Chapter i344 /i

Time flew by.

On the day Xylia was due to give birth, everyone from both the Sadler and Garcia families were waiting at the hospital.

For the first time ever, Leon took time off from filming and, after a long journey out of the mountains, finally arrived at Capital City Hospital.

After wrapping up a gig, Mia Monroc also rushed over to Jupiton.

She arrived before Leon.

Wearing a mask, she kept a low profile by the hospital’s back entrance.

When Leon finally showed up, Mia rushed up to him, grabbed his arm, and hustled him inside.

“What took you so long? Xylia’s already been taken into the operating room,” Mia said anxiously.

“What?” Leon stared at Mia, eyes wide in disbelief, as if he just heard the worst news.

“I was only stuck in traffic for ten minutes, and she’s already in the delivery room?” Leon blurted out.

“You think having a baby is some kind of game? Move it! If you keep dawdling, Xylia will have the baby and her uncle won’t even be here,” Mia said, dragging Leon along.

Leon let Mia pull him, heading straight for the maternity ward.

All four of the Sadlers brothers were already there, with Rosalind Webb standing next to Kaden, her worried gaze glued to the operating room doors.

Their faces were grim.

Leon felt a knot form in his stomach.

He walked over with Mia and asked, “Why is everyone looking so grim? Did something happen to Xylia?”

Before anyone could respond, Leon got smacked upside the head.

Mia just coolly withdrew her hand, staring deadpan at Leon’s eyes, now red from pain and surprise.

“Don’t jinx it,” she said tly.

Leon pouted, silently feeling wronged.

He caught the others shooting daggers at him as well.

Leon sulked even harder, feeling seriously picked on.

b10:12 /bFri, Oct 3

A 200

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Eliza chimed in at just the right moment. “Xylia’s prenatal checkups were all perfect. The doctor said there’s really nothing to worry about.”

Cyrus Sadler still maintained his usual reserved, serious demeanor.

He frowned, pushing his sses up the bridge of his nose.

“Giving birth is always risky. We can’t take it lightly,” Cyrus said.

Kaden nodded along, while Hudson clenched his fists.

“If anything dangerous happens, we protect the mom first!” Hudson blurted out.

Before he could even finish, several handsnded on his head, even harder than the smack Leon got carlier.

“Don’t jinx it!” Cyrus, Kaden, and Rosalind shouted in unison.

Leon slipped back over to Mia and lightly shook her hand.

“You’re so nice to me,” he said, putting on his sweetest voice.

Compared to his brothers, Mia’s p was nothing at all.

Mia rolled her eyes, not even bothering to answer.

Aaron and Eliza shared a nce, both wearing helpless smiles.

Inside the operating room, Xylia wasn’t a first–time mom.

This time, everything went more smoothly than she’d imagined.

As soon as the baby was born and let out a loud cry, Xylia,pletely spent, slipped right into a deep sleep.

When Xylia woke up again, the room was packed with people crowding around her bedside.

Rosalind stood nearby, cradling the baby, while the Sadler brothers fussed quietly over the little one.

“This little girl’s all wrinkly. She’s pretty ugly,” Hudson grumbled.

Xylia recognized Hudson’s trademark bluntness instantly.

Before he could finish, Kaden socked him right in the head.

“If you can’t say anything nice, then zip it! This little girl is way cuter than you ever were as a baby,” Kaden snapped.

Hudson grumbled, “Come on, Kaden, you’re only six years older than me. How would you even remember what I looked like as a newborn?”

“Trust me, I remember exactly what Cyrus looked like when he was born–and you too,” Kaden shot back with a smirk.

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Cyrus was speechless, looking a bit put out.

Just two years younger than Kaden… Cyrus thought to himself, exasperated.

Mia caught sight of Xylia waking up first, quickly nudging people aside to get to her bedside.

“You’re awake–how do you feel?” Mia asked.

Mia’s voice was soft and gentle as she spoke, concern clear for Xylia.

Eliza, carrying a ss of water, walked over to Xylia’s bedside with a caring look.

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“Are you hungry? I asked the housekeeper to make a little in porridge–do you feel like having some?” Eliza offered.

Xylia nced around at everyone gathered by her bedside.

Then it hit her–Joshua’s not here, Xylia realized, her heart sinking.

Her eyes suddenly turned red, fighting back tears.

Everyone nearby panicked, scared something was wrong with her.

Cyrus was the first to rush over, worry etched on his face. “Are you hurting anywhere? Second Brother will go get the doctor,” he blurted out, barely waiting for an answer.

Cyrus dashed out of the room.

Xylia broke down and started crying.

“Oh no, howe you’re crying right after having the baby?” Eliza fussed, flustered as she reached over to gently dab Xylia’s tears away.

