Chapter 3
Three hours after the operation, I came out of it and lay in the hospital bed, pale and woozy.
For a moment, I couldn't believe I'd really been sent back in time.
But there was no time to waste—I had work to do.
I shoved the shock aside, gritted my teeth through the pain, and left my room.
Back then, hospital security wasn't as strict as it would be later.
Newborns were given a number and sent to the nursery to be cared for together, and mothers only saw their babies once they woke up.
In my first life, I'd been weak and passed out after giving birth, and Vivian had used that window to swap our babies.
This time, my determination dragged me awake far earlier.
Vivian's delivery had been half an hour after mine.
If I'd calculated right, her baby had just been taken to the nursery, and she was probably still unconscious.
Memories of my daughter's fall burned in my mind. Rage bubbled under my skin—I wanted to rip Vivian apart right then.
But I couldn't act on impulse. I had a plan.
Vivian and Leland had utterly ruined me and my daughter last time.
This time, now that fate had given me another chance, I swore I'd make them pay in blood for everything they did.
I took a breath and forced the fury down.
Gripping the wall, I walked toward the nursery one shaky step at a time.
When I got there, the nurse who should've been at the door was gone.
I knew it—Vivian had bribed her ahead of time to be away.
Lucky for me, that made things easier.
I slipped inside, switched the bassinets, and left without making a sound.
Not long after I returned to my room, Vivian wandered in.
Seeing her face made hatred flare, but I smoothed it into the practiced smile I'd always used. "Vivian? Didn't you just have your baby? You should be resting."
Her eyes flicked away for a second.
She'd just given birth and should've been weak, but she'd forced herself up to find me.
She laughed, putting on an air of nonchalance. "I'm fine—strong as a horse. Don't worry about me. Alanna, you've always been fragile. Stay in bed and rest a few more days."
I kept silent, just listening with an expressionless face.
After a bunch of small talk, she finally got to her point.
She leaned in and whispered, "I heard the nurses here can be rough with babies. I'm worried something might happen, but I don't want a scene. Tell me which nursery your baby's in, and I'll go watch your baby for you, okay?"
I stayed calm. But under the covers, my hands were balled into fists, and my eyes burned.
Every word landed like a hot coal. That same lie had stolen my daughter once before.
But this time, it wouldn't work.
I'd already switched the babies.
If Vivian had somehow turned over a new leaf, fine.
But if she was still greedy, she'd only have herself to blame.
So I played the part I'd played before. I nodded and pretended to trust her.
Vivian lit up at my answer, a look of smug triumph in her eyes as if she thought she had fooled me.
She grabbed the nursery number and the bassinet spot and hurried out.
I slipped out right after her, quiet as a shadow.
It was three in the morning. There were a few night nurses on duty, but not many.
Vivian had made up an excuse to get the nurse to leave and slipped into the nursery.
When she saw no one around, she quietly swapped the babies.
She clapped her hands and hummed as she left, pleased with herself.
I waited until she was long gone, then stepped out from behind the wall and walked into the nursery.
The baby girl curled in the bassinet had smooth skin and a tiny, perfect face.
She sucked her fingers and slept like a little angel.
Seeing that face—one that reminded me a bit of her father—my heart melted.
Tears blurred my vision and rolled down onto the back of my hand.
I wiped them away and stared through the incubator glass at the treasure I'd gotten back.
This time, I swore, I would protect her no matter what.
When I looked at the other baby—Leland—my eyes went cold.
In my first life, he had always said I was too strict and that Vivian was a better mother.
Fine. This time, I'd let Leland stay with Vivian.