The next morning, the hospital was quiet.
Mrs. Anna stood outside Elian's room, her eyes swollen from crying throughout the entire night.
Through the glass, she could see Cherry sitting beside Elian's bed.
Cherry was still holding his hand.
Tears continued to roll down her cheeks as she watched him sleep. She hadn't stopped crying since the night before.
Anna looked at her grandson lying motionless beneath the hospital blankets.
He had been shot because he had thrown himself in front of her.
He had taken the bullets meant for her.
The thought broke her heart all over again.
Anna pressed her trembling hand against the door.
For years, she had been afraid of this moment.
She had been terrified that if she told Jennie and Nicholas the truth, they would take Elian away from her.
But now, looking at him, she realized she couldn't allow her fear to cost him his life.
She had already kept the truth hidden for too long.
I can't let him suffer because of me.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"I can't lose you," she whispered.
Anna slowly stepped away from the door.
She turned and walked down the hallway.
A short distance away, she found Jennie and Nicholas sitting together on the waiting chairs.
Jennie looked exhausted.
She was leaning her head against Nicholas's shoulder, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
Nicholas sat quietly beside her, his arm around her.
Neither of them noticed Anna approaching at first.
Anna stopped several feet away.
She stared at them.
Her heart pounded painfully against her chest.
These were the parents who had lost their baby years ago.
And the truth she had buried all these years was standing between them.
Anna wiped her tears, but more immediately replaced them.
She took a shaky breath.
Then she slowly walked toward them.
This time, she knew she couldn't turn back.
Anna stopped in front of them.
Jennie slowly lifted her head from Nicholas's shoulder when she noticed her standing there.
"Mrs. Anna?"
Anna didn't answer immediately.
She looked at Jennie, then at Nicholas.
Her hands were trembling.
Nicholas noticed her expression and straightened in his seat.
"Is something wrong?"
Anna swallowed hard.
Her eyes immediately filled with tears again.
"There's something I need to tell you."
Jennie stared at her.
"What is it?"
Anna glanced toward Elian's room.
Through the glass, she could still see Cherry sitting beside his bed, holding his hand.
Her heart ached.
She had spent years protecting the secret.
Years convincing herself that keeping Elian close was the right thing to do.
But now he was lying in that hospital bed because he had protected her.
She couldn't keep choosing her fear over his life.
Anna slowly turned back toward Jennie.
"I know who can donate blood to Elian."
Jennie immediately stood.
"Who?"
Anna's lips trembled.
"You."
Jennie froze.
Nicholas looked at Anna in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
Anna lowered her eyes.
"The doctor said a biological relative might be able to help him."
Jennie's breathing became unsteady.
She remembered the words she had heard the previous night.
"A close biological relative…"
Anna nodded slowly.
Her tears began falling.
"There is something I've kept from you for many years."
Nicholas stood beside Jennie.
"What exactly are you saying?"
Anna looked at Jennie.
"I know you lost a baby boy years ago."
Jennie's face changed immediately.
Her eyes widened.
Nicholas stared at Anna.
Anna continued through her tears.
"I know what happened that day."
Jennie could barely speak.
"How?"
Anna closed her eyes for a moment.
Then she whispered,
"Because I was the woman who took him."
Jennie's entire body went still.
Nicholas looked at Anna in shock.
"What?"
Anna's voice broke.
"I was the woman who was holding your baby when you went to get food."
Jennie covered her mouth.
"No…"
"I didn't plan for it to happen," Anna cried. "But when everything became chaotic, I took him and disappeared."
Jennie's eyes filled with tears.
"You…"
Anna nodded.
"I raised him."
Jennie took a shaky step backward.
"Where is he?"
Anna looked toward Elian's room.
Her tears fell freely.
"Inside."
Jennie's eyes followed her gaze.
For several seconds, she couldn't breathe.
"Are you saying…"
Anna finally said the words she had been terrified to say.
"Elian is your son."
Jennie's knees nearly gave way.