“If anything hurts, tell Mom, okay? Please don’t scare me like this,” Eliza choked out, her worry written all over her face.

Eliza’s own eyes were rimmed red, clearly on the verge of tears too.

Mia lifted the nket and checked underneath. No bleeding–she finally let herself breathe easy.

Xylia clutched Eliza’s hand tightly.

“Mom… I just dreamed of Joshua…” Xylia choked out, her voice trembling.

As soon as she spoke, the room went dead silent.

Eliza was the first who couldn’t help but let out a quiet sob.

But she quickly got herself together and pulled Xylia into aforting embrace, gently rubbing her back to soothe her.

10:12 Fri, Oct b3 /b

“Xylia. Mom’s right here. I’m not going anywhere… Eliza whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

Rosalind came over, baby in her arms, giving Xylia a soft, reassuring look.

“Xylia, look–the baby you and Joshua made together. Isn’t she absolutely precious?” Rosalind said warmly.

Xylia turned toward Rosalind’s gentle voice and looked over.

The baby was still a bit wrinkled, eyes shut tight as she slept soundly.

Her heart warmed as she realized–this was the little girl she and Joshua had brought into the world.

Xylia wiped away her tears and gently took the baby in her arms.

The baby was so tiny, barely even a weight in Xylia’s arms, yet her gentle warmth spread through Xylia, melting away all the heaviness in her heart.

Atst, Xylia managed a real smile, her lips curving up as relief finally settled in.

Eliza quietly turned aside, brushing away her tears so no one would see.

Aaron handed Eliza a tissue without saying a word, his movements careful and gentle.

Cyrus hurried back with the doctor in tow.

Gem

After giving Xylia a quick check–up and confirming she was perfectly fine, the doctor just reminded her to rest up and then headed out.

“Try not to get too emotional, okay? It’s not good for your body right now,” the doctor said, sounding genuinely concerned.

Xylia nodded in agreement.

Rosalind settled next to the bed, watching Xylia cradle the baby with all the tenderness of a mother in her

eyes.

“Have you picked a name yet?” Rosalind asked softly.

Xylia paused for a moment, caught off guard.

Then she looked up at Eliza and Aaron, who were standing nearby.

“Dad, Mom, why don’t you guys pick a name for her?” Xylia suggested, looking up at them.

Joshua used to swear up and down that he never wanted kids, so they’d never once talked about baby names.

Not even in their most tender moments did the idea of having a child evere up—not even as a fleeting hope for me, Xylia thought wryly.

Xylia gave a soft, helpless littleugh, her expression tinged with bittersweet resignation. fn27c7 Checktest chapters at find{n}ovel/fn27c7

10:12 Fri, Oct b3 /b

Joshua was always so ridiculous about having kids—he swore up and down he’d never want one, Xylia thought, unable to help a wry smile.

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And yet, after leaving so suddenly, he ended up giving me the one thing that really keeps him in my life, she mused, her heart a swirl of emotions.

Honestly, he never changed–always such a troublemaker, even after he’s gone, Xylia couldn’t help but grumble inwardly, her tone equal parts fond and frustrated.

Aaron looked at Xylia and said, “You’re the baby’s mom. You should pick the name.

Xylia’s mind was just too foggy to think of any names, so she decided to put it off for now and let the decision

wait.

After hanging around the hospital room for a while, the four Sadler brothers decided it was time to head back to the hotel.

They would’ve loved to stick around longer, but Xylia needed her rest, so they reluctantly made their exit.

As they were leaving, an ambnce pulled up in a hurry.

Several people hurriedly carried in a man drenched in blood, while a woman rushed in after the doctors, almost tripping in her panic.

“Joshua, you can’t leave me! Please, hang in there!” she cried out, her voice shaking.

Everyone at the hospital was used to scenes like this–life–and–death dramas yed out every day. People barely blinked; there was only a fleeting sense of pity for whichever poor soul was fighting for their life.

As Kaden was heading out, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He nced back at the emergency elevator, its doors having just slid shut, a deep frown settling on his face.

‘Why does that woman’s back look so familiar?‘ Kaden wondered, a nagging sense of déjà vu tugging at him.

Rosalind, noticing him pause, asked quietly, “What’s wrong?”

Kaden snapped out of it and shook his head.

“Forget it. Let’s go,” he said, waving off the weird feeling.

Noelle was leaning against the wall outside the emergency room, her hands covered in blood, looking utterly haunted.

Her eyes were ssy and distant, almost as if her mind had left her body.

She couldn’t stop reying the scene of Joshua getting struck by that car–over and over, it tortured her.

‘No, he’s not going to die. I went through so much just to keep him by my side–he can’t die… he just can’t…‘ Noelle muttered to herself, clinging desperately to that hope.