Over My Dead Body

In that instant, I did the only thing that crossed my mind.

I instinctively held my breath and squeezed my legs together, but that was useless—the amniotic fluid still flowed uncontrollably downwards.

I bit my trembling lips, my gaze pleading to my mother-in-law for assistance.

But as soon as my mother-in-law’s gaze fell on the amniotic fluid leaking from my nightgown, she wasn't worried at all. Instead, she sneered and cursed, "What's there for a woman to cry about when she's giving birth? You're here wailing first thing in the morning. Do you expect me to die sooner? What bad luck!"

I felt that my child and I couldn't rely on my mother-in-law at all, let alone Ronald, who was currently having a tender and intimate moment with his mistress in a hotel room.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down, and carefully moved to the edge of the bed to lie down, raising my legs as much as possible to prevent the amniotic fluid from draining too quickly. Then, I reached for my phone on the bedside table, ready to call 911 for an ambulance.

“What are you doing?!” My mother-in-law's voice rose as she glared at my phone. Before I could even dial the number, she snatched the phone, hung up, stuffed it into her pocket, glared at me, and said, "You spendthrift little whore, don't you know 911 will cost us money?"

My heart skipped. My hands felt empty as the phone was taken from me.

During my pregnancy, I often saw news reports about pregnant women whose water broke and who did not go to the hospital in time, resulting in fetal hypoxia and suffocation, with unimaginable consequences.

I was terrified and pleaded desperately, "Mom, I'll pay for the 911 myself, just give me the phone."

But my mother-in-law sneered. "You're going to pay? Isn't all your money my son’s money? Today, I'm not going to let you waste my son's hard-earned money! You just stay home and give birth, it's a simple matter of yelling a few times, why go to the hospital!"

I initially thought my mother-in-law was joking. I could tolerate how she usually bullied and disliked me, but this child was a member of her family. Surely she wouldn't neglect her own grandchild? Don't people with feudalistic ideas care more about the continuation of their lineage?

But to my surprise, she actually told me to wait, saying she was going downstairs to the supermarket to buy scissors and liquor to help me deliver the baby!

I thought she was just uneducated and had a feudal and stubborn mindset, but I never expected her to actually do such a thing!

I felt completely terrified.

She took my phone, and there was no landline at home, so there was no hope of getting an ambulance.

But I couldn't just sit here and wait to die.

Without hesitation, I grabbed a coat, my wallet, and my ID, and prepared to go downstairs to hail a taxi to the hospital.

But after going downstairs, I suddenly had a strong contraction, so bad that I couldn't walk at all.

I felt a cold sweat pouring out all over my body, and my lower abdomen kept sinking down.

I struggled to walk out of the elevator, gripping the handle on the edge of the wall. I moved slowly, and eventually collapsed to the ground in pain, feeling completely disoriented.

But it was too early, and no neighbors had come downstairs to pass by yet.

I couldn't help it, I fainted from the pain.

I had no idea what happened after that.

When I groggily woke up, I was already in the hospital.

The nurse told me that I was rescued by a neighbor who happened to be jogging by. The neighbor was just trying to help out and didn't know where I was having my prenatal checkup. Following the principle of emergency and proximity, the ambulance took me to the obstetrics and gynecology emergency room of the City hospital near my home.

The doctor hurriedly performed an internal examination on me, checked the fetal heart rate and uterine contraction data, and his face immediately fell. He said that a cesarean section was to be prepared immediately and that a family member needed to sign the consent form.

At that moment, my mother-in-law suddenly appeared out of nowhere, grabbed the doctor, and said, "We want a natural birth!"

"No, the baby is breeched, the cervix is only dilated to 2 centimeters, and there's not much amniotic fluid left. We need to have surgery immediately!”

My mother-in-law glared at the doctor, "Giving birth is like a hen laying an egg, what's so special about that!" Then she turned around and glared at me fiercely. "The surgery will cost us money! Our family doesn't have the money for you to waste like that! You give birth to it yourself!"

I was in so much pain that I had no strength left. I cried out and pleaded in a weak tone, "Mom, it hurts so much. Please just let me have the C-section."

"What woman doesn't experience pain during childbirth?" My mother-in-law pinched my arm hard. "Just grit your teeth, put in some effort, and it'll come out quickly, like taking a shit!”

I had cried all my tears out, so I ignored her and grabbed the doctor's hand, "Doctor, I'm conscious, I'll sign the papers myself..."

The doctor nodded helplessly and handed me the surgical consent form.

But my mother-in-law rushed up, snatched the paper, tore it to shreds, and blocked the bedside, shouting, "With me here, you can forget about surgery!”

People around her came forward to persuade her, but she was fierce, so she rained curses on the hospital and the doctors, clinging tightly to the hospital bed and refusing to let go.

The doctors and nurses watched helplessly as my mother-in-law threw a tantrum.

I couldn't take it anymore so I screamed out. "Having a child is my own business! I'll have a C-section if I want! It's none of your business!"

My mother-in-law turned around and glared at me fiercely, her breath reeking of foul air as she lunged at me with her hand, "What right does a brat like you have to waste such an amount on surgery fees?"

My mother-in-law used all her strength in that slap.

My head started buzzing instantly.

And then it occurred to me suddenly; why did my mother-in-law's attitude towards me suddenly change 180 degrees after I had my 4D ultrasound?

So, it was because she found out I was carrying a girl.