hapter 17 The little boy looked up at her and repeated , " You bumped into me . You have to take responsibility . " Sharon studied him for a moment , then asked gently , " Do you want me to take you to the hospital ? " After a few seconds of hesitation , he gave a small , deliberate nod . She tried again . " Should we call your parents first ? " This time , he shook his head hard , no trace of hesitation . His resistance was clear as day . Sharon frowned slightly . Could he be ... a victim of abuse ? Was that why he didn't want to involve his family ? In any case , a check - up wouldn't hurt . If she found any signs of serious injury , she'd have no choice but to call the police . With that thought , she softened her tone . " Okay . I'll let my friend know , and then I'll take you to the hospital . " She reached out and gently took the boy's hand . His hand was cold . It reminded her of when Theo had been weak and frail , his body always chilled . Back then , the doctors said his condition was congenital - nothing that could be resolved quickly . It would take years of careful care and treatment . She had watched him suffer , feeling helpless and guilty , wishing she could take his pain as her own . But that wasn't possible . So she did everything else she could . She taught herself alternative medicine , learned acupuncture and massage therapy , brewed herbal tonics , designed special diets Maybe it was that instinct of a mother , something that stayed with her even when she was disappointed in Theo . Now , seeing another child so small and fragile , her heart softened before she even realized it . The boy blinked in surprise when Sharon took his hand . Her palm was warm and soft , a kind of warmth that made him want to hold on . Without thinking , he gripped her hand more tightly and walked with her . Sharon noticed he didn't resist , and looked down at him , offering a gentle smile . For some reason , the boy quickly lowered his head . She didn't think much of it and led him back to the private room . Wendy was lounging in a chair , sipping wine after a long karaoke session . When she saw Sharon walk in , she waved her over . " Sharon , you're back ? Come , let's toast - wait , is that Theo ? " The lighting near the door was dim , and Wendy could only make out that Sharon was holding hands with a small child . She hadn't seen the boy's face clearly and assumed it was Theo . " No , " Sharon said . " I bumped into him in the hallway . He didn't look well , so I'm going to take him to the hospital . " As the boy stepped into the light , Wendy finally saw his face . " Wow ! What a beautiful kid ! He could pass for Theo's twin . " She got up quickly and walked over , reaching out to pinch the boy's cheek . But the boy ducked away , slipping behind Sharon , clearly unhappy with the gesture . Wendy froze for a second , then let out a laugh . " What a little character . " Chapter 17 " Wendy , " Sharon said gently , " maybe don't . He probably doesn't ke being touched like that . " +25 BONUS Wendy backed off without protest . " Where are his parents ? Are you sure it's okay to just take him with you ? What if someone thinks we're kidnapping him or something ? " Sharon turned back to the boy . " Sweetie , are you sure we shouldn't call your family ... " Before she could finish , the boy clutched her hand in a tight grip , so strong it actually hurt . " No ! I don't want to call them ! " he said , voice sharp and anxious . Sharon looked at Wendy , helpless . Wendy sighed . " All right , let's just go to the hospital first . " The two women took the boy to the hospital and had him examined . There were no injuries , no signs of abuse . Sharon let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding , but a deeper question surfaced . If he wasn't being mistreated ... why was he so afraid of contacting his family ? That thought had barely taken shape when hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor . Then the hospital door burst open . A tall man stormed into the room . Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!