I held the baby, sitting on the hospital bed, looking down at his sleeping face. A newborn, just three days old, his skin still wrinkled, tiny hands tightly clenched, occasionally twitching unconsciously.
The nurse pushed the door open, a thermometer in her hand. “Mrs. Hayes, it’s time to take the baby’s temperature.””
I nodded, carefully handing the baby over.
Just then, the hospital room door suddenly burst open. Vivian Thorne walked in, high heels clicking, followed by two men in white coats.
“What are you doing?”
I instinctively clutched the baby tighter.
Vivian smirked at me. “Sister, Julian said he wants to do a paternity test on the baby.”
I shot up, the incision pain making me gasp. “Is he crazy? The baby’s only three days old!”
“Exactly why we need to do it now,” Vivian walked over, reaching out to snatch the baby.
“What if he’s not Julian’s?”
I held the baby tightly. “Get out!”
The two men immediately stepped forward. One held my shoulders, while the other
forcibly took the baby from my arms. The baby woke up, wailing.
“Give him back!”
I struggled to reach for him but was violently shoved back onto the bed.
Vivian held the baby, swinging him triumphantly. “Don’t worry, it’ll be quick.”
She turned to leave, but I suddenly lunged, grabbing her wrist. “Vivian Thorne! If you dare touch my son, I swear I’ll kill you!”
<
13:34 Mon, 4 Aug
35%
She cried out in pain, shaking me off. Her eyes hardened, and she suddenly raised her
hand.
“Ah!”
She slammed the baby to the floor!
Time seemed to stop. His tiny body hit the floor with a dull thud, and his cries abruptly
ceased.
I scrambled off the bed like a madwoman, scooping up the baby. His little face was already bruised purple, blood oozed from the corner of his mouth, his breathing so faint it was almost imperceptible.
“Doctor! Doctor!”
My heart seized up. I screamed hysterically, clutching the baby as I rushed out the door.
The nurses in the hallway saw what happened and immediately pushed a resuscitation cart
over.
“Quick! The baby’s suffocating!”
I was held back outside the emergency room, trembling, collapsing onto the floor. Vivian
strolled over leisurely, looking down at me. “Oops, my hand slipped.”
I looked up, glaring at her, wishing I could rip her face off. I screamed, “You did it on
purpose!”
She shrugged, then suddenly clutched her stomach. “Julian, I hurt so bad…”
It was then I noticed Julian Hayes standing at the end of the hallway. He rushed over,
pulling Vivian into his arms. “What’s wrong?”
“Sister… she pushed me…” Vivian leaned into his embrace, her face pale. “My stomach hurts so much… our baby…”
Julian’s face changed instantly. He whipped his head towards me. “Claire Reynolds! Vivian’s pregnant, do you know that?!”
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13:35 Mon, 4 Aug A
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I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. My baby was still in the ER, and he was
worried about Vivian’s fake stomachache?
Just then, the emergency room door opened. The doctor walked out, took off his mask,
and shook his head. “I’m sorry, we did our best…”
My vision blurred, and I nearly fainted.
Julian frowned. “What happened?”
The doctor sighed. “The baby had a brain hemorrhage. We couldn’t save him…”
Vivian suddenly shrieked, “Impossible! That baby wasn’t Julian’s anyway, serves him right for dying!”
Julian’s face darkened as he looked at me. “Claire Reynolds, was that child even mine?”
I stared at him, then suddenly smiled. “Does it matter if he was yours? He’s dead anyway.”
Julian grabbed my collar. “Say that again?!”
I looked at his enraged face and said, word for word: “Julian Hayes, your son is dead,
killed by the woman you love most.”
Vivian immediately burst into tears. “Julian, she’s slandering me! She clearly just couldn’t hold the baby properly…”
Julian released me, turning to embrace Vivian. “Don’t worry, I believe you.”
I stood by the emergency room door, watching their embracing backs, and suddenly
everything felt utterly ridiculous. My child was dead, and the murderer was cuddling with my husband.
The nurse carefully brought out the baby, wrapped in a white cloth. I took the tiny body, and tears finally streamed down my face.
“Baby, Mama’s taking you home…”
Julian looked at me coldly. “Leave the child. We need an autopsy.”
13:35 Mon, 4 Aug A
<
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I clutched the baby tighter, stepping back. “No way!”
Vivian pulled on his arm. “Julian, let her go. Anyway, that child…”
“Shut up!”
I snapped my head up, my eyes burning with a desire to tear her apart. Vivian flinched,
startled, and hid behind Julian.
I clutched the baby close, retreating step by step. “Julian Hayes, from today on, we’re
done. We have nothing left between us.”
“See you at the courthouse at 2 PM.”
With that, I turned and ran towards the elevator. As the elevator doors closed, I couldn’t
hold it in anymore, collapsing to my knees. I hugged the baby’s cold body tightly, sobbing
uncontrollably.
Why… why did my only family leave me today?
