bChapter /bb211 /b

    It waste into the night at the Obstetrics and Gynecology hospital in Yarrowmere. It seemed as if a huge chasm had bopened /bbup /bin the sky, unleashing torrential rain that scoured the world below until it gleamed with an unsettling rityb, /bba /bscene both otherworldly and strange.

    In the delivery room on the second floor, Willow had been lying on the delivery bed, breathing in and out steadily under the medical staff’s instructionsb, /bpushing with all her might to give birth to her babies.

    It was around 12:00 am when Willow’s water broke, and almost immediately, the first baby began to enter the birth canal. It was past the point for a C–section by the time they arrived at the hospital, leaving her with no choice but to deliver both babies naturally.

    It was thundering outside while Willow was lying on the delivery bed, her bodypletely drenched in sweat. Heather remained by Willow’s side, holding her hand firmly and repeatedly calling out hier name, offering her physical and emotional support. She was incredibly worriedb, /bunderstanding tha, childbirth was a life–threatening experience for a woman. Timothy, taking precautions, had already organized a private jet to fly Dorothy to Yarrowmere. He was at the airport, awaiting hernding, though the torrential rain that night left him uncertain about the flight’s on–time departure.

    Heather was very worried as well.

    Under the blinding light of the delivery room, Willow’s face glistened with fine sweat. Her breathing came in ragged gasps as she battled the intense pain of childbirth. Though she could feel the baby being pushed out of her and the distinct feeling of its vitality, the pain was so intense it made her feel faint and disoriented.

    In her pain–induced delirium, Willow seemed to hear Grace’s voice, gently reciting a familiar poem from her childhood close to her ear, saying, “The sky is bright, and the moon so high. And precious Willow’s sleep drew nigh.

    “Morpheus, will you spare her from your woes? Precious Willow sleeps below.

    “Soon she’ll rise, into a tall girl will she grow.”

    Willow blinked weakly, tears spilling from the corners of her eyes before letting out an involuntary, strained cry, yelling,” Grandma! I’m in so much pain right now! Where are you, Grandma?”

    It was then that she cried out again with even greater intensity–it was the raw expression ofbor as the baby fought its way down.

    There was a sudden burst of hurried footsteps echoing outside the delivery room–Julian had finally arrived.

    Laura, who had been waiting outside the delivery, saw Julian and Mnie approaching and remarked coldly, “I guess you do have a sliver of decency left in you toe over here. I thought you’d be fast asleep at home,”

    Mnie set aside her pride and cautiously inquired about Willow’s situation.

    Laura wasn’t in the mood for taunts, so after a brief silenceb, /bshe said softly, “If it were under normal circumstances, Willow would have delivered both babies without any issue. Yet, due to that incident, her body was harmed, causing the baby boy inside of her to not develop properly. In the end, Willow had to risk everything to carry him to term. I meanb, /bwe still don’t know what the baby’s condition will be once he’s born.” 1

    Julian’s eyes welled up with tears. He stood before the delivery room door with his forehead pressed against the cool ss, listening to Willow’s soul–wrenching cries. It was then, amidst those cries of agony, that he couldn’t help but think back to that year when she had cramps in her lower abdomen. She had held his hand back then with tears streaming down her face as she whispered, “I’m scared, Julian.”

    He couldn’t help but think that Willow must have been just as frightened now as she was then!

    Having that thought in mind, Julian stated softly, “I’ll go in and stay with her.”

    Laura murmured, “Her mother’s in there with her. You should just stay put and wait here.”

    Mnie, with tears in her eyesb, /bsaid, “You shouldn’t agitate Willow now, Julian. You should just let her concentrate on delivering the children.”

    Julian rested his fist against the door as he stared at the fogged ss, the movement in his throat betraying his inner turmoil.

    It wasn’t long before Esther hurried to the hospital. She had also managed to mobilize the medical resources in Yarrowmere, having transferred almost the entire supply of Rh–negative blood from the blood bank to the hospital.

    That night felt interminable, with Willow’s piercing cries and tears apanied by the relentlessbor pains. Though drenched in sweat, she felt as though she were burning alive. In her hazy state, she seemed to drift into a dream.

    In her dreamb, /bscenes from the past danced before her eyes–the lollipop from her childhood, the beef stew with cabbage that Grace used to make, and the vibrant sunset clouds over the river that evening. In her dreamb, /bGrace rode toward her in a white, goldced carriage, looking as graceful as a crane in flight. She tried to reach out to her as she passed by, only to hear Grace chuckle and say, “I have to go nowb, /bso you shouldn’t hold me up anymore, Willow.”

    Willow’s face was wet with tears. She cried out for Grace, but Grace kept going, never looking back.

    It was then that a nurse eximed with urgencyb, /b“It’s a code red–the patient is experiencing a severe hemorrhage!”

    There was a torrent of blood pouring from between Willow’s legs, staining a wide area of the delivery bed sheets crimson.

    Having heard that, the obstetrician, Maria Mahoney, directed calmly, “Get a blood transfusion started for the patient right away

    we have to stabilize her blood pressure.”

    Having said that, she leaned close to Willow’s ears and whispered, ‘You have nothing to worry about since there’s plenty of blood avable in the hospital. You just need to stay strong and believe that we’ll be able to deliver your baby safely.”

    ジ