Chapter 5
When the nurse came to change my dressing, the gauze was soaked through with blood.
"Mrs. Everhart, you can't get out of bed right now," the nurse said firmly.
I stared at the door in despair.
"Where's my daughter?" I asked.
The nurse lowered her head.
"Mr. Everhart said your baby is with Miss Fairfax for now," the nurse replied.
I pushed myself up from the bed, using the edge for support.
My legs shook uncontrollably from the pain.
As soon as I pushed the door open, I heard a baby's frantic cries coming from the end of the hallway.
My heart clenched.
A mother could always recognize her own child's cry.
I leaned against the wall, inching my way down the hallway.
Nina's hospital room door was left slightly ajar.
I saw her sitting on the couch, lazily holding a bottle of cow's milk.
My mind exploded with panic.
Newborns should never be given cow's milk.
"Stop!" I shouted.
I rushed in and knocked the bottle of cow's milk right out of Nina's hand.
The milk splashed all over Nina.
She let out a piercing scream.
The baby lying on the bed had a red, flushed face, and tiny red rashes were already forming in a ring around her mouth.
I scooped her up, my hands trembling so badly I could barely support her head.
"Doctor!"
I cried out frantically for help.
Nina hugged her milk-soaked shirt to her chest, looking panicked.
"Siena, what are you doing? I was just trying to feed her. She wouldn't stop crying, and my heart was breaking for her..." Nina stammered.
I spun around and snapped at her.
"You can't give cow's milk to a newborn!" I shouted.
The bodyguards outside blocked my way.
"Mr. Everhart said you can't take the baby off this floor," one of them said.
I held the baby close, my fingers going numb from panic.
"Please, she's going to die. We need a doctor now!" I begged.
Nina was crying too, her voice trembling.
"She was perfectly fine. Siena, you suddenly barged in and scared her!" she shouted.
By the time Ethan rushed in, the baby was already struggling to breathe.
"Ethan, she's your daughter. Where's the doctor? Call for help now!" I shouted.
But instead of helping, he walked right past me and sat down next to Nina, scolding me.
"Siena, did you lay hands on her again?"
I was so furious my throat tightened.
"She's going to kill your daughter!" I yelled.
Ethan finally looked down at the baby.
"I already called the doctor," he said.
But the doctor who showed up wasn't a pediatrician.
It was Nina's private doctor.
He just glanced at the baby and made his call.
"Looks like newborn eczema. It's nothing to worry about," he said.
I nearly burst out laughing in disbelief.
"Her lips are blue. And you call that eczema?" I snapped.
Ethan rubbed his temples, clearly annoyed.
"Seriously, stop pretending you know better than the doctor," he said.
I held the baby tight and rushed toward the door.
"Then I'll take her to the ER myself," I said, my voice shaking with desperation.
Ethan grabbed my arm.
He said, "Don't waste your energy. Nina's so upset because of you that her heart's racing. I've called every doctor in the hospital. She comes first.
"Just focus on her."
The baby in my arms suddenly convulsed.
I couldn't think about anything else.
Without hesitation, I sank my teeth into Ethan's wrist.
He yelped in pain and let go.
I hugged the baby close and rushed out into the pouring rain.
The rain was so heavy I could barely see.
It was only about 1000 feet from the hospital entrance to the ER, but every step felt like a lifetime.
Blood streamed down my legs, pooling in my shoes.
The baby's cries grew fainter and fainter in my arms.
I pressed her against my chest, desperately calling her name again and again.
I whispered, "Baby, don't fall asleep.
"Mommy's here.
"This time, I swear I'll protect you."
After what felt like an eternity, I finally made it to another hospital.
When the ER doctor took the baby from my arms, my legs gave out and I collapsed to my knees.
The nurses were shouting frantically around me.
"Newborn anaphylactic shock. Get ready for emergency treatment!" one of them yelled.
I tried to get up, but everything went black.
When I came to, my wrists were tied to the bed.
Ethan was sitting by my side, his face dark and stormy.
Ethan snapped, "Siena, do you even realize you almost killed our baby?"
I struggled desperately against the restraints.
I demanded, my voice shaking with panic, "Where's my baby? Where is she?"
Ethan said, "She's out of danger.
"But you can't see her anymore."
I froze.
"Why?" I demanded.
Ethan pulled out some paperwork for a psych evaluation.
"You're showing signs of postpartum emotional instability and aggression. You need to stay here for observation," Ethan said coldly.
My eyes widened, stunned.
In my previous life, on the third day after my daughter was born, Ethan and Nina's child was officially entered into the Everhart family records.
That was also the day my daughter was killed.
I struggled so hard my wrists turned red.
"Ethan, don't you dare!" I shouted.
Ethan stood up and straightened his suit cuffs.
"Nina will look after the baby. Try to calm down," he said coldly.
I stared at the ceiling, my eyes burning from dryness.
Outside the door, I could hear the two of them plotting in raised voices.
"Ethan, what if Siena tries to ruin the party? That would be a total disgrace for the Everhart family!" Nina said.
"It won't matter. Soon, everyone in the city will know she's mentally unstable," Ethan replied coldly.
