CHAPTER 55 - A sudden surge of panic

The sound of the machines beeping erratically seemed to fill the room, pressing against my chest like a physical weight. My heart pounded faster in sync, the sharp pain shooting through my lower back making it hard to breathe, harder still to think. The room felt suffocating, the sterile air thick with tension.

I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. Jayden’s signature was the only thing standing between me and the possibility of saving my baby. But where was he? Why hadn’t he come yet? The doctor’s words echoed in my mind, and I could hardly hear anything over the roaring in my ears. We need his approval to proceed...

“Jayden…” I whispered again, my voice shaking. “Please…”

I felt the tears well up in my eyes, but I couldn’t let them fall. Not now. The doctor kept glancing at his watch, and the urgency in the room became almost unbearable. I could feel the weight of every second as it passed. How long could I hold on?

“Call him, Daphne,” Grace urged, her voice tight with concern. “He has to be here. You can’t do this alone.”

My hand shook as I reached for my phone, the screen glowing dimly in the dim light of the room. I dialed Jayden’s number, my fingers trembling with fear. The phone rang once, twice... three times. My heart sank. No answer.

The door swung open abruptly, and a nurse rushed in. “Doctor, we’re losing her vitals! We can’t wait any longer!”

I felt a sudden surge of panic, my breath hitching in my throat as the doctor turned to me, his face grim. “Daphne, we need a decision now. Your baby’s life is at risk.”

Suddenly, the door flew open again, and Jayden rushed in, his expression one of pure panic. He was breathless, as if he had been running for miles. His eyes locked with mine, and for a moment, there was nothing but silence.

“I’m here,” he said, his voice hoarse. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”

The doctor turned to him. “We need your signature to proceed with the emergency C-section. It’s the only way to save the baby.”

Jayden didn’t hesitate. He immediately signed the consent form and handed it to the doctor, his face pale. But I could see the fear in his eyes. The guilt.

Everything was happening too fast. The room was spinning as I felt the coolness of the operating table against my back, my body going limp, exhausted by the pain and the fear.

The last thing I remembered before slipping into unconsciousness was Jayden’s face, his eyes filled with regret, his hand gripping mine as they prepared for the procedure.

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I awoke with a jolt, my body aching, every part of me heavy and disoriented. My chest rose and fell erratically as I gasped for air, the panic quickly setting in once I realized where I was—hospital room, IV in my arm, machines humming softly around me.

"Where’s my baby?" The words spilled out of my mouth before I could stop them, a desperate plea. "Where's my child?"

Grace’s face appeared, her hand gently resting on my arm. “You’re awake. You’re okay, Daphne. The baby’s okay. They’ve put the baby in the incubator. They’re monitoring them closely.”

The words barely registered. I blinked rapidly, trying to focus on Grace's reassuring words, but my body ached too much. I shifted slightly, only to be met with a sharp pain in my stomach. I gasped in surprise.

“That’s from the C-section,” Grace explained softly. “You passed out before they could finish the procedure. You’ve been out for a while.”

I nodded weakly, trying to process everything that had happened. The fear, the helplessness, the pain… It felt like I was still trapped in some kind of nightmare.

The door opened once again, and this time, it was Jayden’s mother, his icy presence filling the room. She walked in with a calculated air, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in the scene.

“Daphne, may I speak with you alone?” she asked, her tone cold but not unkind.

I frowned, confused, but Grace gave me a small, supportive smile. “I’ll be right outside,” she said, before stepping out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Jayden’s mother sat down beside the bed, her eyes sharp and calculating. “I don’t know if you’re aware, but I’ve taken the liberty of acquiring some samples for a DNA test,” she began, her voice low but clear.

A sudden wave of dread washed over me. I tried to sit up, but the pain in my stomach forced me to stay still. “A DNA test?” I asked, my voice shaky. “What… what are you saying?”

She leaned forward, her gaze never leaving mine. “I’ll make this very clear, Daphne. If you are trying to pin this child on my son, you’d better think very carefully. I will not hesitate to ruin your family, wipe you from the social ladder if I have to. You have no idea what I’m capable of.”

I felt the blood drain from my face, my hands shaking as I fought to stay calm. I wanted to stand up, to argue, but the pain was too much, and my body refused to cooperate.

“I… I want to see my child,” I begged, my voice raw. “Please. I need to see my baby.”

Grace entered just in time, gently urging me to lie back down. “You need to rest, Daphne. You’ve just gone through a major procedure.”

“Grace, what's wrong with my baby? What happened to my baby? Where's my baby? Why is no one answering?" 

“Daphne your baby is alright just rest, okay?" 

But I couldn’t rest. Not when my baby was somewhere in the hospital, fighting for survival. “No, please!” I cried out, desperate. “I need to see my baby.”

Just then, the door opened again, and Jayden walked in, holding a piece of paper in his hand. His face was pale, his shoulders slumped, and the look in his eyes, guilt, sorrow, and something else I couldn’t quite place, made my heart stop.

“I’m so sorry,” he murmured, his voice thick. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I'm sorry I…”

But before I could respond, I noticed the paper in his hand, and my stomach twisted with fear. Something about the way he was holding it, the way his eyes avoided mine, it made me feel like something was terribly wrong with my child.

“Jayden what's wrong with my baby? Tell me what's wrong with my child? Why aren't they letting me see my child?" 

Without thinking, I tried to push myself up, the sudden movement sending a sharp, searing pain through my abdomen. My wound pulled open, and I gasped in agony, clutching at my stomach.

“Daphne!” Jayden rushed to my side, panic flooding his face. “What are you doing? You need to lie down!”

But it was too late. The pain was too much, but I ignored it. I wanted to know how my child was doing, how my little baby was doing. 

And all I could think about was the baby, the child who might be slipping further and further away from me, fighting for her life without me.