Nicholas immediately caught her.
Jennie stared through the glass at Elian.
The child she had lost.
The son she had searched for.
The baby she had mourned for years.
He had been beside her all this time.
And now he was fighting for his life.
Jennie began crying uncontrollably.
"Why?"
Anna lowered her head.
"I was alone. I had lost my husband. I had prayed for a child for so long, and when I found him…"
Her voice cracked.
"I couldn't let him go."
Nicholas's expression hardened with shock and pain, but he remained silent.
Anna looked at both of them.
"I know what I did was wrong."
She wiped her tears.
"But please…"
Her voice trembled.
"Don't let my mistake cost Elian his life."
Jennie looked at her.
Anna reached for her trembling hand.
"Please save him."
Jennie stared at Anna for a long moment.
Then she nodded through her tears.
"I will."
She looked through the glass at her unconscious son.
"I don't care about anything else right now."
Her voice broke.
"My son needs me."
Anna closed her eyes as tears streamed down her face.
For the first time in years, the secret was no longer hers alone.
Jennie immediately wiped her tears and turned toward the doctor's station.
"Doctor," she called, her voice trembling but urgent. "Please."
The doctor, who had been speaking with a nurse, turned toward her.
Jennie hurried over.
"I want to be tested."
The doctor looked at her carefully.
"For compatibility?"
Jennie nodded.
"For Elian."
Nicholas followed her, still processing everything Anna had just confessed.
"Test me too," he said.
Jennie looked at him.
Nicholas's expression was serious.
"If Elian really is our son, then we need to do everything we can to save him."
The doctor nodded.
"Of course. We'll take samples from both of you and determine whether either of you is compatible."
Jennie glanced back at Anna.
Anna was still standing near Elian's room, crying silently.
Jennie walked toward her.
Anna looked up nervously.
"I know you kept him from me," Jennie said softly.
Anna lowered her head.
"I know."
Jennie's eyes filled with tears again.
"But right now, I don't want to fight with you."
Anna looked at her in surprise.
Jennie reached for her hand.
"I just want my son to live."
Anna's lips trembled.
"He's all I've ever had."
Jennie squeezed her hand.
"And he's all I've been missing."
For a moment, neither woman said anything.
Then Jennie gently pulled Anna into a hug.
Anna broke down against her shoulder.
"I was afraid," Anna whispered through her tears. "I was so afraid that if I told you, you'd take him away from me."
Jennie held her tightly.
"I can't promise you what the future will look like."
Anna closed her eyes.
"But I can promise you this," Jennie continued. "I'm not going to punish you while my son is lying in there fighting for his life."
Anna nodded weakly.
The doctor approached them.
"We're ready to take the blood samples."
Jennie immediately stepped forward.
"Let's do it."
Nicholas nodded.
They followed the doctor toward the testing room.
Anna remained in the hallway for a moment.
She looked through the glass again.
Cherry was still sitting beside Elian, holding his hand.
Anna watched Cherry lean closer to him, tears falling onto the blanket.
Then Anna whispered,
"Please wake up, my child."
Inside the room, Elian remained unconscious.
But now, for the first time, there was hope that the blood he needed might finally be found.
A few hours later, the doctor returned to the waiting area holding the test results.
Nicholas immediately stood.
"Doctor?"
The doctor looked at him seriously.
"We have the results."
Jennie rose from her seat as well, her hands trembling.
"Is there a match?"
The doctor nodded.
"Yes."
Jennie's eyes widened.
"Who?"
The doctor turned toward Nicholas.
"Mr. Nicholas Haynes."
Nicholas froze.
For a moment, he couldn't speak.
The doctor continued, "Your blood is compatible with Elian's. You can donate."
Jennie covered her mouth, tears immediately filling her eyes.
Nicholas looked through the glass toward Elian's room.
His son.
He had been searching for him without even knowing where he was.
And now he had a chance to save him.
"Take me," Nicholas said quietly.
