Chapter Nineteen

Five minutes later, they arrived at a set of black colored double doors.

"This is it, but he's…"

"Whatever, dearie."

Dismissing Sherlene's statement, Evelyn smiled before pushing the doors open and walking into the room like she owned the place. The men involved in a conversation were stunned, especially Nicholas, who was in the process of handing the mayor a document. The intrusion was unexpected.

"Mother?"

He questioned, his voice wary and guarded as if she was here to throw another tantrum. Unfortunately, his father was not there to stop her if she did.

"How can I help you, Mrs. Ross?"

Standing from his seat, Doccharles frowned while Nicholas tried conveying messages with his eyes with his mother to leave the room. However, the stubborn woman ignored his signal. She was a woman on a mission. With a pearly white smile that did not reach her eyes, she elegantly greeted Doccharles.

"With quite an issue, Mr. Mayor."

The other men were quickly dismissed by Nick when he realized whatever his mother had brought to their attention seemed pressing. They closed the doors with a soft click behind them, but their curiosity was beyond unfulfilled.

"I bought them here, papa."

In a sickly sweet voice, Sherlene skipped towards her father with a breathtaking smile. She stole glimpses in Nicholas's clueless direction, the sly streak in her eyes hidden behind her laugh line.

"Oh, I see."

Nodding, Doccharles understood, but glancing at the three unfamiliar and ordinary-looking people standing behind her, he frowned.

"And who might you three be?"

"So you're the mayor of Colorado."

It was not a question that Helena asked as she scrutinized the short man standing next to his venomous snake daughter.

"Mom, please be polite."

Sharlene embarrassingly muttered as she avoided the glare from Sherlene. Clarice had witnessed her discomfort and sent a heated glare at Sherlene. They were like cats waiting patiently for the right moment to strike.

'It is so childish.'

Sharlene thought while rolling her eyes.

"How can I be polite to the man who caused this fiasco? He is the owner of this place, is he not?"

Resisting the thought of smacking her forehead, Sharlene wanted the ground to swallow her whole.

"What? What is going on?"

Doccharles questioned, his eyes bouncing from Evelyn to Helena.

Sighing, Evelyn placed a strand of her Auburn shoulder-length hair behind her ears. That showed she meant business.

"I am sorry, Mr. Doccharles, but it appears some nurses made a mistake between an insemination and Pap smear examination."

Nicholas was stunned by that discovery.

"How can that be?"

He questioned, and Sharlene spoke up, a blush adorning her face when the exceptional businessman her boss had spoken to her about on many occasions was standing a few feet away.

'He was even more handsome up close.' She thought with an inner girlish giggle.

"The receptionist called me earlier today and told me that. She said I should come to the hospital to rectify this, but when my mother inquired the receptionist about this,"

Wincing when she remembered how her mother had drilled the poor girl for the news, Sharlene quickly added. "She told me the doctors and nurses suddenly quit."

Glancing at Sharlene, Nicholas' breath hitched. It was not because her hair resembled a bird's nest or her clothes, which looked better fitted for sleeping. No. It was her thick British accent and beautiful face. His mind quickly went to the day he had heard the British girl in the men's bathroom. Her voice sounded familiar. 'Was it her?'

He inwardly thought but quickly brushed the matter aside as he returned to the issue.

"I see. And your name is?"

He inquired.

"Sharlene Cunning-ham."

Nicholas' eyes unconsciously glanced at the back of Sherlene's head.

'Could it be a coincidence?'

He wondered to himself. Their names were quite similar.

While Nicholas was deep in thought, Doccharles was groaning. Why did he not hear of this?

Sherlene flinched, her hands shaking. Her action had not gone unnoticed by Evelyn, who was closely observing the girl like a hawk. Falling into his seat with a groan, Doccharles muttered.

"I had no idea this had happened. Then you have come here to sue the hospital for this mishap? I suppose."

A question directed towards Helena, he aged ten years with the information.

"Yes, I did."

Helena was dead serious. Her determined eyes caused a headache to form.

Sighing, Doccharles closed his eyes while passing a hand down his face. He had least expected this news today.

Sherlene bit her lip as she watched the stress overpowering her father's face. The reputation of the fast-growing hospital would pommel if this news reached the public. Her father's--their family reputation would face criticism.

She needed to say or do something before things got worse.

So, with careful thinking, she voiced out.

