Chapter 396 Side Story Two: Name
By the time Kaden arrived, wretched screams filled the birthing room. A female doctor directed the birthing with nurses crowding the area, the three basins already ready, as well as the ICU notice in advance. There was not a single stone untouched, except for the woman writhing on the hospital bed.
Kaden was frozen at the door. He was stunned and speechless by the scene before him. His wife had never looked more crazy, but also beautiful at the same time. Her face was red as she bit out another groan, Isabelle and Krystal holding both of her hands. Two human girls were no match for the strength of an immortal.
"AAARGH!" Lina yelled, unable to hold it back any longer as she pushed out the first child with much difficulty. She sobbed and turned, sweating so hard whilst clenching onto her friends for dear life.
"Push Mrs. DeHaven, the head is not coming out yet!"
Large beads gathered on Lina's forehead as she felt herself begin to lose strength. She had never felt this kind of body-splitting pain before. Suddenly, there was a gasp as something tore all the way down there. She squeezed her eyes shut, as bursts of agony filled her.
"Out of my way!" Kaden shouted, shoving Isabelle and Krystal to one side, so he could grab onto her right hand.
Isabelle and Krystal let out a sigh of relief, as they approached Lina's left hand, which tightly gripped them. With half the force as earlier, they were no longer being tortured. 𝙛𝔯𝒆e𝔀e𝗯𝓷𝗼𝘃e𝚕.𝒄𝗼𝗺
"You look so beautiful, dove of mine," Kaden whispered in reassurance whilst brushing her hair aside. "Just a few more, my dove, you—"
"SHUT UP!" Lina shouted at him, causing the man to flinch back so hard, that he visibly took a step back.
Everyone's attention fell to the awkward husband who cleared his throat and gestured to hurry up and proceed.
"Another push, the head is out!" the doctor gasped, whilst Lina whimpered and cried. In the background, a nurse was already preparing the needle and wire for the stitching later.
Lina didn't know how she was ever going to survive this. She contorted and mustered all of her strength for this. Then, they heard it. A sigh of relief, followed by a loud cry. Lina gave a final push and out slid a purple and blue creature. She felt her vision go hazy, her ears ringing.
"The mother is losing consciousness," a nurse quickly asserted in a calm voice, for panic in this situation was the worst that could happen.
"Prepare the cesarean delivery!" The doctor instantly instructed, rising to her feet just as Kaden's head snapped to her.
"What are you talking about? Why isn't my wife waking up? Lina, Lina!" Kaden demanded, shaking her shoulders in horror.
Kaden felt like cold water was poured all over him. She could barely keep her eyes open. The last thing she saw was his frightened expression. She didn't even get to hold the baby and neither did the father, for the child was choking.
"Hurry and rub their back," a nurse instructed just as she was patting the child that was turning blue by the second.
It was a chaotic scene. Kaden felt his world begin to spin. His wife, his lovely dove, whom he had barely enough time with, he was going to lose her again. He couldn't concentrate on anything, except for holding onto her hospital cart for dear life. As everyone was being rushed out of the room for the c-section, he clung on with terror.
"This is my wife!" Kaden roared, shrugging off the hands grabbing at him. "I have to be in there, I need to be… Lina, Lina she needs me!"
"Sir, your baby is not breathing!" a nurse reprimanded him in an attempt to distract him.
"Lina, my Lina," Kaden breathed out, whilst they attempted to wretch him from the bed. The doctor wasted no time as another team of nurses rushed inside to grab him.
Kaden watched with horror as the female doctor lifted the scalpel. Time was of the eccrine. The last thing he saw before the nurse pulled at the white curtains was the site of Lina being sliced open. Then, he saw red.
"Kaden!" Isabelle shouted, just as the man began to tear at the curtains.
"Do you want your firstborn baby to die, Chairman?!" Krystal demanded at him, just as the nurse beside her swayed the child, rapidly patting on their back.
Eventually, when that was not working, the nurse placed the baby on the table and was going to start preparing for CPR. Without warning, Kaden turned to the child, and everyone prepared for the worst. They lunged forward to protect the nurse, in the fear of the father doing the worst thing a man could possibly do to his own kin.
No one could hold off the great Kaden DeHaven. If he had a wish, then it was a will. If he wanted someone dead, the person would cease to exist. That was how it had always been, that was the rumors surrounding him.
