Daniel was curled up on the hospital bed, fast asleep, his pale cheeks streaked with dried tears. It was clear Sienna’s delivery had scared him badly.
Sienna sat nearby, gently cradling the baby in her arms as she softly hummed a lullaby.
Sienna's father actually cracked a rare smile. "Since Sienna’s a flight attendant, how about we name her Skye Bailey? Carry on the aviation legacy!"
"What nonsense!" his wife snapped. "You can’t give a girl a name like that."
She was already reaching out eagerly to hold the baby.
Sienna turned away slightly to avoid her. "Mom, you don’t know how to hold her. You might hurt her by accident."
Her eyes lit up when she caught a glimpse of me from the corner of her eye. "Henry, come take a look. Aren’t her little hands and feet adorable?"
She leaned down, about to kiss the baby, but stopped abruptly. A flash of guilt crossed her face like a child caught doing something wrong. "No, no. Mommy can’t pass germs to you."
I had never seen her being so innocent like that before.
As a new mother, she seemed so clumsy yet so gentle.
She was glowing with the joy of new motherhood, desperate to show it to the world, but I should not be part of that world anymore.
I forced a stiff smile, turned around and walked toward the door.
Sienna hurried after me, gently lifting the baby up for me to see. "Henry, look. Her nose and mouth, don’t they look exactly like Daniel’s?"
I looked down. That tiny face… it really did look like him. The resemblance was unmistakable as if they had been stamped from the same mold.
The sight stung my eyes. My throat tightened, sharp and painful.
I pushed the blanket away without emotion and looked at Sienna’s hopeful expression. Suddenly, I could not stand to give her what she wanted.
"Take it away. It’s irritating to look at. I can’t stand it."
The baby immediately burst into loud, startled wails.
Sienna’s gaze turned cold in an instant as she gently patted the child, trying to soothe her.
Her mother's glare cut through me like a blade. "You’re the one who’s irritating!"
Her father even jabbed a finger toward the door. "You’re not welcome here. Get out!"
At some point, Daniel had woken up.
"Henry..."
He looked at the Bailey Family with pleading eyes. "I need to talk to Henry. Just the two of us."
When the door to the ward closed behind us, Daniel lowered his head and apologized.
"Henry, I never meant to come between you and Sienna. She really does love you. That night… she was drunk and that’s how it happened."
My ears buzzed. "Wasn’t it supposed to be a sperm donation?"
He turned his face away, avoiding my eyes. "Sienna didn’t want to tell you. She was afraid it would hurt you."
"By the time she found out she was pregnant, three months had already passed. She was furious, said she wanted to get rid of the baby. But my mother’s health was getting worse… she just wanted to see me have a child before she passed. Sienna felt sorry for me. That’s why she agreed to keep it."
"Then why tell me now?" I looked at him coldly. "Why not keep it a secret forever?"
He clearly had not expected me to call him out so bluntly. His expression shifted, changing again and again, until he finally pressed his lips together and said nothing.
I let out a bitter laugh. "Now that she and I are done, the child’s already born and you three can play happy family, so what is there left for you to be afraid of?"
He suddenly glared at me, a strange, unsettling smile creeping across his face.
Then, without warning, he threw himself off the hospital bed.
There was a loud thud as he hit the ground, followed by a panicked scream. "Henry, I know I was wrong! Please don’t hit me!"
I froze, completely stunned.
Before I could process what was happening, someone yanked me backward with force.
Smack!
A sharp pain exploded across my cheek and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.
Sienna's father stood there, pointing at me with a thunderous expression. "You bastard! Do you think a hospital is a place for you to blow up like that?"
