Chapter 83

IVAN’S POV

I stood frozen at the reception desk with my fists clenched as the wheels squeaking down the hallway echoed in my head. 

The memories of Anna screaming and the heavy bleeding flashed in my head. Was she going to be okay? Was my baby going to make it? The thought of losing my baby made me furious.

The doctor came back out not long after. He looked around and then asked, “Where’s her husband?”

Nolan’s mom stepped forward quickly. “He’s not around. Is everything okay with Anna and the baby?”

The doctor looked down at the chart in his hands and sighed. “She’s 32 weeks along, which means the baby isn’t fully developed. But, the real issue is that she’s experiencing a placental abruption, which means the placenta is separating from the uterine wall before delivery. That’s what caused the bleeding and the pain.”

Nolan’s mother gasped, stunned into silence.

"Is that... dangerous?" Anna’s mother asked.

“It can be. That’s why we have to perform an emergency C-section immediately. The baby is in distress and we don’t have much time. If we don’t act quickly, the risks increase for both Anna and the baby.” 

“Will the baby be okay if you do the operation?" I asked as I stepped forward. 

“We’re confident we can manage the situation,” the doctor said. “But we need to get started immediately to keep the chances high.”

Anna’s mother took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. “Then do it. Please, save them both.”

Before the doctor left, he turned around. “Please get her husband available. We’ll proceed with the plan and I’ll check back in once the surgery is done."

The doctor gave a quick nod and disappeared down the corridor.

I sank into one of the chairs in the waiting area with my elbows on my knees, hands clasped tightly.

My chest ached. Not just from worry.

That baby is mine, but the doctor asked of Nolan instead.

And if anything happened to the baby…

No. I couldn’t let that happen. I had to get my baby before Nolan’s family laid claim. 

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I glanced at the screen and excused myself from the reception. I stepped into the empty consultation room next to the reception desk before answering.

Antonio.

I shut the door behind me and picked up. “Talk.”

“We got him,” Antonio said, no preamble. “He’s locked up, but I need to know what our next move is.”

I stared at the floor for a moment. “Kill him.”

“Are you sure?” Antonio asked. “You don’t wanna see him first? I could rough him up real nice. Have him screaming for hours until you get back.”

“No,” I said coldly. “I’ve got more important things to deal with. Finish him. Burn the body. Make it clean.”

Antonio gave a low whistle. “You got it, boss. I’ll send you confirmation pictures when it’s done.”

I ended the call.

I stood still for a moment, letting the thought of Nolan not being in Anna and my child’s life anymore calm me. Then I slipped the phone into my pocket and walked back into the reception area. I resumed my seat and waited.

One hour into the operation, a nurse burst through the doors and we all jumped to our feet.

“Is the father of the baby back?” she asked in a hurry.

Nolan’s mother frowned. “No, he’s not. Why? Is something wrong?”

The nurse nodded slightly. “The baby is in need of blood. She isn’t getting enough oxygen.”

“What about Anna’s blood?” Anna’s mother asked.

“She’s lost too much already,” the doctor said. “It’d be too risky to draw more from her.”

Anna’s mother stepped away quickly, pulling out her phone as she moved to the hallway.

“I’ll do it,” I said suddenly, stepping forward. “Test me.”

The nurse turned, raising a brow. “And you are?”

“I’m her bodyguard,” I replied.

Nolan’s mother stared at me, her voice sharp. “Why would your blood match the baby’s?”

I gave a small shrug. “There’s a chance.”

The nurse hesitated, eyes narrowing. “Fine. Come with me.”

She led me down the corridor and into a small side room where a nurse had already begun preparing the equipment, “We’ll take a quick sample and run it. If you’re a match, we’ll draw what we need.”

“Do it,” I said.

Within minutes, the sample was taken and I cleaned my hands and returned to the waiting area where Anna’s mother had come back in and sat beside Nolan’s mother, both looking worried.

Five minutes later, the nurse returned.

“You’re a match,” she said, looking at me. “We’ll need two pints. Are you still willing?”

I was already getting up. “Sure.”

She took me to the donation suite and hooked me up, my mind focused on only one thing, my daughter.

When they were done drawing blood, I looked up at the nurse and asked, “Can I see her? The baby.”

The nurse glanced at the door and then back at me.

“She’s in the NICU and only the parents are allowed in.”

“I just donated blood to save her,” I said in a low voice. “I won’t go in. Just let me see her through the glass or something.”

The nurse sighed but eventually nodded. “Fine. I’ll take you to see her, but only for a few minutes.”

She led me down the sterile hallway, past glass doors, to a small window. “There,” the nurse said, pointing.

I moved closer to the window and saw my fragile baby girl in a small incubator, wrapped in soft pink blankets. Her skin looked delicate, and her breaths were shallow but steady.

I pressed a hand lightly against the glass. “You’re mine, my precious Maya,” I whispered.

I stood there for a while admiring her before I walked back to the reception. 

The same nurse caught up with me before I took my seat. “Anna’s awake,” she said. “You can see her now.”

I nodded and walked down the hallway to her private room. 

As I entered the room, I looked around and she was the only one there. She looked pale and tired but sat up as I entered the room.

“Well done Anna,” I said as I walked towards her bed. “You did such a great job with our baby girl.”

She looked at me with tears welling in her eyes. “What the hell did you do?” she snapped, her voice coming out weak.

I took a step closer, “Relax. I just took care of my child. Have you seen her? She’s so beautiful.” I said, a smile tugging at my lips.

Her eyes widened. “She’s not yours!” she yelled, her voice cracking. “She’s Nolan’s child!”

"That's funny... because the blood results say otherwise.”

“No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “That’s not possible. We were only together twice, Ivan. It can’t be…”

“Accept it, Anna, she is mine,”  I said firmly.

She opened her mouth to speak again, but her eyes darted behind me, and her face turned pale.

I turned to see what she was looking at.

The door was open.

And there, standing in the doorway, was Nolan.