Chapter 2

The nurse rushed out of the NICU and immediately called for Doctor Jhon.

“Doctor, the patient’s condition is getting critical!”

The doctor quickly rose from his chair and ran into the NICU.

Elizabeth could only sit frozen in place. No words could escape her trembling lips. All she could do was pray, begging for her son’s life to be saved. She wasn’t strong enough… she wasn’t ready to lose her baby.

Night turned into morning, yet Elizabeth remained seated in front of the NICU door.

Her body grew weaker, her bones felt as though they could no longer support her. As the anesthesia in her legs wore off, waves of sharp pain began to return.

Click!

A nurse stepped out of the NICU. Elizabeth immediately stood up.

“Nurse… may I go inside?” she asked with a trembling voice.

“I’m sorry, Ma’am. We have to wait for the doctor first. You’re also requested to go to the cashier to complete the administration.”

“All right…”

Dragging her feet with difficulty, Elizabeth obeyed the instruction. The pain in her legs grew more unbearable, forcing her to limp with every step.

It didn’t take long for the paperwork to be done. Elizabeth returned to the front of the NICU, where Doctor Jhon was already standing by the door.

“Doctor…” Elizabeth’s lips quivered, “how is my child?”

The doctor drew a long breath before answering. “I’m sorry, but we couldn’t save your baby.”

Thump!

The words struck Elizabeth’s heart like a knife. Her vision blurred, the world spun, and within seconds she collapsed unconscious.

Elizabeth was rushed to the emergency room. The medical team could only look at her with pity.

An hour later, Elizabeth regained consciousness. Her eyes darted around the room, finding a nurse standing beside her bed.

“Alex! Alex!” she screamed hysterically, calling her son’s name.

“Ma’am, please calm down…” the nurse spoke gently.

“Nurse, where’s my baby? He’s fine, isn’t he? I can take him home now, right?” Elizabeth forced a small smile, though tears streamed endlessly down her cheeks.

Deep inside, she clung to the belief that the doctor had only been joking… or maybe she was just dreaming.

“If he can’t go home yet, it’s okay. I’ll wait. Once he recovers, I’ll take him home myself…” Elizabeth smiled weakly at the nurse.

The nurse fell silent for a long while. Her heart ached, but she couldn’t hide the truth.

“The baby’s body is being prepared to be taken home, Ma’am…”

Elizabeth shook her head violently, crying out in anguish. “No… my son is healthy. He only had a fever!” She even let out a hollow laugh, desperately denying reality.

“You need to be strong. Do you have any family we can contact? Especially his father?” the nurse asked, worried that Elizabeth, shaken as she was, might not be able to handle the burial alone.

Elizabeth fell silent. Her heart knew the truth: she would have to face this alone.

“I have no family, Nurse. His father is busy… I’ll handle everything myself. May I see my son?”

The nurse was moved. “Come with me, Ma’am. I’ll take you.”

“Thank you, Nurse.” Elizabeth refused the wheelchair. Though her body was weak, she chose to walk, staggering with each step.

Inside the mortuary, she saw her baby already covered in a white cloth. Her knees trembled as she carefully lifted the cloth. Her son’s tiny face looked peaceful, as if he were only sleeping.

“My child… why did you leave me like this? I can’t bear it…” Elizabeth wept, hugging his cold little body.

Her heart burned with another wound: where was her husband now? Once, Martin had come to her town, proposing to her, swearing he would bring her happiness. But the bitter truth was here—he had abandoned her in her darkest hour.

“Nurse… when can I take my baby home?” she whispered.

“In about an hour. Do you want us to clean the baby first?”

Elizabeth caressed her son’s round cheek. “No, Nurse… I want to care for him myself at home.”

“Then… would you like to use the ambulance?”

“Yes, Nurse…” Elizabeth answered weakly.

The nurse nodded. “All right, I’ll take care of the paperwork.”

Minutes later, she returned with the bill.

Elizabeth stared at the amount, then pulled out what little money she had, along with her wedding ring. “This is all I have. Please take the ring as collateral. After the burial, I’ll come back and pay the rest.”

The nurse nodded silently, tears brimming in her eyes.

Elizabeth returned to cradling her son, sobbing uncontrollably. Just last night, Alex had been able to roll over. Yesterday morning, he had smiled toothlessly. Only last night, his cries still echoed in her ears. And this morning… she was staring at his lifeless body.

“Ma’am, the ambulance is ready. Let me take you to the back parking lot.”

Clutching her son tightly, Elizabeth climbed into the ambulance and sat in the front seat. The scene reminded her of months ago, when her mother had passed away, and she had ridden in the same kind of vehicle. Now, once again, she was here… but this time carrying her own child.

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When they arrived home, neighbors were startled by the sound of Elizabeth’s cries.

“Alex… wake up, sweetheart. It’s time for your milk…” her sobs tore through the air.

Her breast milk flowed heavily, soaking her clothes. Usually, Alex would cry to be fed. But this time, his small body lay stiff in her arms.

“Don’t leave me alone, my child… I’m afraid of the nights, being all alone at home,” Elizabeth wept, shattering the silence.

The neighbors who heard her couldn’t hold back their tears.

“I can’t bear it if Alex leaves me. Who will sleep beside me now?”

A middle-aged woman tried to comfort her. “Please be strong, Elizabeth…”

But Elizabeth continued wailing, shaking the little body. “Why, my child… why did you leave me?”

Suddenly, a man’s voice broke through. “What’s happening here?”

Martin, her husband, entered with a pale face. Seeing his son’s body, his tears flowed uncontrollably. Beside him, another woman stepped in, clinging tightly to Martin, showering him with comfort while ignoring Elizabeth, broken and grieving beside her child.

“My love, what happened? Why did our child die?” Martin reached out to hold Elizabeth’s hand, but she pulled away harshly.

Rage, sorrow, and betrayal consumed her.

The commotion drew in more people—Elizabeth’s in-laws and relatives.

“What happened to my grandson? Why did he die?” her mother-in-law shouted.

Elizabeth only stared blankly, her soul adrift.

Her mother-in-law’s anger flared. “Useless woman! You couldn’t even care for one child!” she screamed, yanking Elizabeth’s hair right in front of her baby’s body…

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