Chapter 4

Sebastian dismissed me with a few nonchalant words before hurrying to the obstetrics office.

A few minutes later, Sebastian emerged from the office, supporting Jazlyn, who was nine months pregnant.

His hand gently caressed her belly, a look of impending fatherhood joy radiating from his face. Jazlyn smiled, exuding a maternal glow.

As I watched this harmonious scene with envy, a sharp, burning pain twisted in my stomach.

Clutching my stomach, I felt an overwhelming urge to escape, but Jazlyn's surprised and delighted voice stopped me. "Betsy, you're here too."

I froze at her call.

The moment she called me, I felt like a deer caught in headlights, exposed while spying on someone else's happiness.

Then, pain shot through my wrist as if my bones were being crushed.

Sebastian seized my arm, his eyes imploring. "Betsy, Jazlyn's due date is approaching soon."

He thought I was joking earlier when I mentioned having advanced stomach cancer.

Suppressing the pain in my stomach and the bitterness in my heart, I forced a smile. "Take good care of Jazlyn."

Sebastian gave me a grateful look. "Betsy, thank you."

I weakly responded with a soft "ok," wanting to escape from the situation.

But Sebastian held onto my hand, his eyes full of guilt. "Betsy, you've lost weight. I noticed you weren't eating well last night. Let me take you and Jazlyn to our favorite restaurant for a nice meal."

I wanted to refuse, but the pain in my stomach left me powerless. I was forced to go along with their enthusiasm to the restaurant.

When it came time to order, the two of them pushed the menu towards me in unison.

My stomachache was worse than yesterday, and I forced myself to order a vegetable salad.

When it was Sebastian's turn to order, he sighed while looking at the menu. "Betsy, why are you being picky again?"

As the first dish of salted shrimp arrived, Sebastian placed a heap of shrimp in my plate. "Betsy, you're weak. Eat more seafood to get some good protein."

I was allergic to seafood, so my hand holding the fork froze in mid-air.

Just as I was about to speak, Jazlyn exclaimed, "Sebastian! Did you forget? Betsy is allergic to seafood."

Jazlyn gave him a reproachful glance. "Sebastian, can't you be more considerate towards Betsy?"

Sebastian offered a feeble explanation. "Betsy, I've been juggling taking care of both you and Jazlyn, and I've gotten confused."

Another wave of pain gripped my stomach, sweat dripping from my forehead into my plate.

"It's fine," I said.

The searing pain in my stomach intensified, making my vision blur and darken.

Suddenly, Jazlyn's pained scream pierced the air. "Sebastian, I think my water just broke."

In a panic, Sebastian lifted her up, kicking the obstructing table aside.

The table corner scraped against the floor with an ear-piercing sound, slamming into my stomach.

The burning, dull pain nearly broke me. I reached out towards Sebastian, "Sebastian, I'm in pain too."

But his response was to rush off with Jazlyn in his arms, leaving me behind.

I was about to faint, and I couldn't suppress the blood taste rising from my stomach any longer. I coughed up blood onto the floor.

I didn't know how much time passed, but my stomach pain persisted, and my consciousness flickered between clarity and haze.

The sharp beeping of medical equipment and Jazlyn's labor cries mixed with the urgent voices of doctors filled my ears. "Betsy, hang in there. Can you hear me?"

The words mingled with Jazlyn's screams as I heard the midwife encouraging her. "Jazlyn, push harder, the baby's head is coming out."

I tried to open my eyes to see, but the drowsiness overwhelmed me, and my heart raced.

A strong premonition told me that if I fell asleep now, I would never wake up again.

I struggled to open my eyes, but failed. My memories flashed like a slideshow.

As a child, my parents preferred sons over daughters. They called me a burden and abandoned me at the orphanage door.

Later, I met Sebastian, who promised never to leave me.

The taste of blood and stomach acid churned in my throat, and the feeling of impending death grew clearer.

A tear rolled down my cheek as I managed a bittersweet smile.

Sebastian broke his promise.

In the end, I was once again abandoned by the person closest to me, leaving this world alone.

With a loud cry of a newborn, the pain in my heart and stomach ebbed away. The monitors connected to me emitted a sharp alarm. "The patient shows no signs of life."

"Wawa." Following that, an even louder cry of a baby echoed in the operating room.