Forbidden Passion
Chapter 409 Theodore Acid-tongued

Phoebe and Theodore exchanged worried looks and hurried to the ICU entrance.

The door was shut, blocking their view inside. Their hearts raced. Phoebe gripped Theodore's hand, trying to comfort both of them. "Everything will be fine," Phoebe said.

Theodore squeezed her hand back, struggling to hide his anxiety. He noticed Phoebe's face was pale with fear, though she kept trying to reassure him.

Theodore stared at her, thinking, "Phoebe must like me, even if she doesn't realize it."

He pulled her into his arms, burying his face in her neck. Her scent calmed him. "Yeah, everything will be fine," he said.

After a long wait, doctors started coming out of the ICU. Leading them, Philip Murphy looked exhausted. He took off his mask and said, "Mrs. Reynolds' heart stopped earlier, but we revived her. She has a weak will to live. You should go in and encourage her."

Theodore frowned. "Alright."

As Philip was about to leave, Phoebe grabbed his hand. "Can I go in with him?" she asked.

Philip shook his head. "Mrs. Reynolds is very weak with a compromised immune system. Normally, no visitors are allowed, but we're making an exception for Mr. Reynolds."

Phoebe bit her lip and let go of Theodore's hand. "I'll wait for you outside," she said.

Theodore nodded and followed the nurse inside.

He changed into sterile clothing and entered the ICU. Taylor was hooked up to various machines, and her heart rate was dangerously low.

Theodore stood by her bed, looking at her frail appearance. She wore an oxygen mask and seemed so fragile.

His eyes burned. After a long pause, he asked, "Mom, are you really giving up?"

He continued, "If you die now, making way for Marlowe Black, will you be happy in heaven?"

Taylor's eyelashes fluttered, and her heart rate spiked briefly.

Theodore laughed. "If I were Brandon or Marlowe, I'd be thrilled. You can't handle anything. Marlowe hasn't even tried anything yet, and you've already given up. They'd laugh at your grave every year, calling you weak. You'd deserve it!" The machines started beeping. A nurse rushed in, pushing Theodore aside to check Taylor's breathing.

"Mr. Reynolds, Mrs. Reynolds is very weak. You mustn't agitate her," the nurse said.

Theodore's countenance turned grim. "Just go ahead and perish. If you do, Brandon will wed Marlowe before your corpse even cools."People will laugh at you, calling you a fool who didn't even have the courage to fight."

The machines kept blaring. The nurse hit the call button and tried to push Theodore out. "Mr. Reynolds, stop talking."

Theodore didn't budge, his eyes cold. "While you're here on the brink of death, Brandon might be planning to marry Marlowe. Once you're gone, he'll marry her without any obstacles. They might even thank you for being so considerate." Doctors rushed in, hearing Theodore's outburst and wishing they were deaf.

'Is Theodore really her son? How could he provoke Taylor like this?' they thought.

Theodore was pushed out of the ICU. Standing in the hallway, his ears buzzed, and his palms were sweaty. He raised his hand, realizing he was trembling.

Inside, doctors were frantically trying to save Taylor. Through the curtain, Theodore watched as Taylor's body jolted from the defibrillator.

Theodore's back was drenched in cold sweat.

He closed his eyes, clenching his fists tightly, thinking, 'Everything will be fine. Taylor will survive.'

"Heartbeat restored!"

"Blood pressure stabilized!"

"We've saved her!"

Hearing the nurse's exclamations, Theodore's legs nearly gave out. He leaned against the wall and slowly walked out of the ICU.

Outside, Phoebe was pacing anxiously. She had seen the doctors rush back in and was terrified, her heart nearly stopping.

She didn't know what happened and didn't want to stop the medics from asking, fearing it might delay the rescue. Those few minutes felt like an eternity. Seeing Theodore walk out unsteadily, she quickly went to him. As she grabbed his arm, he collapsed onto her like a falling building.

Phoebe embraced him tightly, anchoring herself with one leg to keep them both steady and prevent a stumble.

She gently patted his back. "It's okay, Theodore. Don't panic. Taylor will be fine."

Theodore inhaled Phoebe's scent, still trembling. "I said a lot of things I shouldn't have."

"Nothing. Taylor won't blame you. No mother would blame her child," Phoebe softly reassured him. "You just wanted her to wake up." Theodore felt a rush of blood to his head, making him dizzy.

"I just wanted her to live," he said.

Phoebe helped him move towards the bench. "Yes, Taylor will understand. Don't be afraid, Theodore. It's okay now."

Supporting Theodore, Phoebe struggled to move to the bench. She tried to help him sit down, but his knee bumped hers.

They both fell onto the bench, with Theodore landing on top of her. Her waist hit the bench, causing her to gasp in pain.

Phoebe took a sharp breath, realizing their awkward and intimate position. She quickly tried to sit up, but he pressed her back down. "Don't move. I want to hold you," Theodore said.

Phoebe was lost for words.

She felt a sense of despair. This was right outside the ICU, with doctors still inside trying to save Taylor. Yet Theodore was unabashedly pressing her onto the bench. Although they weren't doing anything inappropriate, what if the doctors came out and saw them? How would they face anyone?