Nina said, "When the time comes, we'll bring our baby up there. I'll admit it, and whether she admits it or not, it won't matter.
"Once she's dead, we can finally be together!"
On the third day, I was still forced to the party hall.
With all the guests watching, Ethan took Nina's hand and led her onto the stage.
She was holding a baby in her arms.
I lunged forward and threw aside the blanket.
This wasn't my daughter.
I looked up at the sea of guests, my throat so tight it felt like I was suffocating on blood.
"This isn't my daughter!" I shouted.
Nina clutched the baby with the crimson birthmark to her chest, tears pouring down her face.
"Siena, are you losing it again? This is the one you gave birth to," she said.
Every pair of eyes in the party hall was fixed on me.
People started whispering among themselves.
"I heard Mrs. Everhart's been having some mental issues after giving birth," someone murmured.
"She doesn't even recognize her own baby. That's just scary," another person whispered.
"Miss Fairfax was just trying to help, and now she's being accused like this," someone else said.
I stood on the stage. My fingers were icy cold.
I looked up and locked my gaze on Ethan.
"Ethan, give me back my daughter," I demanded.
His knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
He snapped, "Siena, are you trying to embarrass the Everhart family?
"Careful, or I'll make sure you never see your daughter again!"
I was shaking all over, furious as I pointed right at him.
"Embarrassing? Isn't it even more humiliating that you're adding a bastard to the Everhart family tree today?" I shouted.
The guests erupted in an uproar.
Nina's face went pale, and she immediately shook her head.
"Siena, how could you say that about me? We're innocent!" she protested.
I turned to her.
"Do you dare to take a paternity test right now?" I challenged.
For a split second, panic flashed in her eyes.
Then, clutching her chest, she slumped back.
Ethan caught her without thinking.
She leaned into him, her tears soaking his sleeve.
"I know you hate me, Siena, but you can't talk about the baby like that. She's just a baby. She doesn't know anything," Nina sobbed.
My mom rushed over and slapped me hard across the face.
"Siena, are you done making a scene? Nina hasn't slept for three days because she's been taking care of your baby, and you're still giving her a hard time?" she snapped.
I shoved her away.
"Taking care of her? She gave a newborn cow's milk and almost sent her into anaphylactic shock!" I shouted.
Ethan frowned.
"The doctor said it was just an accident," he said.
"What about the security footage?" I demanded.
I stared him down.
"Where's the footage from the hospital room? Show it to me," I pressed.
Nina's sobbing stopped for a second.
Charlotte looked away, avoiding my eyes.
"The cameras weren't working that day. They were being serviced," she said.
"What a coincidence!" I retorted.
I turned to the crowd and shouted, my voice ringing out for everyone to hear.
"This baby with the crimson birthmark isn't the one I gave birth to. She's Nina and Ethan's daughter!"
"Siena!" Ethan shouted, his face draining of all color.
Ethan's face turned ashen.
He stormed over and seized my wrist.
"Are you out of your mind?" he barked.
He squeezed my wrist, pain shooting up my arm, but I just gritted my teeth and stared him down, refusing to give in.
"If you want to know I'm crazy or not, let's just do a paternity test and see for ourselves," I shot back, my voice steady and defiant.
Nina suddenly lunged at me.
"Siena, please, don't push me!" she cried out.
She threw herself at me, then stumbled backward, making it look like I'd shoved her.
The baby with the crimson birthmark nearly slipped from her arms.
The whole party hall exploded into chaos.
Ethan caught the baby, his eyes blazing with fury as he glared at me.
"Security, get this lunatic out of here!" he barked.
The bodyguards rushed over and seized me.
Just three days after giving birth, my wound tore open again.
Blood seeped through my skirt, soaking it completely.
As I was dragged off the stage, my ankle slammed into the steps, the pain so blinding I nearly blacked out.
But what chilled me more than the pain was seeing my parents standing there, watching from the crowd.
They stood there, completely unmoved, even as blood pooled on the floor.
Nina sobbed, "Don't blame Siena. She's just not well."
Ethan held the baby with the crimson birthmark, his voice cold and full of hate.
"Call the mental hospital. Lock her up for life!" he barked.
Just as those words left his mouth, the party hall doors were thrown open from the outside.
A cold wind swept in.
A man walked in, cradling a baby in his arms.
His black coat was drenched from the rain, but the baby in his arms was wrapped up tight and warm.
My breath caught for a moment.
The baby let out a tiny cry.
It was so soft.
That sound was so achingly familiar that my eyes instantly filled with tears.
Anthony stood in the doorway.
Several police officers followed behind him.
He looked at me and ran over in a panic.
"Siena, I'm sorry. I'm late," he said, his voice trembling.
I stared at the baby in his arms, my knees buckling, I nearly dropped to the floor.
"Evelyn..." I whispered.
Anthony looked up at Ethan.
Ethan froze in place.
Nina's face went completely pale.
The police officers stepped forward and flashed their badges.
"Mr. Everhart, Miss Fairfax, you're under suspicion for murder and child abandonment. Please come with us," one of the officers said.