian''s expression darkened for a moment.


    He''d just gotten a call from his security team, and something about it felt off. Worried, he''d paused his trip to the office ande straight to the hospital instead.


    But he wasn''t about to tell Reese that and make her worry.


    "Finished up early. I was worried about you here by yourself, so I figured I''d check in."


    He bent down and scooped Robbie into his arms. "Let''s go inside."


    Robbie looped his arms around Sebastian''s neck and rested his head on his dad''s shoulder, sneaking a nce at Reese.


    As long as the divorce wasn''t finalized, Mom was still Mom, Dad wouldn''t marry anyone else, and no one could threaten his ce in the Ratcliff family.


    Reese followed behind them. Sunlight streamed through the window, shining on Sebastian''s tall frame as he carried Robbie. For a split second, it all blended together with that memory from the stormy night when Sebastian had carried Arnie in his arms. At first nce, they almost looked like the perfect family.


    But only Reese knew how fragile that feeling was, like a soap bubble, ready to pop at the slightest touch.


    "Great-Grandpa!"


    They walked into the hospital room, and Robbie was the first to call out. But the man on the bed didn''t react at all.


    Sebastian set Robbie down and looked at the bed, freezing in ce for half a second before rushing forward.


    "Grandpa!"


    Reese had never seen Sebastian look so shaken. Her heart skipped a beat as she leaned in to see what was wrong.


    schest, which had been


    Mr. Ratcliff''s


    barely moving before, was now almost still. The oxygen mask was crumpled against his face, the tubing snapped in half and the call button''s wire hung loose beside the bed.


    His eyes were half open and cloudy, his pupils unfocused. There was only the faintest ragged sounding from his throat-awhisper of breath that barely counte@as living.


    "Grandpa!"


    Sebastian''s face went ghostly pale. His fingers trembled as he reached out, searching for any sign of breath under Mr. Ratcliff''s nose.


    "Get a doctor! Now!"


    Reese snapped out of it first, spinning around and yelling down the hall, her voice cracking, "Help! Please! Something''s wrong!"


    Footsteps thundered in the hallway. In seconds, doctors and nurses burst in with a crash cart, filling the tiny hospital room.


    "Start CPR!"


    Sebastian stepped back to give them space, only then realizing his hands wouldn''t stop shaking.


    He nced back at Reese, and all his usual calm was gone. There was nothing left but the raw panic of someone about to lose a loved one.


    Tears welled up in Reese''s eyes. She covered her mouth, desperate not to make a sound.


    And in that moment, Robbie was the calmest of them all. He walked over to Sebastian, reached up, and took his dad''s hand, lending him silent support.