Terms Of Seduction: A Journey Through Undeniable Desire

Bella Pov

I sat frozen in the cold, sterile office, my fingers gripping the edges of my chair as Dr. Addison's words echoed in my mind.

"Your uncle's condition keeps getting worse every day.

My chest tightened as I stared blankly at the doctor sitting directly in front of me. This wasn't the news I hoped for when he called. I prayed everyday for even the slightest improvement, yet now, reality hit me like a crashing wave.

Tears pricked my eyes, blurring my vision. I fought to keep them at bay.

"Is there any other alternative, sir?" My voice wavered, barely above a whisper.

Dr. Addison sighed, his expression etched with concern. "The only option we have is transferring him to a better hospital," he said, his tone heavy with disappointment.

I swallowed hard. "Have you found one?

"I've looked into several hospitals, both here in New York and internationally, but the best facility equipped to handle his case is in Los Angeles. I've already requested a transfer, but they have yet to respond.

My heart pounded against my ribcage. "How long will that take?"

"Four to five days," he admitted, his voice laced with regret. "Unfortunately, our facility can only sustain him for about three to four days at most. That's the best we can do.

My breath hitched. What if they don't respond in time? The thought clawed at my mind, sending shivers down my spine. Hot tears spilled down my cheeks as a deeper fear settled in my chest.

"Am I really going to lose my uncle this time? After losing my aunt?

Life has been unbearably cruel to me. I lost my parents in a fire accident when I was just five. The memory was still seared into my mind-the smoldering ruins, the ashes being buried, the endless grief that had swallowed me whole for years.

Afterward, my uncle, Williams, and his wife, Camilla, had taken me in. People often whispered that Camilla's kindness stemmed from her barrenness, but I knew better. My aunt had simply loved children, though she never had any of her own before death cruelly snatched her away three weeks ago.

Now, my uncle was suffering from the same illness that had claimed Camilla's life-pneumonia. The doctors had warned that it was contagious, and despite all the sacrifices my uncle had made, even selling his properties to save his wife, he had still contacted them.

Dr. Addison's voice cut through my thoughts. "Miss Carter, if you don't mind, I have another patient to attend to. I'll contact you as soon as I receive a response from Los Angeles."

I blinked back to reality and wiped my tears with the back of my hand. "Can I see him now?" I asked hopefully.

The doctor sighed. "I'm sorry, but no." He stood, signaling the end of their conversation.

I swallowed disappointment as I stepped out of his office.

Outside, the sky had darkened, heavy rain pouring from the heavens as if mirroring the turmoil in her heart. I stood there, lost in my own world, watching the droplets hit the pavement. Each raindrop felt like a tear from the universe, mourning alongside me.

Desperation clawed at my insides. What's the point of living if I keep losing the ones I love?

The thought sent a chilling wave through me. Maybe it would be easier to just... let go. To stop fighting. To join the ones I lost.

A high-pitched whistle snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts. A little girl in a blue floral dress slipped past me, her innocence a stark contrast to my suffocating grief.

Then, a voice, soft yet firm, reached my ears.

"Miss Bella Carter, right?"

I turned to see a nurse standing beside me, an older woman with kind eyes and a gentle smile.

Unable to speak, I simply nodded, hastily wiping away my tears.

"Doctor Addison needs to see you in his office immediately," the nurse informed me.

My heart thudded." So soon,was something wrong?"

Without hesitation, I rushed back, my pulse pounding in my ears.

I knocked lightly before stepping inside, expecting the worst. Instead, I found Dr. Addison with an expression far different from before. He was smiling.

"Take a seat, Miss Carter," he said warmly.

Hope flickered within me "Doctor, what-?"

"I just received a response from the hospital in Los Angeles." His smile widened. "They've approved your uncle's transfer."

A sharp gasp escaped my lips. For a moment, I was too stunned to speak. Then, the weight that had been crushing me lifted ever so slightly

This was it. I wasn't going to lose him.

Tears spilled down my face, but this time, they weren't of sorrows. They were of relief, of gratitude.

"We need his relative's signature and documentation immediately," Dr. Addison continued, placing a form and a pen in front of me.

I straightened my resolve. "I'm here for that."

He raised a brow. "No other relatives?"

"No," I said, my voice steady. "Just me."

He nodded, watching as I signed the papers with quiet determination.

"He'll receive the best treatment there," Dr. Addison assured me . "I only wish we could have done more for him and for your late aunt.

I met his gaze, her heart swelling with newfound hope and joy "Thank you, Doctor."

For the first time in weeks, I allowed herself to believe.

Los Angeles wasn't just a beautiful city to bella,it was a place I ran out of for about five years now.A place that carried all my past I tried to forget.

I had no one in Los Angeles,no friends, relatives but only one soul that's capable of ending my own life with his bare hands,which made me miserable.Those nightmares I have been having for the past few weeks weren't just going to be nightmares for me again but reality.

"MASON"