Anna hated to be in a situation where she felt vulnerable, and in that instant, she felt vulnerable to whatever jerk got her pregnant. All she wanted to do was deliver a punch to the man. The fact that she couldn’t see him made her so angry at herself, her ex-boyfriend, and her supposed best friend. She blamed herself for getting so inebriated that day.
Anna’s dream flashed before her eyes, and she saw herself kissing it goodbye to her well-thought-out life.
She clenched the phone in her hand with her eyes closed, thinking of another way she could save her father’s company, but she came up with nothing. She had no choice but to accept the offer if she wanted to save her father’s company.
The Gabriel Group can’t go bankrupt! Besides, if I sign the agreement, the babies will survive. This jerk could be someone very powerful and dangerous. "I have to trade with caution," Anna thought. She remembered the incident at the hospital. I’d better not mess up with him.
Anger and frustration coalesced into a fire burning through her, and all she wanted to do was hit something, or more preferably, hit someone—the jerk. If God ever gives me a chance to meet this psycho, I will kill him without blinking my eyes. Anna muttered to herself.
"I believe you know the right thing to do," Edward said. Another bolt of anger sizzled through Anna, and she cast Edward a dead glare. Although Anna knew that he was simply following orders, she couldn’t help hating the man.
"Let me have the document," Anna said with a scowl furrowed on her face.
Edward handed the document to her. Anna looked through the document for a long time. Her mood darkened when she saw the terms and conditions scripted on the document.
"You've really got to be kidding me!" You don’t expect me to sign this trash, do you?" Anna asked aghast.
"I am afraid that you don’t have any choice." "Nothing can be changed in that document, so the earlier you sign it, the better for you," Edward said he was waving the phone in the air, reminding her of what could befall her family if she failed to sign the document.
"Stupid senile man!" Anna muttered.
"Did you say something, Ms. Gabriel?" Edward asked Anna, smiling coyly at her.
I said, "I’ll sign it!" Anna said it through gritted teeth.
"I thought as much because I can’t imagine you saying something else." Anna knew that he heard what she said the first time. She sighed and signed the document.
"You can choke on it!" Anna said and handed over the signed document to him. Mr. Edward smiled triumphantly while going through the document to ensure that she signed it in all the appropriate places.
"Rest assured, Ms. Gabriel. Our young master will fulfill what he has promised after the child is born. And you should stay in this villa until the baby is born. "We'll arrange for doctors and nurses to look after you." The butler said with satisfaction etched on his face and a sheepish smile that he didn’t try to conceal, which got Anna upset, thinking she should beat up the shy man.
"Mr. Edward, it seems like you really do enjoy being a butler to this fool you called a young master."
"Well, Ms. Gabriel, "I think we are done here."
Anna had a scowl on her face until it dawned on her that the butler didn’t seem to know that she was pregnant with twins, and the agreement said that they would take a child from her and not children.
"Excuse me, sir, can I have another look at the document?" The butler looked at her, perplexed.
"You are not about to change your mind, are you?" the butler asked timorously.
The butler squawked when Anna snatched the paper out of his hand. "I hope you know what is at stake if you decide not to...
"Hmm, this looks very good," Anna said after confirming what the agreement said.
"Mr. Edward, should I ask the young master for more money?" "Considering how generous he is, that should pose a problem on his part."
"I believe that the..."
"On second thought, since I am not a selfish person, I’ll be content with what he is willing to pay." Anna cut in before Edward had time to complete his sentence. Edward looked at Anna like she had suddenly grown two heads and a tail.
"Mr. Edward, tell your young master that I said thank you for the generous offer," Anna said, smiling at the astonished man.
The butler couldn’t wrap his head around the vacillations in her behavior. A few seconds ago she was angry, and suddenly she was full of vivacity.
"Here is the document, signed, sealed, and delivered."
Edward took the document and left the room. This means that I can keep one of the babies and take care of him or her with the money that they are really going to compensate me for. The only problem standing in my way is the doctors and nurses involved. How in the world will I convince them to keep my secret? Anna thought, pacing up and down.
Wait! The money! I can bribe them with money! Anna squealed happily.
"Good job, my dearest brain! "I love you!"
Anna was an easygoing person. And soon she became friends with the doctors and nurses that the butler had arranged to look after her.
They agreed to help her keep one of her babies without the butler’s knowledge. Days felt endless to Anna. She was confined in the villa and was forbidden from stepping outside; she couldn’t contact anyone outside the villa. The only people around her were the doctors and nurses.
