Agh... agh... agh...
In the delivery room of the obstetrics department at the international general hospital, the woman's painful screams, the midwife's voice encouraging the mother to push one more time, and then finally, the cry of a baby rang out, making the mother's heart clench, but also overflowing with boundless happiness. All the pain was worth it upon seeing the tiny body in the midwife's arms.
She gasped:
"Doctor... doctor... my baby..."
The midwife smiled gently, bringing the baby closer for the mother to see its face, and said to her:
"It's a boy. 3.2 kg. Mother, rest assured and get some rest. After the umbilical cord is cut, we'll do skin-to-skin contact."
The mother smiled contentedly.
Four hours later, she was moved to a private room in the post-natal ward, where a nurse cared for her and the baby.
Three days later, outside the hospital room, a man pressed a button to make a phone call:
"CEO, Young Madam... has given birth..."
Elsewhere, the man in a black suit sat in a luxurious Mercedes Benz E300, one hand holding the phone to his ear, the other rubbing his temples, his eyes tightly shut.
He only grunted in response to the call.
A long while later, he finally opened his eyes and made another call.
Listening to the report from the other end, the corner of his lips curled up.
Hanging up the phone, he said to his driver:
"To the hospital."
"Yes, sir."
—
In the private room of the obstetrics department, Tian Bao pushed open the door and stood there, looking at the baby placed beside the woman, who was lying on her side, facing inwards, her back to him.
He silently watched her back for a long time.
His gaze was complex, his brows furrowed for a moment before he spoke to his assistant behind him:
"Xiao Long. You go outside first. Guard the door for me, don't let anyone in, not even the doctors. Understand?"
"Yes, sir."
Xiao Long acknowledged and quickly went out, closing the door behind him.
Left alone with the woman and her baby, Tian Bao gently approached the bed.
The woman on the bed still showed no reaction, as if she were fast asleep.
Tian Bao smirked, and quickly picked up the baby from the bed:
"If I kill this child right now, will you hate me, An Nhien?"
He knew she was pretending to sleep, so he deliberately spoke a little louder.
Indeed, his guess was correct.
As soon as she heard this, An Nhien quickly suppressed her pain and sat up abruptly:
"Tian Bao, you're insane! He's your son, your son! How could you bear to kill your own child?"
An Nhien screamed, her voice hoarse.
Never had her cries been so sorrowful and agonizing.
Tears streamed from the corners of her eyes, her heart ached incessantly, her gaze never leaving the child in his arms.
"My child? Ha... ha... ha... How ridiculous! An Nhien, don't even think about deceiving me. I will never believe a word you say. Who is the bastard you finally created this illegitimate child with?"
Tian Bao glared at her, his eyes filled with hatred.
His hand tightened, and the child screamed.
An Nhien felt her heart clench in pain. Her child...
"Tian Bao, I am not as vile as you. The baby is yours. He truly is your son. I swear to heaven. Please, don't hurt him. Don't hurt him!"
Tears blurring her vision, An Nhien wanted to rush forward and snatch her child from his arms, but her strength failed her. She stood up from the bed, took a few steps, and then collapsed onto the floor.
Tian Bao sneered:
"This bastard child, worthy of being my son? I will kill him right in front of you. Consider this the mildest punishment I can give you. So you will remember it for the rest of your life."
"No, don't... No, don't..."
Please give me back my child, you mustn't harm it. Are you even human? It's a life, too.
Give me back my child.
I'm begging you...
An Nhien, in agony, crawled on the floor, reaching out to clutch his ankle.
The child was hers and his.
He didn't want to acknowledge it, but she would.
She could raise it alone, that's all she needed.
Why had he become so inhumane?
Tian Bao shoved her aside with his foot, his hands clenched. The child's cries rang out again, fading until they fell silent.
An Nhien watched the scene, her heart choking with anguish, her cries choked in her throat, only able to continuously beg:
"Tian Bao, please stop!"
"I beg you, give me back my child..."
My child...
"No!..."
"Don't... You're not a... human."
Give me back my child...
Tian Bao's eyes were bloodshot, and veins bulged on his hands.
When he placed the small, still, lifeless body of their child into her hands, An Nhien clutched the child to her chest, screaming in agony before collapsing unconscious.
Tian Bao reached out and took the baby from her embrace, then called out to Xiao Long, who was outside, and handed the child to him to take away.
He carried An Nhien to the bed, then pressed the button to call a doctor, looked at her face one last time before quickly stepping out.