"Is your daughter pregnant, Mrs. Cunning-ham?"

Helena frowned as she observed the 'venomous snake' was up to no good.

Evelyn bristled.

Clarice's eyes narrowed.

Nicholas was both curious but wary about the question. Glancing back to Sharlene, who he could not stop staring at for some unknown reason, he frowned.

"I… I am."

In a small voice barely spoken above a whisper, Sharlene placed a fallen strand of hair behind her ear.

Nicholas, Sherlene, and Doccharles stared her down. Sherlene, who was not expecting her to be pregnant, felt a terrible taste erupting in her mouth. A distant thought came to mind.

"I apologize on behalf of my staff, young lady. Because of poor management and communication, it ruined your life."

The mayor was regrettable, for the young lady, who appeared to be the same age as his daughter, sounded honest and empathic.

After careful consideration, Sherlene gritted her teeth in her mouth, for if the hinge she had in mind were right, all her planning would be for nothing.

"Regarding your issue of suing, I decline."

Standing behind her father's chair, she muttered, her nice girl image falling and twisted into a conniving snake.

'How could an understanding man like Doccharles birth this slithering snake?'

Helena angrily thought as she scrutinized the girl from head to toe.

Doccharles shot up from his chair and turned to face her.

"How can you say this, Sherlene? That is our mistake. We should be responsible for it. Whether the hospital and our family face harsh backlash, we will recover from it. A mistake fixed is a mistake owned."

Scrunching her nose, Sherlene was unconvinced.

"What do you mean, father? Are you allowing the hospital's reputation and yours to go up in smoke? We can fix this mishap!"

Gasping, Evelyn frowned while Helena gritted her teeth.

Nicholas' eyes narrowed. The 'spoiled-rich-brat' was getting impressively dangerous.

"Are you saying my sister should abort her child?"

Clarice spoke up, her eyes blazing with anger.

"Why not? It's not like she knows the father or cares about the child."

Sherlene scoffed, whole folding her arms on her chest.

With narrowed eyes, Helena began to walk towards the girl, but Evelyn's firm hold on her arm paused her movements.

"You insensitive little brat!"

Clarice snapped, but Sharlene rushed to hold her in place to stop her from matching to display her famous slap on Sherlene's face.

Doccharles was soul shaken by his daughter's words and attitude. He had never seen her act so bitter and unfeeling.

"I am sorry, Miss. Doccharles, but I cannot abort my baby nor give him/her up for adoption. Even if he/she were unplanned or I don't know the father, the child is mine. I will never hurt my baby to satisfy your ego."

With a stern statement, Sharlene stood her ground as she watched Sherlene stew in her anger.

"Then we will not give you no money unless…"

Her threats were Doccharle's last straw. Sherlene received a slap of a lifetime from her father on her cheek.

Gasping, she glanced at his stern face while holding her burning cheek.

"Papa?"

She questioned because this was the first time he had ever hit her.

Doccharles heart was saddened, but he quickly interjected.

"I do not understand why you are doing this, Sherlene, but I can no longer tolerate your attitude. Apologize to our guests."

Squeezing the chair with her hands until her fingers turned white, Sherlene suddenly shrieked. The burning mark on her cheek made her crazy.

"They are no guests of mine, papa! If it were not for that girl, my plan would have gone smoothly!"

A pin-drop silence filled the room.

Sherlene, after her burst of anger, finally recalled what she had said.

"What plans are you talking about, Sherlene?"

Widened eyes, as she glanced around her, Sherlene refused to look her father in the eye.

"I… I…"

"ANSWER ME, SHERLENE!"

Closing her eyes, Sherlene snapped, her resolve leaving her body like smoke.

"I demanded the doctor to write up an insemination document for me! I made sure the nurse had everything ready. When I was leaving, I bumped into her," pointing at wide-eyed Sharlene, Sherlene continued with tears flowing down her cheeks.

"And the papers got messed up. I came to see what happened when I met this girl again!"

Everyone was stunned by Sherlene's confession.

After a few moments, Sharlene spoke up, her hands forming fists at her side.

She was growing angry.

"Whose sperm was it?"

Lifting a hand, Sherlene pointed in Nicholas' wide-eyed direction.

"It was his."

Everyone was shocked.

"Oh my."

Evelyn gasped as she felt faint. She quickly dropped herself into a sofa opposite Doccharles.