The doctor nodded.
"Follow me. We'll prepare you for the donation."
Nicholas followed the doctor down the hallway toward the donation room.
Jennie remained behind, watching him disappear.
Anna stood nearby, crying silently.
Jennie looked at her.
"He's going to save Elian."
Anna nodded, tears running down her face.
"Yes."
Inside the preparation room, Nicholas sat down as the medical staff prepared everything.
The doctor looked at him.
"Once we begin, we'll monitor you closely. The blood will be transferred to Elian as soon as possible."
Nicholas nodded.
"Do whatever you need to do."
The doctor began preparing him.
Nicholas looked down at his arm.
His thoughts returned to the day he had first met Elian.
All the times he had been harsh toward him.
All the times he had misunderstood him.
The realization hurt.
My son.
Nicholas closed his eyes.
"Please hold on," he whispered.
Hours later, the doctor finally stepped out of Elian's room.
Everyone waiting in the hallway immediately stood.
Jennie rushed toward him.
"Doctor, how is he?"
The doctor gave them a reassuring smile.
"The transfusion went well. Elian is safe now."
Jennie's eyes filled with tears of relief.
Anna covered her mouth, finally allowing herself to breathe.
Cherry wiped the tears from her face.
"He's going to be okay?"
"Yes," the doctor confirmed. "His condition is stable now. He lost a lot of blood, but the transfusion helped tremendously."
Nicholas quietly nodded.
"When will he wake up?"
"He's still very weak. He may regain consciousness within a day or two. For now, he needs complete rest and close monitoring."
Everyone nodded.
Jennie looked through the glass toward Elian's room.
Anna stood beside her, tears still lingering in her eyes.
Cherry gently held Anna's hand.
For the first time since Elian had been shot, the fear in the hallway began to ease.
He was alive.
He was safe.
And they could finally wait for him to wake up.
Cherry gently held Mrs. Anna's hand, letting her cry for a moment before speaking.
"Mrs. Anna, no matter what happens after Elian wakes up, you still have the most important place in his life."
Anna slowly looked at her through tear-filled eyes.
Cherry gave her a reassuring smile.
"You're the person who was there for him from the beginning. You're the person who raised him, loved him, protected him, and stayed beside him all these years. You're more than important to him."
Anna's lips trembled.
"But what if he hates me when he finds out the truth?"
Her voice broke.
"What if he doesn't forgive me? What if he doesn't want me around anymore?"
Cherry immediately shook her head.
"That won't happen."
Anna looked down, tears continuing to fall.
"What if he looks at me and sees a stranger?"
Cherry moved closer and gently wiped one of her tears.
"Mrs. Anna, Elian could never see you as a stranger."
Anna remained silent.
Cherry continued softly.
"He won't suddenly forget everything you've done for him just because he discovers the truth about where he came from."
She squeezed Anna's hand.
"In fact, I don't think Elian could survive a day without you in his life."
Anna's eyes filled with even more tears.
"Mrs. Jennie and Mr. Nicholas may be his biological family," Cherry said, "but you are the woman who raised him. You were there when he needed someone. You loved him like your own child, even when you had no idea what the future would bring."
Anna covered her mouth, crying quietly.
"That's something nobody can take away from you."
Cherry wrapped her arms around Anna.
"Elian may need time to understand everything. He may be hurt or confused when he learns the truth, and that's okay. But that doesn't mean he'll stop loving you."
Anna leaned into Cherry's embrace.
"I love him so much," she whispered.
"I know."
"I couldn't imagine my life without him."
"And he can't imagine his without you either."
Anna closed her eyes as she cried against Cherry's shoulder.
Cherry gently rubbed her back.
"You're still his grandmother, Mrs. Anna. Nothing about the truth can erase all those years of love between you and Elian."
Anna held onto Cherry tightly.
For the first time, although she was still afraid of what would happen when Elian woke up, she allowed herself to believe that perhaps she wouldn't lose him after all.