Chapter 332 The Next Twenty–Four Hours
Chapter 332: The Next Twenty–Four Hours
+25 Points
Not long after, the Takahashi family doctor arrived with Hannah and immediately checked on Cecilia.
Thankfully, there was nothing seriously wrong with her. The emotional strain had simply overwhelmed her, but he insisted she remain seated and rest while he stayed nearby to keep an eye on her.
With Cecilia safely under the doctor’s care, everyone’s attention inevitably returned to the closed doors–and to the uncertainty still hanging over Jaime’s condition.
It took some time, and the quiet reassurance of those around her, before Damien finally managed to ease Maya’s sobs. But calming her tears was one thing. Calming the fear consuming her was another.
She remained tucked tightly against his side, drawing whatever comfort she could from the arm wrapped securely around her, while her swollen eyes kept drifting back to the closed doors separating her from her brother, his condition still painfully uncertain.
Another hour passed.
By then, the atmosphere in the waiting area had become almost unbearably heavy.
Very little conversation remained. No one seemed to have the energy for it anymore.
The long wait had taken its toll on Maya. She was exhausted from crying, yet the fear inside her hadn’t eased. If anything, the longer they went without an update, the harder it became to keep her emotions under control.
Damien never left her side, and neither did anyone else. With nothing more they could do, they simply continued to wait as the agonizing minutes dragged on.
Until a sound suddenly came from behind the closed doors.
Maya’s head snapped up, and the entire waiting area seemed to go still at once.
A quiet mechanical click followed before the doors finally began to open.
Maya immediately shot to her feet.
Dr. Anderson and Dr. Nakamura stepped through.
The moment Maya saw them, her breath caught.
Both surgeons were still dressed in their surgical scrubs, their masks pulled down beneath
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Chapter 332 The Next Twenty Four Hours
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their chins. Hours inside the operating room had left exhaustion clearly etched across their faces, but it was the seriousness in their expressions that made Maya’s heart begin to pound.
She couldn’t tell whether they were bringing good news or bad.
And that frightened her more than anything.
“Doctor!”
Maya immediately rushed toward them, with Damien close beside her. Behind them, the others quickly rose from their seats and followed.
The two surgeons barely had time to take another step before Maya stopped directly in front
of them.
“How is he?” she asked breathlessly. “How’s Jaime? Is he okay?”
The two surgeons exchanged a brief look.
Dr. Nakamura was the first to move. “Excuse me. I need to make a call.”
He stepped away from the group, already reaching for his phone.
Maya’s anxious gaze followed him before quickly returning to Dr. Anderson.
Dr. Anderson paused for a moment, taking in the worried faces gathered around him before drawing a slow breath.
“The transplant is complete.”
Dr. Anderson continued before anyone could interrupt.
“The donor heart has been successfully implanted, and it’s functioning as expected.”
For one brief, precious second, Maya forgot how to breathe. A strangled sound of relief escaped her as one hand flew to her mouth.
Behind her, several people released breaths they seemed to have been holding for hours.
“Thank God…” Dahlia whispered.
Maya’s eyes immediately filled with tears again as they met Dr. Anderson’s.
“So he’s okay?” she asked, desperately searching his face for reassurance. “Jaime’s okay?”
Dr. Anderson didn’t answer immediately. His expression turned serious again as he gave a
subtle shake of his head.
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Chapter 332 The Next Twenty–Four Hours:
And just like that, the tiny spark of relief inside Maya disappeared.
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“The transplant itself went well,” Dr. Anderson explained carefully. “But shortly after we closed him up, his vital signs suddenly began to drop. We discovered internal bleeding, and Jaime suffered significant blood loss.”
Maya’s face immediately paled. She stared at Dr. Anderson, too overwhelmed to even know what to ask next as her knees suddenly threatened to give way beneath her.
Damien immediately tightened his hold around her, keeping her steady against him.
“How is he now?” he asked, his voice controlled despite the tension in his expression. “Is the bleeding under control?”
“Yes,” Dr. Anderson answered immediately. “We managed to control it, and Jaime is stable for now.”
Maya released a trembling breath, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks as her fingers tightened around Damien’s hand.
But Nicholas immediately caught the two words that mattered.
For now.
His patience finally snapped.
“For now?” he repeated sharply. “What exactly do you mean by for now?”
Dr. Anderson turned toward him. “Mr. Ashcroft-”
“Get straight to the point,” Nicholas interrupted, his expression hardening. “How much blood did he lose?”
“A significant amount,” Dr. Anderson answered. “Far more than any of us anticipated.”
Something in Nicholas’s expression immediately changed.
“Then what’s the problem? What about the blood we had prepared?” His brows pulled together. “There should be more than enough.”
“We used almost all of it, sir.”
Nicholas stared at him, genuine disbelief crossing his face.
“That’s not possible.”
“I’m afraid it is, Mr. Ashcroft.”
Chapter 332 The Next Twenty–Four Hours
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“No.” Nicholas stepped closer. “We didn’t prepare the minimum requirement. I personally made sure you had three times the estimated amount available in case something went wrong.”
“I know, Mr. Ashcroft.”
“Then how the hell did you nearly exhaust it?”
Harper immediately moved closer and placed a hand on his arm, silently trying to calm him.
Dr. Anderson remained composed despite the anger directed at him.
“The bleeding was far more severe than anyone anticipated,” he explained. “The amount of blood Jaime lost went well beyond what we had reasonably prepared for.”
He paused briefly.
“If
you hadn’t arranged for that additional reserve, we would be having a very different conversation right now.”
That silenced him.
Maya’s fingers tightened painfully around Damien’s. She didn’t understand everything they were saying.
But she understood that.
The extra blood Nicholas had prepared had helped keep her brother alive.
Her eyes immediately filled with fresh tears.
“Is Jaime going to be okay?” she whispered.
Dr. Anderson’s expression softened slightly.
“He’s stable right now, Ms. Maya. The new heart is functioning as expected, and we’ve controlled the bleeding.”
“Then what do you need?” Damien asked.
Dr. Anderson’s attention shifted to him.
“More blood. We need more blood, Mr. Blackwood.”
Damien immediately straightened.
“How much?”
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“At least three to four additional units of compatible packed red blood cells as soon as possible,” Dr. Anderson replied. “More available as backup would be even better.”
Before he could continue, Dr. Nakamura returned, slipping his phone back into his pocket as he stepped beside him.
“The next twenty–four hours are critical,” Dr. Nakamura said. “His blood count is extremely low. He may not need every unit, but after the amount he lost, we will not risk taking him through the immediate postoperative period without an adequate reserve available.”
Damien’s expression hardened.
“Then contact every hospital that has it and have the blood brought here immediately. I don’t
care what it costs or how far it has to come from.”
Dr. Nakamura released a quiet breath.
“I wish it were that simple, Mr. Blackwood.”
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