Chapter 2
When I woke up, Eloise was standing beside my bed, chattering away: “Hazel, thank goodness for you and Stephen. When I was carrying Stephen at Christmas, how could I have afforded a C-section at such a nice hospital like this! If John knew, he’d be so happy.”
I realized I had been reborn, back to the day when Eloise and I were both scheduled for C-sections.
Perhaps the hatred in my eyes was too obvious, because Eloise froze for a moment and asked cautiously, “Hazel, what’s Wrong?”
Stephen, who had been cheering me on from the side, also spoke up with concern: “Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?”
Although hatred was surging in my heart at that moment, after all, nothing had happened yet.
I thought for a moment, speculating that the baby swap must have taken place immediately after the C-section was completed.
Because the hospital had arranged private rooms afterward, it would be difficult for her to find another opportunity.
I suppressed my emotions, composed myself, and smiled at Eloise: “We’re family, after all. The baby in your belly is Stephen’s little brother. You’re taking such a big risk to bring
him into this world – it’s only right that we take care of you!”
Then I turned to Stephen and said softly, “Stephen, I need to use the restroom. Could you come with me? Let Eloise go to the delivery room first.”
Stephen didn’t suspect anything and helped me up to walk to the bathroom.
Along the way, Eloise kept staring at my belly, her eyes filled with determination.
After hearing the nurse outside call for Eloise to enter the delivery room, I immediately grabbed Stephen’s hand and said, “Stephen, I think what they say online makes sense. I don’t want a C-section anymore. Let’s wait until full term and have a natural birth instead!”
Stephen looked confused: “Didn’t you say before that you wanted to have the C-section with Mom? So you two could keep each other company?”
I felt disgusted.
If it weren’t for Eloise constantly whispering in my ear that natural birth was much more painful than C-sections and carried the risk of difficult labor, I never would have listened to her and agreed to have a C-section on the same day as her.
I couldn’t directly tell Stephen that I had been reborn – that
would be too absurd.
I also didn’t dare try to switch the babies back after delivery, fearing that Eloise might harm the child again.
The safest approach right now was to separate our deliveries, so she wouldn’t have the chance to swap the babies.
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Besides, my due date was still early – I had only moved it up to give birth on the same day as her.
Although Stephen was puzzled, he still agreed to my request.
After some complications, I finally left the hospital.
On the way home, I ordered several cameras online, just in case.
However, as soon as I reached the front door, I was stunned.
“Eloise, here’s the nutritious meal I just prepared. Please try it.” Emma Hill, the nanny Stephen had hired to take care of me, was now enthusiastically serving Eloise dinner.
And Eloise’s belly was still prominently rounded – she obviously hadn’t given birth yet.
