Chapter 14

Zara’s POV

I woke up to the  beeping of machines. My head was heavy and spinning.

The ceiling lights blurry above me. My throat felt like sandpaper. 

I adjusted my eyes, trying to figure out where I was.

A hospital room.

I touched my stomach, it was flat.

Bandaged and empty.

My heart jerked and exploded.

I tried to breathe.

“My… my babies…”

I pressed into the thin hospital gown. I looked around wildly, as much as my weak body could allowed.

“Where are they?” my voice cracked. “Where are my babies?”

The door swung open.

“Zara! Oh my God, you’re awake.”

Lily rushed to my  bedside, her purse dropping to the visitor’s chair.

I grabbed her arm with my  trembling fingers demanding for my babies.

“Where are they? Lily, please. Teĺl me they are okay? Are they…”

Lily swallowed hard. “They’re in the NICU. The doctors are taking care of them.”

Before I could respond, the door opened again.

Dr. Lennox stepped in, wearing navy scrubs and a white coat, holding an iPad. 

She smiled gently. “Zara. Good to see you are awake.”

I ignored the greeting. With my shaky voice I asked.

“Please… tell me. Are my babies okay? I need to see them. I want to see them right now.”

Dr. Lennox nodded slowly. “They’re stable at the moment. Both were born early, and they’re under close monitoring.”

I was relieved at first, only for fear to rush back in.

“Okay, then take me to them,” I said desperately. “I’ll walk. Please.”

The doctor’s expression changed.

“Zara…” she said carefully, lowering the iPad. 

“You know the agreement. As the surrogate, you can’t have contact with the newborns unless the intended parents authorize it.”

The words hit like a knife.

My mouth fell open in disbelief.

“What?” I whispered. “No… no, please don’t do this. I carried them. I almost died. Please, I just want to see them. Just for a moment.”

My voice broke. Tears spilling up fast.

I pressed my hands to my stomach again as if I could still reach them by touch alone.

“This isn’t fair,” I whispered hoarsely. “I don’t even get to see them?”

Lily’s eyes went red instantly. “Zara,  hey, take it easy on yourself.”

But I shook my head, sobbing harder.

“I gave them life. I deserve to at least see them and know they’re okay.”

Dr. Lennox hesitated. She wasn’t cold, just bound by protocol.

“I’m sorry, Zara. Surrogacy laws are strict. The NICU is restricted to the parents.”

I shook my shoulders and  covered my face with both hands.

“I just… want to hold them,” I whispered into my palms. “Please.”

The doctor swallowed, guilt tightening her expression.

She reached into her coat and pulled out an envelope.

“This is your final compensation,” she said gently. “And an additional amount due to the emergency C-section and the complications you went through.”

I didn’t touch the envelope.

I lifted my eyes and met hers. 

“Talk to the intended parents,  I deserve a chance to see them.”

“Let's  see how it goes, I will get back to you.” “For now” She said, stretching the envelope towards me “Have it. You’ve sacrificed enough for this.”

I collected the envelope and she left.

I turned around and there was someone standing quietly against the wall, wearing a dark suit and a loosened tie.

Sebastian.

My CEO.

The man I resented.

The man who terrifies me at work.

The last person I expected to see here.

“W-why are you here?” I whispered, voice trembling.

He stepped forward just slightly.

“The other day, you were rushed into the ER while I was leaving. I saw Lily confused asking for help, I couldn't ignore it. I stayed until the doctors got you stable.”

I looked at Lily and she nodded with a smile.

“You… shouldn’t have stayed.”

He didn’t reply.

But his eyes did not leave my face.

He saw the fear I was trying so hard to hide.

The emptiness.

The pain.

He was unnecessarily calm.

“I want to see them. Eli and Ava… I want to know they’re okay.”

I collapsed back against the pillows, hand on my stomach, whispering through tears:

“This isn’t fair… I just want to see them.”

Sebastian’s gaze was fixed on me.

Lily walked up to Sebastian.

“Sir, I got the mail for a break, I asked for two days you approved a month.” she said.

“You need rest after all this is over.”

My eyes met Lily, we were both surprised. 

“Thank you Sir,” she said.

And just then Dr. Lennox walked in.

“Zara, the intended parents agrees for you to come see them. If you are strong enough, you can go see them.”

“I'm ready now.” I said.

Sebastian got me into he wheel chair and we went to NICU.

two tiny bodies inside transparent incubators, surrounded by gentle machines.

Without waiting for permission, I stepped forward, ignoring the pains I was feeling.

“Eli…Ava…” I whispered, pressing my hand lightly against the glass. “my babies.”

I didn’t even realize I had said the names aloud until I heard a trembling voice behind me.

“How dare you?”

I turned around. 

The intended parents stood at the doorway.

Mr. Garvin looked worn out. But his wife… her face was a mix of shock, disbelief, and pain.

“I always… call them that,” I whispered. "Eli was the active one. Ava  was calmer. I talked to them every night. I wanted them to feel loved even before they arrived.”

My hand shook as I placed it gently on the incubator again.

“They were never just… a job. I cared about them.”

Mrs. Garvin stepped forward, tears pooling in her eyes as she stared at the babies.

“You don’t get to say that.” Her voice was low, trembling with hurt. “You don’t get to act like you cared more than we did.”

I closed my eyes, swallowing the hurt.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean it that way”

“You named them,” Mrs. Garvin repeated, her voice breaking. 

“Do you have any idea how that feels? When we’ve waited years… years for this?”

I  looked down.

Mr. Garvin stepped closer, calmer than his wife. “We understand you were attached. It’s natural. But my wife is  overwhelmed.”

Mrs. Garvin wiped her eyes quickly and turned to me again.

“You were supposed to protect them,” she whispered. “And now…now they’re fighting for every breath. And you stand here calling them names like you were their mother.”

The words hit like a punch.“I’m not their mother,” I said softly. “But I loved them. And I’m so, so sorry.”

Mrs.Garvin shook her head and turned toward the babies, her voice a fragile whisper.

“We’re the ones who should be naming them. Not you.”

There was silence between all of us. Grief, guilt, fear, love, and loss twisting together.

Dr. Lennox quietly stepped in.

“I think that’s enough for today,” she said gently.

As I left, I pressed my  hand to the glass one more time.

“Please be strong.” I whispered.