Chapter 13 — The Night Emily Almost Lost Her Baby
Chapter 13 — The Night Emily Almost Lost Her Baby
The gunshot echoed through the clinic.
Emily screamed.
Adrian grabbed her and pulled her behind a concrete pillar.
“Stay down!”
Raymond drew his weapon.
Daniel dropped beside Emily.
“Are you hurt?”
Emily shook her head.
“My baby.”
Another shot cracked through the darkness.
Michael disappeared.
Raymond shouted:
“Everybody stay where you are!”
Emergency lights flickered on.
For three seconds, nobody moved.
Then Emily felt something warm.
She looked down.
Blood.
Her face went white.
“Adrian…”
He looked.
“She's bleeding.”
Daniel froze.
Raymond immediately called for medical assistance.
“Get an ambulance here now!”
Emily clutched her stomach.
“No.”
Her breathing became shallow.
“No, no, no.”
Adrian knelt beside her.
“Look at me.”
“My baby…”
“Look at me, Emily.”
She did.
“We're getting you to the hospital.”
“I can't lose her.”
“You won't.”
“You don't know that.”
Adrian's face tightened.
“No.”
He took her hand.
“But I know we're not giving up.”
The ambulance arrived six minutes later.
It felt like an hour.
Emily lay on the stretcher while paramedics worked around her.
“Blood pressure dropping.”
“Heart rate?”
“Too high.”
“She's having contractions.”
Emily gripped Adrian's hand.
“Something is wrong.”
“I know.”
“Don't let them take my baby.”
Adrian looked at the paramedic.
“You heard her.”
The paramedic nodded.
“We'll do everything we can.”
Emily closed her eyes.
The ceiling lights blurred above her.
Then she heard Daniel shouting.
“Where's Raymond?”
“Outside.”
“Get him!”
Adrian looked up.
“What happened?”
Daniel was holding something.
A small syringe.
“I found this in the clinic.”
The paramedic took it.
“What is it?”
“I don't know.”
Daniel looked at Emily.
“But I think this caused the bleeding.”
Adrian's expression changed.
“Give it to the police.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Not yet.”
“Why?”
“Because there's a label.”
He turned it around.
OBSTETRIC SEDATIVE — BLACKWELL MEDICAL
Emily stared.
“They drugged me.”
Daniel's face hardened.
“My mother tried to induce labor.”
The ambulance doors slammed shut.
Adrian climbed inside.
Daniel tried to follow.
The paramedic stopped him.
“Only one family member.”
Adrian looked at him.
“I'm her father.”
Daniel froze.
The paramedic looked confused.
Adrian didn't explain.
He climbed in.
The ambulance accelerated.
At the hospital, doctors rushed Emily into emergency obstetrics.
The doors closed.
Adrian remained outside.
His hands were shaking.
Raymond arrived ten minutes later.
“Where is Daniel?”
“Security has him.”
“Why?”
“He tried to follow.”
Raymond nodded.
“Good.”
Adrian looked at him.
“She almost lost the baby.”
“I know.”
“Catherine did this.”
“We'll prove it.”
Adrian stared at the doors.
“Proof doesn't matter if the baby dies.”
Raymond placed a hand on his shoulder.
“She won't.”
Adrian didn't answer.
Inside the operating room, Emily struggled to stay conscious.
“Doctor…”
Dr. Elena Maren stood beside her.
“I'm here.”
“My baby.”
“We're monitoring her.”
“Is she alive?”
“Yes.”
Emily exhaled.
“Thank God.”
“But you're having premature contractions.”
“How early?”
“Too early.”
Emily's eyes filled.
“Can you stop them?”
“We're trying.”
The doctor looked at the monitor.
“Heart rate is stabilizing.”
Emily whispered:
“Please.”
Dr. Maren squeezed her hand.
“Stay with me.”
Emily closed her eyes.
Then the monitor changed.
The baby's heartbeat slowed.
Dr. Maren's expression changed.
“Prepare for emergency delivery.”
Emily opened her eyes.
“No.”
“We don't have a choice.”
“No.”
“If we don't deliver now, we could lose both of you.”
Emily's eyes filled with tears.
“She's not ready.”
“I know.”
“Please.”
Dr. Maren looked at her.
“Then fight.”
Emily nodded.
“I will.”
Outside, Adrian heard the emergency alarm.
His heart stopped.
Raymond looked toward the doors.
“What happened?”
A nurse ran past.
“Emergency delivery.”
Adrian stood.
“No.”
He tried to follow.
Security blocked him.
“Sir, you can't enter.”
“My daughter is in there.”
“Sir—”
“My daughter is in there!”
Raymond grabbed him.
“Adrian!”
Adrian turned.
“I can't lose her.”
“I know.”
“I've already lost too much.”
Raymond held him.
“Then don't lose yourself.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
Inside the room, Emily screamed.
The sound carried through the hallway.
Adrian's face broke.
Twenty minutes later, a baby's cry filled the corridor.
Adrian froze.
Raymond looked at him.
A nurse stepped outside.
“She's alive.”
Adrian nearly collapsed.
“The baby?”
“She’s alive.”
“And Emily?”
“Alive.”
He closed his eyes.
A tear rolled down his cheek.
“Thank God.”
The nurse smiled faintly.
“She has a strong heartbeat.”
“Can I see her?”
“In a few minutes.”
Adrian nodded.
Then he remembered something.
“The syringe.”
Raymond held it up.
“We're having it tested.”
Adrian looked at it.
“Find out who ordered it.”
“We will.”
“No.”
Adrian's voice hardened.
“Find out who prepared it.”
Raymond looked at him.
“And?”
“Find the person who carried it into the hospital.”
Daniel was sitting in a security room.
His wrists were restrained.
He looked exhausted.
