Chapter 53

"Why do I feel like this?" I asked again, this time in a louder voice. But no one answered, only silence enveloped the room.

I stared out of the window, seeing the vast, cold shadow of the headquarters. In my heart, I knew that I couldn't stay silent. I had to find the answer, even though I didn't know what exactly I was looking for.

I was still sitting on the bed, trying to unravel the emptiness in my mind. Ever since I woke up, everything felt strange. My memory seemed to be disturbed, there was something important that I couldn't remember, but I didn't know what it was.

My body still felt weak, but the pain in my stomach was starting to subside. I touched my stomach slowly, trying to find some comfort. But the emotional pain was greater than anything I felt physically.

The door to the room opened, and a group of alien health professionals entered with their complicated and unfamiliar-looking equipment. Their faces were serious, there was no smile or greeting that could calm me down a little.

One of them, who seemed to be the leader of the group, approached and looked at me with a flat expression. "Lana," he said in a firm tone, but quite quietly. "We have come to perform a curettage procedure."

I froze, my eyes widening. "What do you mean?" I asked in a trembling voice.

"The foetus inside you cannot be saved," he continued without hesitation. "Its condition is endangering your body. This procedure must be performed immediately to ensure your health is maintained."

One of the other aliens came over and held my hand to keep me from struggling. "You must accept this fact. We are only clarifying this information so that we can perform the curettage process. Please remain co-operative so that we can carry out the procedure properly."

I felt the whole world collapsing around me. "No... no way," I whispered, my voice breaking halfway through. "This foetus can still be saved! You're wrong!"

The alien seemed unfazed by my reaction. "We've checked everything, Lana. We are confident in our diagnosis. This catastrophe is because the impact if you keep your foetus will be very dangerous for your health in the future. You need to keep your uterus intact so that it can be reused for the next fertilisation process in accordance with Mr Zask's will."

And I felt very sick hearing that of course my anger was so high. They only thought about their goals without considering feelings or anything else. Even though what they said was the truth, it still felt very painful if I had to give up my foetus.

I bit my lip, trying to contain my mounting emotions. Tears began to stream down my cheeks. "You don't understand!" I cried. "I won't let you do it! This foetus... my child... can still be saved!"

Several aliens exchanged glances, but remained silent. They seemed to be gearing up with their equipment, as if what I said had no meaning.

"I'm sorry, but we can't agree to your wishes because we have to carry out our procedures according to what has been established. Just entrust everything to us and we will do it painlessly."

"Stop!" I shouted, trying to get up from the bed despite my weak body. "I won't let you touch my son!"

One of the aliens tried to come over to calm me down, but I brushed his hand away. I felt like a cornered animal, and I wasn't going to let them do this.

"If you don't listen to me, I'll complain to Zask!" I threatened in a voice full of anger. "He won't let you do this without my permission!"

However, before I could say anything further, a familiar heavy voice echoed in the room. "Lana, I authorised it."

I turned my head quickly, and there stood Zask. His face was cold, but there was something in his eyes that I couldn't understand, a mixture of disappointment and firmness.

"What?" I whispered, hardly believing what I had just heard.

"This procedure had to be done," he said, stepping closer to me. "Your foetus is in no condition to be saved. I won't put you in danger just because you're stubborn."

My tears flowed even harder. "You're not trying, Zask! You just gave up! You don't love this baby!"

He let out a long breath, his voice getting lower but still firm. "Lana, I love this baby. I love you, too. But reality is not on our side. This foetus can't survive, and I'm not going to lose you either."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "You lied!" I shouted, my voice breaking with pain and anger. "If you really cared, you would have found another way! You would have done whatever it took to save this baby!"

Zask's face hardened. "You're the one disobeying my orders, Lana," he retorted coldly. "I warned you to stay in your room and not wander around the base. If you had listened to me, none of this would have happened."

He sighed and continued speaking again. "If you had been more careful and not done things perfectly then none of this would have happened and the foetus could still be preserved. You have to let the foetus go, be realistic."

His words stabbed me like a knife. I fell silent, unable to say anything. My body shook with emotions too great for me to express.

"It's not my fault," I whispered softly, but even I wasn't sure of my own words.

Zask didn't answer. He just looked at me with a look in his eyes that was hard to interpret, then signalled the medical aliens to continue.

"No! No!" I shouted again, trying to resist, but my body was too weak to fight them.

One of the aliens inserted a sedative through my IV, and slowly my consciousness began to fade.

I tried to raise my hands, trying to say something, but my words didn't come out. My eyes began to feel heavy, and slowly my vision darkened.

In the last moment before I lost consciousness, I saw Zask standing beside me, his face remained cold but his eyes... there was something there that I couldn't decipher.