"The baby is your first, please," Isabelle begged just as a blank expression slid over Kaden's sharp features. "Think of Lina, think—"
Kaden took the child against his body. Everyone gasped in horror, but he was already yanking off the buttons of his shirt. Then, he placed the baby tight against his chest, repeatedly patting the back with enough firm pressure. His warmth combined with his perfect force was impeccable.
"W-wahhhh!" a choked cry filled the air, just as something wet landed onto Kaden's shoulder. Whatever liquid remaining from the womb had just slid right off his skin.
Kaden had never felt more hatred, relief, and anguish all in one moment. He wanted to murder the thing that did this to his wife. He wanted to hug his own blood and flesh for living for a second longer. He wished to weep for his wife who was being sliced open. He could not utter a single word. He could only let out shaky breathing whilst swaying the creature in his arms.
The storm had barely passed.
Everyone was on high alert as they watched the unstable man clutch his kin. Kaden pressed his face against the child's head. Nurses and friends could only look away in guilt, giving him the moment that he needed.
"The second baby is out!" a nurse shouted. "Also not breathing!"
Kaden's heart still. Was all of his children going to die like this? Were they going to take Lina with him? She was an immortal, but was she really? He could barely think straight. All he thought about was losing her once more. What was going to happen then? Would he be widowed and childless? The worst of combinations?
Will he weep on the ground alone, trying out every method to end his life? Or, would Lina be watching over him from heaven?
"Kaden, give me the baby," Krystal calmly asserted.
"No."
"Kaden, your second born needs you right now," Krystal attempted whilst reaching her hand out. "Lina needs you, please."
Without warning, another cry filled the air, just as nurses pushed past Kaden.
"The third child is out! Safe and sound! Get the ICU ready, the first and second is and will lose oxygen to the brain—"
Kaden handed the child off to Krystal. Then, he rushed behind the curtains as well. It was a sight he'd never imagined, not even in his wildest years. His heart pounded rapidly, and all he could hear was the sound of rushing nurses. They began to prepare for CPR. He felt as if no one was paying attention to the mother. Lina's organs were laid out on a tray beside her and only the female doctor was making movements to sew her up.
"Sir, sir, what—"
Kaden yanked his second-born from the nurses. He hurriedly placed the baby upon his naked chest and applied the same motion as he did to the firstborn. If he needed to do CPR on the child himself, he would. He refused to let it die. In his mind, he wished for the kids to grow up. They had to live. They had to survive.
How else was Kaden going to torment them for what they did to their mother? How else was he going to make them regret ever being conceived?
Kaden heard a choking noise. Then, moisture on his shoulders. He felt the child stir and then let out a wretched exclamation.
"Wahhh wahhh!"
All of his children had healthy sets of lungs. That was for certain. Soon, their cries filled the hospital room, followed by collective signs of relief. As everyone began to make preparations for the ICU and sewing the mother back up, a lone man stood by the corner of the room.
"Needle," the female doctor asserted just as a nurse passed it to her. "Syringe."
One by one, they began to get to work. Everyone attempted to move the elephant in the room, but it was impossible. When a nurse tried to take the child from him, he revealed a bloodcurdling stare. They were trained personnel with years of experience, but were still terrified of him.
Kaden didn't even sit down. Instead, he started his secondborn in the eyes. Bright pigeon-blood pupils stared back at him. And at that moment, he had never wanted to hurt something so much. This thing, did it suck blood from his dear Lina? This monster, was it the reason why she lost consciousness? 𝐟𝙧ee𝔀e𝐛𝓃𝐨𝚟𝑒𝗹.c𝗼𝚖
A thousand questions and thoughts ran through Kaden's mind. Only a single one was asked of him, only one brave woman dared to ask him.
Krystal stepped forward, not caring what this man had. in the store. She was one of their godmothers. She refused to let Lina's babies die before they even lived a day. To remind him of his humanity, she thought to himself. To carry out her promise to Lina, in the event that anything were to happen to Kade's sanity. Lina made her promise on the ride to the hospital, it was as if the woman knew this birth would hurt her.
Ever the voice of reason, Krystal calmly turned to the fuming man. "What shall you name the children, Kaden?"