Adrian entered.
Daniel stood.
“Is she okay?”
“The baby survived.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Thank God.”
Adrian stared at him.
“You knew.”
Daniel looked confused.
“Knew what?”
“That Catherine would try something.”
“I suspected.”
“And you said nothing.”
“I didn't know when.”
Adrian grabbed the back of a chair.
“You almost got my daughter killed.”
“I know.”
“You knew your mother was desperate.”
“Yes.”
“You knew she had access to doctors.”
“Yes.”
“You knew she wanted the baby.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you warn us?”
Daniel looked at him.
“Because I thought I could stop her myself.”
Adrian stared.
“You were wrong.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Daniel looked down.
“Because I was still trying to save my mother.”
Silence.
Adrian understood.
“You still love her.”
Daniel nodded.
“She raised me.”
“She destroyed you.”
“I know.”
“She destroyed Emily.”
“I know.”
“She tried to kill your child.”
Daniel's eyes filled.
“I know.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“Then choose.”
Daniel looked up.
“Choose what?”
“Your family.”
Daniel's voice broke.
“I don't know how.”
Adrian looked at him.
“Start by telling the truth.”
Daniel began talking.
Everything.
Every document.
Every meeting.
Every secret location.
Every doctor Catherine had bribed.
Every account she controlled.
And finally:
“The hospital isn't the real target.”
Adrian frowned.
“What is?”
“The Mercer trust.”
Raymond looked at him.
“We know.”
“No.”
Daniel shook his head.
“You don't.”
He leaned forward.
“The trust contains a physical archive.”
“Where?”
“Under the original Blackwell hospital.”
Raymond froze.
“That building was demolished.”
“Not all of it.”
Daniel pulled out a map.
“There's an underground level.”
Adrian looked at it.
“What is stored there?”
Daniel answered:
“Every original birth record.”
“And?”
“Every original identity.”
Raymond's expression changed.
“Twenty-seven children.”
Daniel nodded.
“And one final record.”
Adrian looked at him.
“Emily.”
Later that night, Emily woke.
The room was dim.
Her body felt heavy.
Her throat was dry.
She turned her head.
Adrian was sitting beside the bed.
He was asleep.
Emily smiled faintly.
“Dad.”
His eyes opened immediately.
“You're awake.”
She nodded.
“My baby?”
“In the neonatal unit.”
“Can I see her?”
“Soon.”
Emily looked at him.
“Are you okay?”
Adrian laughed softly.
“I should be asking you that.”
“You look terrible.”
“I've had better nights.”
Emily reached for his hand.
He took it.
“I thought I was going to lose her.”
“So did I.”
“I was so scared.”
“I know.”
Emily looked at him.
“Did you hear me?”
“Every scream.”
She smiled weakly.
“Sorry.”
“Don't apologize.”
She squeezed his hand.
“I'm glad you're here.”
Adrian looked down.
“I should have been here twenty-eight years ago.”
Emily's eyes filled.
“You're here now.”
He looked at her.
“That's not enough.”
“It is for tonight.”
The door opened.
Daniel entered.
Emily's expression immediately hardened.
“What do you want?”
“To apologize.”
“You already did.”
“I need to say something else.”
She waited.
Daniel looked at Adrian.
“I know who the man in the footage is.”
Emily sat upright.
“Michael?”
Daniel nodded.
“He isn't just my twin.”
“What is he?”
Daniel took a breath.
“He was the Blackwells' secret heir.”
Emily frowned.
“Why would they hide their own heir?”
“Because Michael wasn't supposed to inherit.”
“Then who?”
Daniel looked at Emily.
“You.”
She stared.
“I thought the Mercer trust belonged to me.”
“It does.”
“Then why am I the target?”
“Because your baby changes the succession.”
Emily's heart tightened.
“How?”
Daniel looked toward the window.
“The moment your daughter is born, the trust recognizes her.”
Emily stared.
“My daughter?”
“Yes.”
“What does that mean?”
Daniel whispered:
“She becomes the legal successor.”
Emily's blood ran cold.
“And Catherine?”
“She loses everything.”
The next morning, the doctor brought Emily into the neonatal unit.
Her baby was tiny.
Fragile.
Connected to wires.
Emily cried the moment she saw her.
“She's so small.”
Adrian stood beside her.
“But she's fighting.”
Emily placed one finger against the incubator.
The baby's tiny hand moved.
Emily smiled through tears.
“Hi, sweetheart.”
Adrian looked at them.
For the first time in his life, he understood what family really meant.
Not blood.
Not money.
Not inheritance.
Protection.
Then an alarm sounded.
A nurse ran into the unit.
“Security breach!”
Everyone froze.
Adrian immediately moved in front of Emily.
Raymond entered with security.
“What happened?”
“Someone accessed the neonatal records.”
“Who?”
“We don't know.”
Emily's face went pale.
“Is my baby safe?”
The nurse hesitated.
“She's here.”
Emily looked toward the incubator.
The baby was still there.
Alive.
Safe.
For the moment.
Raymond checked the computer.
A single file was open.
PATERNITY CONFIRMATION — FINAL
Emily stared.
“What is that?”
Raymond opened it.
The result appeared.
He read it once.
Then again.
His face changed.
Adrian stepped closer.
“What does it say?”
Raymond looked at Emily.
“It confirms Daniel is not the father.”
Emily's heart stopped.
She looked at Adrian.
“Then who is?”
Raymond scrolled down.
There was one name.
A name none of them expected.
MICHAEL BLACKWELL.
Silence.
Emily's hand went to her mouth.
Adrian stared at the screen.
Daniel staggered backward.
“No.”
Emily whispered:
“My baby…”
May you like
Then the hospital lights went out.
And from the neonatal unit came the sound of an alarm.
