The Choice in the Delivery Room

The day I was in labor, struggling with a difficult delivery, I desperately stopped my best friend from going to get Garrison.

Don't don't call him call call 911, get me to another hospital

In my past life, during this same difficult birth, Garrison chose to stay by my side and missed his precious Serena's birthday.

Heartbroken, Serena took her own life by overdosing.

When Garrison found out, he just calmly arranged her funeral.

Then, on our son's one-month celebration, he lit the entire hall on fire.

As I held our baby, trapped in the flames, he stared at me, eyes wild with madness..

"Vivian Sterling, it was just childbirth! If you hadn't been so damn dramatic, Serena wouldn't be dead! You're all going to pay with your lives!"

This time, I stopped my friend from going for Garrison.

Right now, he was finally getting his wish, by Serena's side.

But before I could even feel a sliver of relief, a sharp, tearing pain ripped through me, and a scream tore from my throat.

The doctor was actually pressing on my belly, trying to force the baby back inside.

The pain was blinding, a relentless tearing sensation.

Dr. Evans, our usually gentle family physician, now seemed like a different person entirely, barking, "Push! Push harder! Are you even listening?!"

But the baby wasn't budging.

In the private delivery room, my best friend Mia was panicking, phone in hand.

"Viv, hold on! I'm calling Garrison right now"

Dr. Evans snatched the phone away.

"Today is Miss Serena's birthday! Mr. Ford is with her. You are not to disturb him!"

"Just push harder, Mrs. Ford, the baby will come. Mr. Ford is terribly busy, as his wife, you should be more understanding. Must you always cause him trouble? Can't you be a bit more considerate?"

I confirmed that I had really been reborn.

It was just like my last life.

Mia, worried sick during my previous difficult labor, had try to call Garrison.

Just like now, the doctor stopped her.

It was only when I dragged out my status as the heiress to the Sterling fortune that Mia managed to get Garrison to come.

But in this second chance, I didn't want Garrison anymore.

I gasped out to Mia,

"Call 911 I need a different hospital!"

A flicker of panic crossed Dr. Evans's face. The next moment, she shoved me back onto the bed.

Then she turned on Mia, snarling,

"Change hospitals? Mr. Ford personally arranged for me to assist with the delivery! How dare you be so ungrateful! All women go through this, how bad can it be? You can't even push a baby out properly, and you have the nerve to be difficult!"

"What if the paparazzi outside see? Do you want to embarrass Mr. Ford and Serena?"

"Get back here! No one leaves this room today!"

She yanked hard. Mia stumbled, and immediately two men rushed in from the hallway, pinning her to the floor.

I then noticed a group of security guards now stood outside the delivery room.

They weren't there in my last life.

Dr. Evans forced my legs apart and gave a brutal pull.

Blood instantly soaked the sheets.

A sharp, tearing pain shot through me. I cried out, tears streaming, too weak to even sit up.

Wringing out a towel, Dr. Evans hissed,"Save your energy. Mr. Ford gave specific orders today! No matter what happens to you, no one is to bother him!"

So, Garrison had been reborn too.

In this life, knowing full well I was dying in childbirth, he still chose Serena without a second thought.

In my past life, with Garrison present, Dr. Evans had been reluctant but didn't dare harm me.

I gave birth to our son safely.

But Serena, furious that Garrison missed her birthday, took off her own life.

Garrison was consumed with guilt.

After my delivery, he locked himself in Serena's room for three whole days, refusing food or water.

When he finally emerged, he was eerily calm, as if nothing had happened. He arranged a lavish funeral for Serena.

Then he came back and held our son's one-month celebration.

At the party, he held our son, calmly accepting congratulations from the guests.

But when he put our son down on the table, he tossed out a lighter.

That's when I realized he had doused the hall with gasoline beforehand.

I tried to grab our son and escape, but he shoved me away.

Right in front of me, he threw our baby into the heart of the fire.

My skin fused with my burning clothes.

He dragged me before Serena's portrait, forcing my head to knock against the floor again and again..

Amid the roaring flames, he was a vengeful demon.

"If it weren't for you, how could Serena have died?"

"She had no one but me. You already stole me from her, why did you have to push her like that?"

I couldn't speak, choked by smoke and pain, blood streaming from my forehead.

After marrying Garrison, I had suggested buying Serena an apartment in the city.

He just moved her into our new house instead.

Knowing she'd lost her parents young, for three years of marriage, I treated Serena like a little sister.

The day before I went into labor, I'd even talked to my dad about finding Serena a job in the company.

I didn't know it was Serena's birthday. I was just so scared.

I was bleeding so much. I was afraid I would die.

But no matter how I cried and begged, Garrison refused to believe me.

"You vicious, scheming bitch! Since Serena died because of you, you will join her in the grave!"

The fire consumed us, burning away the last shred of hope I had for him.

But now I had a second chance. I didn't want to die here.

As my consciousness faded, through the crack in the delivery room door, I saw Rory, my Border Colliea gift from my dad earlier.

Mia had brought Rory along, worried about me.

I managed a weak whistle.

Rory flew into the room.

Dr. Evans grabbed a pair of scissors and threw them.

"Get out! Stupid mutt, get out of here!"

"You there, grab that damn dog!"

The suited men swarmed in.

But Rory was specially trained. Dr. Evans grabbed a pair of scissors and threw them.

Rory's eyes were locked on me. I struggled, using the training commands to call for help.

"Go Grandpa"

Dr. Evans suddenly turned and shoved a wet towel into my mouth.