Anna watched as days turned into weeks and weeks into months. The villa and its surroundings were heavily guarded; it was impossible for Anna, a pregnant woman, to run away. She had no choice but to watch the day slip slowly away. Occasionally, the butler would come to the villa to visit Anna and see how she was doing. Yet the mysterious man had never shown up. Anna didn’t know who he was or what he looked like.
Anna wondered if her children would look like him. And when she touched her belly, she often had the feeling that she was living in a nightmare.
Anna woke up at the sound of thunder. She was terrified. She turned on the light and sat up on the bed. It was her ninth month of pregnancy, and she was a bit shaky because of all that she had heard about labor. Anna felt scared and restless.
She was more scared when she realized that some women do not make it out of the labor ward, and she feared that she would make it. She couldn’t help wishing that her mother was alive; then she wouldn’t have felt so alone.
Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her belly, and water was dripping down her legs. Anna knew that her water had broken. She started panting. She was scared that something would happen to her during the labor, and she was scared that both of her children would be taken away. However, at this critical moment, she had no choice but to trust the doctors and nurses.
The pains became unbearable, and she started breathing like she had been taught during her antenatal classes. Anna yelped when the pain became worse. With all her strength, she reached for the bell on the bedside table. In no time, she heard the doctors and nurses dash to her room.
"Anna, we are here for you." "Remember what we taught you, right?" the doctor said.
"Yes... yes," Anna said, panting. "But it is so painful."
"I understand, but you have to bear it for a while, and before you know it, it will be over." You have to follow the breathing procedure we taught you.
"Ouch… whoa! "Doctor, I can’t do this; I am going to die."
"No, dear, you are not going to die." "Take a slow, deep breath through the nose and out through the mouth."
"Okay...I…trying," Anna said, taking a slow puff of air. The nurses took Anna to the delivery room that was prepared for her and laid her on the bed.
"Anna, take a deep breath." I am going to count from one to three as you inhale and from one to five as you exhale. This will help with the contraction and prepare you for pushing out the babies.
"Huh…okay…"
Anna placed a hand on her waist as she felt a sharp pain, and then she screamed.
"Anna, get ready to push, okay?" I need you to perform the panting technique we talked about. Take quick, shallow breaths in and out through your mouth before you push. You can do that, right?" The doctor said to her
"Yes, yes, I can do it." "Please tell the babies to come out already." The doctors and nurses chuckled.
"The babies will come out if you push," one of the nurses said.
"Okay, I am ready to push." Anna said, "Panting." Sweat covered her forehead, and one of the nurses wiped it away. Anna pushed according to the doctor’s order.
"The babies are not coming out." Anna began to cry.
"Anna, you have to calm down and give it another push, okay?"
Anna pushed and suddenly jerked up when a sharp pain greeted her.
"No! Anna, don't do that; you might harm your baby. The head of the child is visible. One more push and you will be free.
"Sorry…I…"
"It is okay." Imagine the baby in your hand staring at you. Can you see it? "Your baby is almost here, and all you have to do is be strong."
"I am so tired, doctor, I don’t think I can do it."
"You are the strongest person I know. You have to be strong for your babies or the man will take both children." That was all Anna needed to get her strength back. She pushed with all her strength, and soon the cry of a baby was heard, followed by another.
"Well done, Anna, you have a beautiful baby boy and baby girl."
"Thank you, doctor," Anna replied and smiled weakly. A nurse took one of the babies out, and another brought the second baby to Anna and whispered to her,
"Your daughter is safe with me." I’ll take care of her for a while. After you leave this place, I’ll take her to you.
"Thank you so much!" Anna said this with tears in her eyes.
The doctors had arranged for a car to take the second baby out.
A few minutes later, the butler arrived happily.
"Congratulations, Ms. Gabriel; my master is very happy."
"Where is my baby?" Anna gnashed her teeth, trying to rein in the pain. "He is with the young master." He's a healthy boy. "Ms. Gabriel, please remember that from now on, you’ll have nothing to do with the child." The butler said and placed an envelope on the table: "Here’s a check for four million dollars." "Thanks for everything."
Mr. Edward turned to leave. "No, Stop! "Please let me see my child." Anna panicked and struggled to get out of bed. I really want to see my baby boy! Please, I just need a glimpse of him, and then you can have him, please. Anna said weakly, with tears streaming down her cheek.
Mr. Edward turned to leave without showing any pity for her, and Anna stood up to follow him but fell to the floor. Her abdomen throbbed, and she squeaked in pain.
"I beg you! "Please let me see my baby." The butler ignored her and walked away. Anna felt a pang in her heart at the thought that she would never see her son or know what he looked like.
"Anna, you have to be strong for your daughter." The doctor said, "Help her up." She nodded and pulled herself together.