LOGINThe first thing Merceline felt was pain.It was a dull, throbbing ache that seemed to spread through every part of her body. Her head hurt, her throat felt raw, and her limbs were so heavy that even the smallest movement seemed impossible.She tried to open her eyes, but the world remained dark.For several seconds, she could not remember where she was. She only knew that she was cold, that something hard pressed against her back, and that the air smelled unpleasant.Then the memories returned.The hospital. The delivery room. The alarms. The smoke.Her babies.Merceline's eyes flew open.“Adrian?”Her voice was barely a whisper.She tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through her abdomen, forcing her to lie back. She sucked in a trembling breath and pressed one hand against her stomach.“Adrian,” she called again, louder this time.No one answered.She blinked repeatedly, trying to make sense of her surroundings. A narrow strip of light filtered through a gap above her, illuminati
Dr. Harris finished checking the woman's blood pressure before moving on to the next part of his examination. She looked exhausted, and the chaos surrounding the hospital fire had made it difficult to determine exactly what had happened after the delivery. For now, his priority was to ensure that she was physically stable.“Your blood pressure is a little low, but we'll continue monitoring it,” he explained. “You've been through a lot tonight, and you need rest. If you experience dizziness, difficulty breathing, or unusual pain, tell the nurse immediately.”The woman nodded weakly. “I will, Doctor.”Adrian stood near the foot of the bed, watching every movement. He had not stopped worrying since finding her carrying the three babies through the smoke. Even though she had assured him she was fine, he remained uneasy.“Is she going to be all right?” he asked.Dr. Harris turned toward him. “At the moment, she's stable. We'll continue monitoring her and the babies. They also need regular
“Three babies?”Adrian stared at the nurse as she guided them into a temporary treatment area away from the smoke. His arm remained wrapped around the woman he believed was Merceline, while his eyes moved repeatedly between the three tiny bundles in her arms.“Are you telling me my wife gave birth to three babies?” he demanded, struggling to make sense of what he had just heard. “The doctor told us we were expecting one.”The nurse glanced at the woman beside him before answering. “Sir, we need to examine the newborns first. Your wife has been through a difficult delivery, and we need to make sure all three babies are stable.”Adrian's face tightened. He wanted answers, but the nurse had already turned her attention to the newborns. Another medical worker approached with a trolley, and they carefully transferred the babies one at a time, checking their breathing and vital signs.The woman who looked exactly like Merceline watched them with tired eyes. She had kept her face carefully c
The fire alarm screamed through the hospital corridor.Adrian stopped for half a second, staring at the nurses rushing past him. One of them pushed a trolley toward the emergency exit while another shouted instructions into a phone. The smell of smoke was faint at first, but it grew stronger with every passing second.“What's happening?” Adrian demanded, catching the attention of a nurse hurrying toward him.“There's a fire alert in the east wing. We're evacuating patients from the affected area.”“Which area?” His voice rose. “My wife just gave birth. She's in maternity!”The nurse glanced at the sign above the corridor, then pointed toward the double doors. “Maternity is further down that hall, sir, but you need to move away from this section. The staff will handle the evacuation.”Adrian didn't wait for another word. He pushed past her and hurried toward maternity, his heart pounding harder with every step. He had barely returned after leaving Merceline alone during the most import
"Doctor, please, you have to do something!" Merceline's voice trembled as another contraction tightened across her abdomen. She gripped the edge of the bed, her knuckles turning white, while Nurse Patricia moved closer to check the monitor. "You're doing well, Merceline. I know it hurts, but I need you to listen to me. When I tell you to push, you push. When I tell you to rest, you rest. All right?" Merceline nodded, although tears were already running down her cheeks. "Where is my husband?" Nurse Patricia glanced toward the door. "He had to attend to an administrative issue, but he'll be back as soon as he can." Merceline's lips trembled. "He promised he wouldn't leave." The nurse paused before gently wiping Merceline's forehead with a cool cloth. "I know, sweetheart. But you're not alone. We're here, and we're going to take care of you." Merceline looked away, swallowing the disappointment gathering in her throat. Of course Adrian had left. Even now, when she was frighte
"Adrian!"Merceline's cry came from the other side of the bedroom door, followed by the sound of something falling to the floor.Adrian, who had been preparing to leave for the office, immediately turned around. He found Merceline gripping the edge of the dresser, her face pale and her breathing uneven. A small pool of water had spread across the floor beneath her feet.For a moment, he simply stared at her, struggling to understand what he was seeing."What's wrong?" he asked, hurrying toward her."I think..." Merceline swallowed, wincing as another wave of pain tightened across her abdomen. "I think the baby is coming."The words drained the color from Adrian's face."What do you mean, the baby is coming? You're not due yet!""I know!" she snapped, clutching his arm as the pain intensified. "Adrian, please do something!"He had never heard that much fear in her voice before. It cut through his confusion and sent him scrambling for his phone."Call the hospital," he ordered, speaking