"Shut up! Just shut up!"

"Today is Serena's day! No one is to disturb her!"

I was silenced. The guards, though they couldn't catch Rory, soon chased him out. He whined frantically, staring back at me.

Thankfully, Mia knew some of the training whistles too.

But she only managed a short, sharp sound before the doctor slapped her hard across the face.

"Useless, the both of you! All you do is make trouble for Mr. Ford!"

Mia was gagged right in front of me, forcefully dragged out.

In the room, it was just me, the doctor, and a few assisting nurses.

I was losing more and more blood, but the pain was becoming a dull, distant thing.

The baby hadn't moved in what felt like forever.

Despair and panic choked me.

The doctor kept barking orders, muttering curses under her breath.

"What a hassle. Who has a baby like you? Getting stuck with you today is just my rotten luck!"

"Push! Push harder! Get this baby out already! I have to get to Miss Serena's birthday party!"

Just as I thought I would die right there, an irritated voice came from outside.

"What is this? Blocking the hallway? Can't you see Director Sterling is here? Move aside!"

Was that Eleanor?

A flicker of hope sparked, but I couldn't make a sound.

Dr. Evans had tied my wrists with bandages to prevent struggling.

"Still not out? What is taking so long?"

"This bleeding won't stop No, I can't let the Director see this, or I'm finished!"

"Right! Push it back. I have to push the baby back in."

Muttering to herself, Dr. Evans had tied my wrists with bandages to prevent struggling.

The pain was so intense I convulsed, on the verge of breaking.

All I could do was weakly thump the bed with my elbow, hoping Eleanor would hear and come save me.

"What are you waiting for? Open this door!"

"How long has my sister been in there? And this is a hospital! Who authorized you all to be here?"

Eleanor was a force in this city.

No one in the elite circles of the East Coast dared to cross her.

Dr. Ethan suddenly stood up, hastily rinsing her bloodied hands.

She hissed orders to the others.

"Hold her down! Get that baby pushed back in! I'll handle the Director!"

She strode out.

From outside, Dr. Ethan's obsequious voice floated in.

"Director, please, calm down. It's not that I won't let you in."

"It's just that Mrs. Ford is still in labor. You're a doctor too, you know how fragile women are at this time. The complications could last a lifetime."

"Childbirth is usually quick. I understand you're worried, but perhaps you could wait here? The baby will be out soon, I promise you, mother and child will be safe."

Eleanor's voice was ice.

"You have one hour. If that baby isn't out by then, you're fired from this hospital."

Dr. Evans walked back in, a smug look on her face as she glanced at me.

A nurse whispered nervously, "Dr. Ethan, what do we do? If Director Sterling finds out we're finished!"

"Stop panicking!" she snapped, kicking the nurse. She turned to me, a cruel glint in her eyes, lowering her voice. "In that case Dead women tell no tales., Women die in childbirth all the time. We just need to get the baby out. The mother? Well, if she dies, she dies."

My heart plummeted. Raw fear crawled up my spine.

My arms were bound. I slammed my foot against the bed frame.

The doctor immediately lunged to pin my legs, shooting a look at a nurse.

The nurse hesitated. "But Dr. Ethan she's a Sterling heiress"

"And you know she's a Sterling heiress!" The doctor spat the words.

"If she talks, we'll be blacklisted! Shipped off to some godforsaken place! Mr. Ford and Miss Serena will be dragged down with us!"

They moved towards me together.

Someone pinned my arms.

Another pressed a bandage over my nose and mouth.

I fought with everything I had, thrashing against the bed.

Just then, Eleanor's voice sounded outside again.

"What is that noise? And where the hell is Garrison Ford? Vivian is giving birth, and he's not here? Where did he go?"

"Someone call him! Tell him to get his ass over here, now!"

The pressure on me eased for a second as Dr. Ethan froze. S

he hurriedly let go and rushed back out, crying, "No, Director, you can't call Mr. Ford!"

"Oh? Since when do I need your permission?" Eleanor's voice dropped, heavy with authority.

Through the sliver of the open door, I saw Dr. Ethan bowing, her whole body trembling.

Eleanor ordered someone to find Garrison.

I struggled, trying to reach out, to stop her.

I didn't want Garrison.

I just wanted my sister to save me.

But my efforts were too weak, my sounds too faint.

Soon, the assistant returned, but it was Garrison's secretary, Mr. Shaw, following behind.

The assistant stammered, "Ms. Sterling, Mr. Ford Mr. Ford says today is Miss Serena's birthday. He's with Miss Serena. He's already sent people to look after Mrs. Ford."

"Bullshit!" Eleanor was furious.

Mr. Shaw stepped forward. "Mr. Ford also mentioned he arranged a meeting for you today, Ms. Sterling. A potential match. You should be there, not here."

"He said if you refuse to go, he will have to call the Chairman and have him speak to you directly."

No. Eleanor, don't go

I knew instantly this was Garrison's doing.

Dr. Ethan seized the moment, her tone oily.

"Director, you should go to your meeting. It was so hard for Mr. Ford to find a suitable match of equal standing. It wouldn't do to keep them waiting."

Garrison had used our father.

I saw Eleanor's chest heave with rage. She turned sharply, her heels clicking as she stalked away.

Bang!

With a last burst of strength, I broke free from the nurses holding me, sweeping the instruments from the nearby tray to the floor.

Mr. Shaw, about to leave, stopped. He frowned. "What was that noise?"