CHAPTER 200

CHAPTER 199
LILY POV

Ashley Cooper was lying on the bed to the right, her prominent belly under the hospital sheet, her blonde hair tied in a messy bun but still managing to look absurdly beautiful even in labor. Her parents were beside her — her mother holding her hand, her father pacing back and forth, nervous. When Ashley saw me, her eyes widened for a second. Then a slow, almost satisfied smile appeared on her lips.

“Lily…” she said, her voice hoarse but carrying that superior tone I knew so well. “What a surprise. Looks like our daughters are going to be born almost at the same time.”

I didn’t respond right away. My father squeezed my hand tighter. Samantha stiffened beside me.

Ashley tilted her head, touching her belly in an almost theatrical gesture.

“I’ve been in labor for a few hours. The contractions are really strong. And you? Did you just come for a check-up or are you jealous and came to watch me give birth?”

I swallowed hard. Anger, jealousy, and pain all rose at once.

“C-section,” I replied, my voice low but firm. “The doctor said it’s better to deliver early.”

Ashley blinked, surprised. Then an almost pitying smile appeared on her face.

“Poor thing. Must be hard, huh? Having to rush everything like this. I prefer to let it happen naturally. It’s more… real.”

Her parents exchanged uncomfortable glances. My father cleared his throat, visibly irritated.

“Every pregnancy is different,” Samantha said, trying to stay calm. “The important thing is that both babies are born healthy.”

Ashley nodded, but her eyes never left me. She watched me as if evaluating a rival.

“You’re way bigger than I imagined,” she commented, almost casually. “I barely gained any weight. People still ask me if I’m really pregnant. You… well, you’re very noticeable.”

I felt the blow. My whole body burned with humiliation. I knew I was bigger. I knew pregnancy had changed me. But hearing it from her, there, in the same room, hurt more than I wanted to admit.

“At least I don’t have to pretend I’m a runway model while pregnant,” I shot back, my voice shaking with anger. “Some of us don’t have time to keep up a perfect appearance while carrying a baby.”

Ashley let out a short, sharp laugh.

“Oh, Lily… always so bitter. I just take care of myself. You should try it too. For the baby’s sake, you know?”

My father stepped forward, his voice deep:

“Enough. Both of you. This isn’t a competition.”

But Ashley didn’t stop. She leaned forward slightly in bed, her eyes shining with something that looked like satisfaction.

“You know what’s funny? Everyone at school is still talking about you. They say you got pregnant by Aidan. Others think it was some random guy from school. No one imagines that… well, you know.”

I felt my blood boil. Her words cut me like knives.

“And you?” I fired back, my voice rising. “Everyone thinks you’re the perfect pregnant princess. But we both know the truth, don’t we? The father of your daughter doesn’t even know she exists. Doesn’t that bother you?”

Ashley turned red. For a second, I saw the mask slip. The vulnerability. The fear. But she recovered quickly.

“At least I know who the father of my baby is. Who’s the father of yours, Lily? Or haven’t you managed to decide yet?”

Samantha intervened, her voice sharp:

“Ashley, enough. This is neither the time nor the place.”

But I couldn’t hold back. Tears streamed down my face, mixed with rage.

“You have no idea what I’ve been through. What I’m still going through.”

Ashley opened her mouth to respond, but the nurse entered the room, interrupting the argument.

“Girls, let’s keep calm. This isn’t good for the babies.”

The silence that followed was tense. Ashley turned her face away, breathing deeply. I lay down on the bed, my body shaking, hand on my belly. Faith kicked hard, as if feeling my distress.

Samantha sat beside me, holding my hand.

“Breathe,” she whispered. “Don’t let her get to you. You’re doing the right thing. We’re here.”

My father stood protectively, looking at Ashley with a hard expression.

I closed my eyes, feeling the tears fall. Two girls. Same father. Same room. Same day.

And I still didn’t know if I was ready for this.



The shared room felt smaller than I had imagined, as if the walls were slowly closing in on us. The air was cold, thick with antiseptic and tension, and the constant beeping of the monitors filled the silence like a clock counting down to the inevitable. I lay on the bed on the left side, my belly heavy, my hands clammy with cold sweat. Next to me, Ashley Cooper was turning the moment into a true cinematic scene.

She moaned dramatically with every contraction, holding her belly with both hands, her face contorted in a pain that seemed rehearsed. Her blonde hair, even sweaty, still fell in perfect waves over her shoulders. The smudged makeup gave her the look of a tragic movie heroine. Her parents hovered around her — her mother holding her hand, her father pacing nervously. Ashley let out long, almost theatrical sighs, as if she wanted the whole world to know how much she was suffering.

