Chapter 99: Swapping Her With Another Baby

Chapter 99: Swapping Her With Another Baby

“Please endure it, Mrs. Anderson. We’ll soon get to the delivery room.”

Eve couldn’t register what happened next. All she knew was that she was being wheeled down a long hallway and the pain in her stomach kept expanding with each second.

“Eve, please keep up with the pain. I know you can handle it.” Ethan continuously stroked her hair while wiping her sweat with the other hand.

“It’s too painful, Ethan. I think I’m gonna die!” Eve cried. How could she handle this pain? It was the most agonizing experience she’d ever gone through.

“You can do it, Eve. I believe in you.” Ethan’s reassuring words were accompanied by the fear in his voice.

It took forever before they finally wheeled her into the labor room. Her gynecologist appeared and the staff lifted her on a bed.

“Help me, please! I don’t wanna die, Doc!”

“You aren’t going to die, Mrs. Anderson. It’s a momentary pain. Luckily, you’re already opened.”

“C–Can I start pushing?”

“Yes, please. You can start pushing.”

“Ahhhhh! I can’t!” Eve screamed. The pain only got sharper. “Ethan, please help!”

“I’m right here, Eve.” Ethan sat beside her and gripped her hand. “You can do it, Love. Please don’t stop fighting.”

“Oh, I can’t,” Eve moaned. She tried pushing again but the pain was sharper than before. “Ahhhhh! Ethan.”

“The first baby is coming, Mrs. Anderson. Please push harder. I can see his head.”

The doctor’s words brought ease to Eve’s heart. She gripped Ethan’s hand tight and pushed harder.

“One more push. The baby is coming.”

Eve exerted all her strength in that last push and very soon, the loud cry of a baby resounded in the ward.

“Good job, Mrs. Anderson. Now let’s help the other baby out.”

“I– I’m tired.” Eve limped on the bed, breathing heavily.

“Please keep fighting, Eve. I know you can do it!” Ethan’s voice was full of determination but Eve couldn’t even feel her limbs. “Please, My Love. This is the last one.” He pulled a hair out of her eyes and wiped her forehead.

“I– I hate you, Ethan. W–Why did you make me pregnant?”

“I also hate myself. Now, push. Please don’t give up.”

Eve squeezed her eyes shut, following the doctor’s instructions again… She pushed and pushed again and again, and when another loud cry resounded in the ward, her eyes rolled in their sockets and she collapsed on the bed.

The white ceiling loomed above and she tried to steady her breath.

“Congratulations, It’s another boy, Mrs. Anderson.” The doctor picked the baby up and transferred him to one of the staff.

“Ethan…” Eve’s hand wandered to her side. “I– I’m so tired.”

“It’s over.” Ethan sounded relieved.

“I– I don’t think so, Mr. Anderson!” Suddenly, the doctor’s voice came again and she sounded everything but calm. “There’s one more baby. You have to keep pushing, Mrs. Anderson.”

“Ah! One more baby!?” Eve yelped. “Aren’t I having two babies, Docs?”

“From the looks of it, no. The baby must have hidden behind its brothers. Please keep pushing, Mrs. Anderson. You can’t stop now.”

Rapid tears fell from Eve’s eyes and she gripped Ethan’s hand tighter than before. “W–We’re having another baby?”

“This is a miracle!” Ethan exclaimed. “Eve, please, keep pushing. You can’t stop now, My Love.”

Eve screamed, gathering the little strength she had left. She kept pushing and pushing, but the baby refused to come out.

“Doctor—”

“You can do it, Mrs. Anderson. Push again, please. You’re almost there.”

Eve kept pushing again while Ethan rearranged her hair, wiped the sweat off her face, and said reassuring words.

This time, she pushed harder and longer than before. The baby refused to come out. And just when she was thinking all her strength had left her, she exerted one last push and the baby finally came out.

“Oh, my goodness! It’s a girl!” The doctor’s exclamation made the other staff gasp. Ethan stared at her in shock as the baby cried loudly, and Eve let out a long sigh of relief then rested her head on the bed.

