ManyWriters

After twenty years of a child-free marriage, my husband suddenly changes his mind and wants a child.
A year later, at forty-two, I successfully give birth but end up fighting for my life due to massive blood loss of 1500 milliliters.
My husband, a doctor himself, not only abandons attempts to save me but tries to leave with our newborn baby.
In my hazy state, I overhear his conversation with a colleague.
"Doctor Huntington, you can't take the baby away now! The mother is hemorrhaging badly. Having the baby here might boost her will to live. Right now, the priority is to find someone to give her a blood transfusion..."
"Lavender's uterus was damaged because of me in the first place. This is our first child together, and the baby's first sight has to be his own birth mother! How could I let her take such an important moment away?"
"Say no more. Handle the rest as you see fit!"
In a forgotten corner, tears fall uncontrollably.
So, the ovulation shots I painfully endured each month were for his and his first love's embryo.
The child I risked my life to bring into this world was actually for someone else's happiness!

Twenty Years Of Child-free Marriage, Husband Suddenly Wants a Baby

After he finished speaking, he didn't give me a chance to refuse. He stood up and immediately inserted the needle into the vial.


The medication took effect quickly, and I fell unconscious.


In my hazy state, I saw Dashiell insert a long catheter into my uterus, then inject something with a syringe.


The night after the embryo transfer, my lower abdomen became severely bloated, and my fever spiked to 104 degrees Fahrenheit.


Soon after, intense abdominal pain caused me to hemorrhage again.


The pain was so excruciating I nearly passed out.


In my delirium, I heard Doctor Warwick say reluctantly:


"We might need to perform a D&C. The transplant is being rejected. Doctor Huntington, I told you before that this isn't the optimal time for a transfer. If you insist on going through with it, the child won't be healthy even if it survives!"


Dashiell sighed, as if he had no choice but to accept this reality.


When I regained consciousness, he looked completely deflated, a far cry from his excitement the day before.


Seeing me awake, he kissed my forehead.


"Faye, you're too weak right now. I've had my mom take the baby. When you're discharged, we can go pick him up together, okay?" I looked at his tired face and managed a weak smile.


"Mom's been waiting for this for so many years. Now she can finally hold her grandchild - she must be thrilled. You've been by my side these past few days. You must be exhausted too. Go get some rest."


Without giving it much thought, Dashiell relaxed and quickly drifted off to sleep.


In the middle of the night, Dashiell's phone rang.


I glanced at the phone screen. It was Lavender calling.


After hanging up, Dashiell apologetically said, "Faye, they're short-staffed in the ER. I need to go help out. If you feel any discomfort, don't try to tough it out. Remember to contact me right away."


After saying this, he still felt uneasy. He specifically sought out the nurse on duty and repeated his instructions three times before leaving.


The nurse watched him walk away, then turned to me with an envious look.


"Mrs. Huntington, you're so lucky. I've never seen Dr. Huntington care so much about anyone before."


I pressed my lips together without responding.


An hour later, Lavender posted an update on social media.


[Someone who truly loves you will make motherhood painless.]


The accompanying photo showed Lavender holding a baby in one arm and 999 peonies in the other.The peony flower's hidden message is: "Out of thousands, I love only you."


In twenty years with Dashiell, he had never once given me flowers.


For our wedding anniversaries and my birthdays, he would gift me expensive watches, handbags, or clothes.


But never, not once, did he give me flowers.


At first, I thought he might be allergic to pollen, so I never asked for them.


But later I discovered that wasn't the case.


Dashiell only explained to me that fresh flowers were too tacky and would eventually wither. It was better to buy practical things.


He had simply saved all his romance and affection for Lavender.


A netizen named "Love Lavender Forever" commented on her post.


"You are a bird in flight, the sky and freedom should be your true home. The kid and I will always be your unfailing support and sanctuary."


My heart clenched as I shakily clicked open that user's profile.


The first thing I saw was Lavender's personal photoshoot.


Without a doubt, this was Dashiell's alternate account.


Inside were thousands of posts and photos, all expressing his naked love for Lavender.


Chapter 3