Nobela ni Selome

Chapter 210Silence.Thick, heavy, emotional silence.Marianne stared at me.Her vision blurred with tears that spilled so fast she didn’t bother wiping them. She tried to speak but her voice broke apart before any word formed.Then—with her baby still in her arms—she reached out with her free hand and grabbed my wrist.“Elena…” she whispered hoarsely. “I… I owe you… everything.”She tried to get up, but her body was too weak. So instead—She fell forward, crying into my lap.I froze, shocked.“Marianne—no, please,” I said quickly, trying to pull her up. “Don’t kneel. Don’t bow. Please—don’t.”But she clung to my waist, refusing to let go, her tears soaking into my already stained clothes.“You saved my life,” she cried. “You saved her life. How do I ever repay that? How do I ever thank you?”I cupped her face gently, lifting her chin so she would look at me.“This isn’t a debt,” I whispered firmly. “Marianne, I am a doctor. A human. You were dying. Your baby was dying. I did what an

Chapter 209The baby—little miracle—slept in my arms, a soft bundle breathing against my chest. Her tiny fingers curled around the fabric of my torn shirt as if she had already chosen me.My entire body ached, my eyes felt like sandpaper, but I couldn’t stop staring at her.She lived.That alone made everything worth it.A small rustle broke the silence.Marianne’s hand twitched.Then her eyelids fluttered open.At first, she looked confused, her gaze unfocused, breathing shallow. The women rushed closer, whispering her name like it was a prayer.“Marianne?” Lydia asked softly, touching her shoulder.Her eyes finally cleared—fear hitting them first.“My baby,” she rasped, voice cracked and raw. Her fingers clawed weakly at the air. “Where’s my baby? Where’s my child?”I stepped forward immediately, heart squeezing.“She’s right here,” I whispered.I knelt and carefully placed the tiny girl in her mother’s trembling arms.The moment Marianne felt her daughter’s weight, she broke.A so

Chapter 208How do I tell her she pushed her body past its limit…How do I tell her she endured all that pain…How do I tell her she brought her baby girl into the world……only for the world not to welcome her?My hands clenched helplessly around the baby’s tiny, lifeless fingers.“No…” I whispered again, voice cracking. “You don’t get to leave. Not like this. Not after everything…”The women cried openly now, the grief settling in the air like smoke.“Elena… you tried,” Sophie sobbed. “You did your best—”“No,” I said sharply, my voice raw. “No, I haven’t tried everything.”Because suddenly—Something clicked in my mind.A memory.A lesson.Mr Noah’s voice from long ago:“If a baby comes out not breathing, there’s one more thing you can do, but it must be done carefully.”“He said… he said…” I mumbled, scrambling mentally.My hands moved before I could think.I tilted the baby downward at an angle.Supported her neck.Suctioned her mouth again.Then performed small, controlle

Chapter 207 “Now!” I commanded. “Marianne, push—push with everything you have left! Like your life depends on it!” She screamed—a sound that shook the whole room. Every muscle in her body trembled violently as she pushed with everything she had left. “Come on… come on…” I whispered through clenched teeth, guiding, lifting, praying— And then— At last— The baby finally slid out into my hands—small, warm, impossibly tiny. The moment she left Marianne’s body, the room erupted in gasps and sobs of relief. “It’s a girl!” Clara cried, covering her mouth. “A beautiful baby girl…” Mira whispered, her trembling fingers brushing her cheeks. Ella let out a shaky laugh. “She’s so small…” The children pressed closer, their wide eyes shining for the first time in hours. Even the older women sagged with relief, hugging each other, whispering prayers of gratitude. For a moment, joy took up all the air in the room. But in my hands… The baby didn’t move. She didn’t cry. She

Chapter 206Her head jerked up, her eyes wide and pleading. “Elena—please—no—no—my baby—please—”“Marianne.” I took her face in my hands, forcing our eyes to lock. “Listen to me. I am not letting anything happen to you or your baby. Do you hear me? I’m going to get them out. But you need to trust me completely.”She sobbed, nodding desperately, gripping my shirt like a drowning woman clinging to driftwood.Inside, I was terrified. I had never delivered a breech baby alone. Not without tools. Not without sterilization. Not in a hellhole where death hovered in every corner.But fear had no place here. Not now.I pushed it down, buried it, smothered it.I needed to be steel.“Everyone,” I said, my voice suddenly steady, louder than I intended, “give us space. No crying. No screaming. She needs calm around her.”The women backed off immediately, clutching each other’s hands, whispering frantic prayers through trembling lips.I repositioned myself carefully between Marianne’s legs, inhalin

Chapter 205 “Come on… come on…” I murmured, rubbing soothing circles on her back. “Let it work. Just a little energy. Just a little strength. You can do this.” Seconds passed like hours. Then—colour slowly crept back into her cheeks. Faint, but real. Her lips stopped quivering as violently. Her breathing deepened. A whisper rippled through the women around us. “It’s working…” “She’s coming back…” “Please, please let it help…” Marianne blinked up at me—eyes clearer now, though still full of pain. “Elena…” she breathed. “I… I feel something. A little energy. Like a… warmth.” Relief slammed into me so hard my eyes burned. I brushed her hair back from her forehead with shaking fingers. “Good,” I whispered. “That’s good. When the next contraction comes, I need you to push with everything you have left. I’ll guide you. I’m not leaving you. Not for a second.” She swallowed, nodding slowly—fragile but determined. A spark lit in her eyes again. I took her hands, squeez