“You did it, Mrs. Anderson. Good job, congratulations!” The doctor came to her and smiled brightly. The staff clapped and Eve’s heart fluttered in bliss.

They cleaned her up and helped her sit properly and Ethan shifted close and wrapped her in a hug. “Thank you so much, My Love. You are a very strong woman.” He planted a kiss on her forehead, then her eyelids and the sides of her face.

He pulled away and Eve smiled as the staff brought the babies to them who were now cleaned up.

“They’re so cute and adorable.” Eve sniffed her tears and held one baby while Ethan held two babies in his arms.

“They’re very cute.” Ethan chuckled. “Just like their mother.”

The staff tidied up the place and the doctor stood behind them. “Congratulations on your safe delivery, Mrs. Anderson. Mr. Anderson is right, you are a very strong woman.”

Eve sighed in relief, taking turns with Ethan to cuddle each baby. “I love them so much, Ethan…”

“I love all of you.” Ethan also sighed.

“Let’s name them,” Eve suggested and Ethan nodded.

He picked up the first boy and whispered, “Eric. Eric Anderson.”

“And you are Evan.” Eve picked up the second boy. “My brave little Evan Anderson.”

“And the baby girl?” The doctor watched them, smiling.

Eve exchanged glances with Ethan. They never thought of a girl’s name. Following Ethan’s silent consent, she dropped the boy and picked her up. “And you are Mimi. My cute little Miracle.” She nuzzled her nose against the baby’s and kissed her cheeks again and again.

“Miracle.” Ethan took the baby from her. “I like that.” He smiled. “I think she takes after you, Eve.”

“Really?” Eve’s brows furrowed. She could barely tell the babies apart.

“Yeah.” Ethan nodded.

The staff transferred her to a VIP ward and placed the babies in their separate cribs. While Ethan sat on a chair beside the cribs with his eyes fixed on the sleeping babies, Eve brought out her phone to inform her family.

The first people that arrived were Matt and Ethan’s grandfather. The old man was literally jumping on seeing the babies. He threw his cane away and took Ethan’s seat beside the cribs.

“You’re so amazing, Sister-in-law.” Matt came to her after checking the babies out. “You could even pop out three babies at once. Now this Young Master feels nothing for you but admiration.

“Yeah. This Young Master is very honest.” Eve smiled at him. “Take good care of your nephews and niece, Matt.”

“You can depend on this Young Master. I’ll protect them with my life. Even you and Big Bro cannot bully them in my presence.”

The next morning while Eve was feeding one of the babies, her family arrived and the ward was filled with their laughter and happy chatter.

“Ah, Big Sis. You just broke the record in the family. Three babies!?”

“Little Mimi is so cute and adorable. She looks exactly like you, Big Sis. I think the boys will look more like brother-in-law.”

“That is well balanced.” Her father laughed. “You have made us proud, Evelyn.”

“This Old Man is the happiest man alive!” Her grandfather gave a throaty laugh while holding one baby. “Just wait and see, I’ll spoil these babies rotten.”

“Where’s Mum?” Eve’s eyes darted across the people in the room.

“Selina?” Her father also looked confused as he looked around. “We came here together. Where is she?”

“Big Sis, Mum is standing outside,” one of Eve’s sisters whispered to her. “You know, I think she wants to see you, but…”

“Tell her to come in, Cassie,” Eve whispered back. Then she looked at the other people in the room and said, “Dad, Grandpa, can you guys please give me some time to speak with Mum?”

“No problem, Evelyn. We’ll wait outside.” Her grandfather agreed while her father smiled at her.

While they all walked outside, her mother came in, her head lowered. She hesitated before approaching the bed, and what she did next knocked the air out of Eve.

“Mum…”

As her mother hugged her, Eve couldn’t form any words.

“Eve, I’m so sorry.” Her mother sobbed. “Please forgive your bad mother. I held a grudge against you when I shouldn’t have. It wasn’t your fault, it has all been mine. I shouldn’t have abandoned you. I shouldn’t have let my grudge against your father drive me to the point of swapping you with another baby.”