“Oh, Mom… it hurts so much…” she groaned, her voice loud enough to echo through the room. “I don’t know if I can take it…”

I turned my face to the other side, feeling a mix of irritation and envy that consumed me inside. Ashley was in natural labor, living the moment like the climax of a soap opera. I, on the other hand, was about to be cut open in a scheduled surgery, without even getting to feel the contractions. Everything felt so… controlled. So cold.

Samantha was by my side, holding my hand firmly. My father paced in the corner of the room, his face tense, hands shoved in his coat pockets. None of us spoke much. The weight of the moment was too heavy.

The obstetrician entered the room a few minutes later, with a professional smile but attentive eyes. She was a middle-aged woman with her hair in a bun, her voice calm and authoritative.

“Good morning, girls. Let’s see how we’re doing today. Miss Cooper first.”

She approached Ashley’s bed, checked the monitors, and asked a few quick questions about the intensity of the contractions. Ashley answered with exaggerated moans, gripping her mother’s hand as if she were about to faint.

“You’re already dilated enough,” the doctor said. “We’re going to take you to the delivery room now. Who will be accompanying you?”

Ashley looked at her mother, who nodded immediately.

“My mom.”

The doctor noted something on her clipboard and turned to me. My heart raced. Samantha squeezed my hand tighter. My father stopped pacing and stood still, watching.

The doctor approached, applied the cold gel to my belly, and slid the ultrasound transducer. The screen lit up. Faith appeared, bigger, more defined, her heartbeat strong and steady. I felt a sob rise in my throat.

“Your blood pressure is a bit high,” the doctor commented, checking the machine. “Nothing out of the ordinary for the moment, but we’ll monitor it. Any pain or contractions?”

I shook my head.

“No… just fear.”

The doctor smiled gently.

“That’s normal. We’ll take it easy. The C-section is scheduled shortly.”

I swallowed hard, my voice coming out shaky:

“Doctor… is there any way to postpone it? Just one more day? I wanted… I wanted a little more time.”

The doctor looked at me with empathy but shook her head.

“Unfortunately, we can’t postpone it, Lily. Everything is already scheduled. The placenta isn’t functioning as it should. The risks of waiting are greater. It’s better for you and the baby.”

I felt the tears rising. Faith kicked hard, as if protesting.

“I know…” I murmured. “It’s just… it’s too soon.”

The doctor placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.

“I understand the fear. But you’re in good hands. We’re going to bring this little girl into the world safely.”

She finished the exam and turned to Samantha and my father.

“Who will be going into the operating room with Lily?”

My father looked at Samantha, then at me. His voice came out hoarse:

“It’s better if Samantha goes. I… I’ll wait in the waiting room.”

The doctor nodded and my father left the room. She turned back to me and said:

“Perfect. The nurse will prep you now. We’ll head to the operating room shortly.”

The nurse approached with the IV kit. I trembled as she inserted the needle into my hand. The pain was sharp and burning. I clenched my teeth, feeling my whole body tense. Samantha moved closer, holding my other hand.

“Don’t be afraid,” she whispered softly. “Everything is going to be okay.”

I looked at her, tears streaming down my face.

“It’s easy to say… I’m terrified. Not just of the birth. Of the future. Of what it’s going to be like when Faith is here. And you know… about Samuel. About everything.”

Samantha held my face with both hands, looking into my eyes.

“I know. And I promise you one thing, Lily. As soon as Faith is born, I’m going to tell Samuel everything. Everything. And you and Faith will go to Paris to be with him. As a family. Of course there’s the bureaucratic part — passport, documents… but the important thing is that you’ll be together. You deserve this.”

I felt the tears fall harder.

“And my dad? How are we going to handle him?”

Samantha smiled, kissing my forehead.

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll deal with your father. He’ll understand. He loves you.”

I got emotional, my voice breaking.

“Thank you, Samantha. You’ve been like a mother to me. Truly.”

Samantha smiled, her eyes watery.

“We’ll talk about that later. Right now, it’s time for Faith to come into the world.”

The nurse finished preparing everything. The monitors beeped, the IV was in place. I was shaking so much the bed seemed to vibrate.

“Everything’s ready,” the nurse said. “Let’s go to the operating room.”

I looked at Samantha one last time. She squeezed my hand.

“I’m with you. Always.”

I nodded, my heart pounding wildly.

I was wheeled down the hallway on a gurney, the white ceiling lights passing like flashes. My heart was beating so hard I could feel it in my throat. Faith moved, as if she sensed the moment had come.

When the doors to the operating room opened, the cold air conditioning hit me. The lights were bright and unforgiving. The team was ready, masked, waiting.

I closed my eyes, breathing deeply.

“I’m ready,” I whispered to myself.

But inside, I was still scared.

Scared of everything that would come after.