Chapter 4
Nina leaned against Ethan, her sobs soft and barely audible.
Nina whispered, "Siena, I know you blame me for living your life for twenty years, but honestly, I never wanted to take your child."
She lifted her hand, pointing at the baby with the red birthmark in the nurse's arms.
Nina said, "This baby deserves a chance too. She was abandoned by her birth mother the moment she was born.
"I just couldn't help but feel sorry for her and wanted to give her a home."
I stared at her.
"Abandoned by her birth mother?" I echoed.
Nina's eyelashes fluttered.
Ethan cut in.
"She was an abandoned baby found at the hospital entrance. Nina's just being kind-hearted and wanted to take her in. Why do you always have to assume the worst about her?"
He said the same thing in my previous life.
He claimed the red mark was just a birthmark.
He said the baby was weak because she was born prematurely.
He insisted the baby kept her distance from me because my postpartum depression scared her.
But later, I realized it wasn't because she didn't want to be close to me.
She was never my child to begin with.
I hugged my daughter protectively, shielding her in my arms.
"Who you choose to adopt is none of my business. But when it comes to my child, nobody gets to lay a finger on her," I said.
My dad's face darkened.
"Why are you being so mean? Nina's been weak since she was little and can't have kids. What's so wrong about letting her hold the baby?" he said.
"She can't have kids?" I echoed.
I looked at Nina's belly, then at the baby with the red birthmark.
"So where did this baby come from?" I asked.
The room fell silent.
Nina's tears streamed down even faster.
"Siena, are you really trying to drive me to suicide?" she choked out.
My mom slapped me hard across the face.
"Enough!" she snapped.
My face was jerked to the side, my ears ringing.
My daughter in my arms burst into tears, startled by the slap.
I ignored the sting on my cheek and hurried to comfort her.
The little one's face scrunched up, her cries coming out in soft, whimpering sobs.
My mom snapped, "When you first came back, Nina gave you her room, her necklace, and even stepped aside so you could have Mom and Dad all to yourself.
"And now you want to take away the only child she can love as her own?"
I looked up.
"Mom, I'm your real daughter. Shouldn't all this belong to me?" I said.
She froze for a moment.
"But Nina's the daughter I actually raised. You're just connected to us by blood!" she shot back.
I spent my whole previous life hearing that line.
I always thought that if I just behaved myself, they'd finally notice me.
I gave Nina my room, my jewelry, and even let her take Mom and Dad away from me.
I even swallowed it when Ethan insisted she needed more care than me.
But after all that, they still wanted me to raise their kid, while my own daughter was left in limbo.
Charlotte stepped forward, snatched the baby with the red birthmark from the nurse, and thrust her into my arms.
"If you accept this baby as yours, we'll just pretend none of this ever happened," she said.
I pushed the baby away, snapping sharply.
"Get her away from me. Whoever she belongs to should raise her!" I snapped.
Nina suddenly lunged at me, her knees slamming hard against the edge of the bed.
"Siena, please, I'm begging you. Nobody wants this baby. She'll die if you don't take her," Nina sobbed.
She grabbed my wrist, tears streaming down her face.
"You have Ethan, you have the title of Mrs. Everhart, and you have your own daughter. But I have nothing," Nina cried.
I flung her to the ground with force.
"Get out," I snapped.
Nina tumbled backward, hitting her forehead on the corner of the bed.
A red welt appeared on her forehead.
Everyone rushed over.
Ethan scooped Nina up, and when he turned to look at me, all the warmth in his eyes was gone.
"Siena, you're downright cruel," Ethan said coldly.
Just as I was about to speak, the little one in my arms started bawling even louder.
Charlotte reached out to grab her in the confusion.
I twisted to shield my daughter, feeling my wound tear open as blood streamed down my leg.
"Don't touch her!" I shouted.
Nina was sobbing quietly in Ethan's arms.
"Ethan, I'm okay. Siena didn't do it on purpose. She's just terrified I'll take her baby," Nina said.
Ethan held her close, whispering reassurances to calm her down.
"Don't make excuses for her."
My dad finally spoke up.
"Take the baby out of here. Don't let her keep acting crazy," he said.
I shuddered all over.
"Dad!" I cried out.
He avoided my gaze.
He said, "You're not in the right state to take care of the baby right now.
"Both kids will stay with Nina for now. You just focus on recovering!"
Two nurses were forced to step forward.
I clung to my daughter, my arms shaking uncontrollably.
"She's my child!" I cried out.
Ethan pried my fingers off one by one.
The pain made my vision go black.
When my daughter was ripped from my arms, her cries felt like knives stabbing into my heart.
Clutching the edge of the bed, I tried to get up, but my strength failed me and I just fell back, helpless.
Nina wiped her tears away and took my daughter from the nurse.
She leaned in and gently kissed the baby's forehead.
When she looked up at me, there was a subtle curve to her lips so faint that only I could catch it.
"Siena, don't worry," Nina said softly.
Nina hugged my daughter tightly, her voice gentle and almost syrupy, as if she was trying to soothe me, but I could hear the false comfort behind her words.
"I'll make sure your baby is well taken care of," Nina said softly.