SOME THINGS ARE MEANT TO BE

CHAPTER 105

“Mommy, will it really only hurt a little?” She cowered in Julianna’s arms because she would cry if it hurt.

“Yes, trust Mommy. I have never lied to you before. It will only hurt a little.” Julianna touched her daughter’s hair as she felt her pain. She was also lying while tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She had told her daughter a lie. How could it just hurt a little? Even an adult could barely tolerate that kind of pain, moreover a three-year-old girl.

Julianna put the child down from her arms and squatted on the floor. She tried her best to smile for her daughter, but the mere thought of Raya going through that treatment rendered her incapable of smiling. She knew the kind of implications it would have on her.

Yet, she had to go through with it.

“Raya, Mommy will be right outside. You only need to look up to see me.” She rested her hand on her daughter’s small face. It could barely fit in her hand. Why must a little girl like her go through such hardship?

Raya held Dolly tightly in her arms as she sneaked a peek at the doctor beside her. Eyes reddened, she held Dolly up and put it into Julianna’s arms.

“Mommy, help me hold onto Dolly. She will be scared.” Her childish voice accompanied by a face filled with grievance made Julianna lower her head as she allowed her own tears to land on Dolly’s face.

Dolly wasn’t scared. In truth, she was the one who was scared.

Poor child.

The doctor carried Raya who was on the floor. She reached a small hand out and called meekly for her mother. She was really, really scared.

“Raya...” Julianna stepped forward as the door was closed, shutting her out.

“Raya, don’t be afraid. Mommy is here. Mommy will stay right here to keep you company. Raya...” she called her daughter’s name instinctively with her hands clawing at the closed door while the doll fell on the floor with a thud. The sound almost broke her fragile heart.

She slid slowly onto the floor and shivered as she sat beside the door. She picked Dolly up and clutched it tightly, hoping to give herself the strength to carry on and not have a breakdown. She choked up in between her sobs, unable to cry out anymore. Her Raya; her daughter.

.....

Far away in a foreign country, Diego’s brows suddenly wrinkled into a frown. His hand went to his chest, unable to understand the sudden pain which had occurred. It hurt so much that he broke into a cold sweat uncontrollably. It was a kind of spasming pain.

“Diego, what’s wrong?” Ruby approached him in a hurry and rested her hand on his forehead. What was wrong with him? He was fine, but he just stood rooted, not moving.

“I’m fine.” Diego pulled Ruby’s hand away. His emotionless eyes revealed a hint of loss. He felt that something had left him, or he might not have had it before.

“Diego.” Ruby raised her hand, which was by her side, and hugged tightly onto Diego’s waist. “Diego, don’t leave me. I love you. I really do.” She buried her head into his chest. Why did she feel so unsettled ever since she saw that woman? Why was she afraid of losing him after knowing that woman had a daughter? She had been forcing herself. That woman was lying. Even if she had a child, it might not necessarily have belonged to Diego. However, what if that was Diego’s child? What if?

Diego, as well as his parents, had wanted a child so badly. However, she had none.

“We have been away for too long. It’s time to go back.” Diego did not understand why Ruby was so concerned by the personal loss or gains. She was already married to him. Was he not treating her well? What else did she want from him?

He rested his hands on her shoulders and held her in his arms out of habit.

“No, I don’t want to go back. Can we stay for a few more days? I’m not done with the shopping.” At the mention of going home, Ruby shrieked; and she shook with her hurried refusal to accept that phrase. That woman was a time bomb. She would explode in her face anytime and blast her into pieces. That was the reason why she and Diego couldn’t go home.

Diego narrowed his dark eyes and looked her in the eye. What was that earlier? Was she plotting?

“Ruby, are you hiding something from me?” Diego had always been calculative, and he had not suspected Ruby’s unusual behavior. He thought that her behavior was due to fear, unease, and stress due to the fact that she had yet to conceive after so long.

From the looks of it now, that might not have been the cause. There might be more to her fear that she had let on.

“Nothing. You think too much.” Ruby paused as she frantically lowered her head before Diego could notice something was amiss. She held Diego’s waist tightly. “I only wanted to try if we could conceive here. I’m scared.”

She said softly and felt Diego’s hand move to her hair, caressing it.

“Don’t worry about that. We are both normal, so it’s impossible that we shouldn’t have a baby. It’s only a matter of time.” Diego’s eyes narrowed. He knew that Ruby might not have told him the whole truth. Perhaps she had her reasons. He did not wish to pursue further. If she wanted a few more days, so be it. He could also use the rare opportunity to rest. It had been four years since he had had a good rest. Like Du Jingtang had said, even a machine would need to buck up and seize the chance to have a baby.

He hugged Ruby’s slender waist. The man’s arms were strong enough to support a woman and give her a stable heaven as well as a happy place for a child to live in. To his wife, he was a mountain that would never crumble. To his family, he was the ocean, always forgiving.

However, he knew that was not true.

He had a daughter. A pitiful daughter who was crying and hurting.

Julianna leaned against the door. She did not know how long it was when a hand patted her shoulder gently. She opened her eyes, red and swollen from crying. A doctor was squatting before her. He continued to pat her shoulder, slowly trying to comfort her anxious and tensed-up emotions.

“Madam, it is done. She’s very tired now and asleep. Don’t wake her up. The child is weak, and you must take good care of her. She needs you the most now. So, be strong. Wipe your tears and give your child a smiling face.”

The doctor got to his feet and moved out of her way. The door opened. Raya was lying coiled up on the small bed. Her face was devoid of all colors.

Julianna stood up. She allowed herself to lean against the door. After a long time, she finally gathered herself. She could feel the strength in her body as she made her way to her daughter one small step at a time. Yes, her daughter was tired. Raya was sleeping. It’s best not to disturb her and wake her up.