Aoife’s body was too weak, and even if she managed to save the child today, it was not stable. It was better to induce abortion and let it go rather than holding on to hope. The doctor tried to console himself with these thoughts, seeking some peace of mind.
Shaking his head, the doctor held the surgical knife towards Aoife. Her pupils dilated for a moment, feeling a chill. She tried to summon all her strength to sit up, but her body was already numb, only her fingers and eyes could move.
The injection the doctor gave her earlier was anesthesia, relieving the pain but leaving her without extra strength. She was also very tired, wanting to close her eyes.
Aoife desperately kept her eyes open, refusing to shut them. She prayed for the doctor to have some mercy, to see the pain in her eyes, to save her child.
“It will be over soon, it won’t be very painful,” the doctor reassured as he slowly took the surgical knife from the nurse, the piercing surgical light shining on Aoife’s face. She refused to close her eyes, the light stinging her eyes, tears silently sliding into her hair.
Normally, with anesthesia, one wouldn’t feel the pain of the incision. However, Aoife still let out a cry, releasing all the pain accumulated in her body, sending shivers down the spine of those who heard it.
“Don’t touch me… Don’t take away my baby.”
“Hold the patient down, don’t let her move.”
They underestimated the determination of a mother wanting to protect their child. The nurses were also taken aback by this situation. In the process of inducing abortion and injecting anesthesia, the pregnant woman had already been cut open. Despite the doctor’s orders, the nurses quickly restrained her.
The blood below her couldn’t be stopped, flowing out uncontrollably, the scorching temperature almost blistering the skin. Several streams of blood snaked down the surgical table to the ground, forming an eye-catching pattern.
The smell of disinfectant in the operating room was overwhelmed by the smell of blood.
“Get away!” Aoife wanted to push away the nurse in front of her, but her body trembled in pain. Her last bit of strength was completely exhausted, unable to muster any more.
She lay in a sorry state on the operating table, feeling the surgical knife pierce her abdomen. Aoife clenched her fist, emitting a scream more piercing than before from her throat.
Save me… Who can save me…
Grandma… I want to go home, I was wrong… I was really wrong… No one can save her. She would harm them all…
Various figures floated through her mind, Aoife looked despairingly at the ceiling lights, the faint glimmer in her eyes quietly dimming.
No one would come to save her. Her parents didn’t love her. Her brother instigated others to bully her. Her grandma had already saved her once. She harmed Ethan, Hattie… She didn’t deserve to be saved.
Grandma… Aoife is so tired… Grandma, Aoife is living a very tired life. Aoife doesn’t want to live on. Can you come and take me away? Grandma… Grandma… Grandma…
Aoife slowly closed her eyes, the hands held by the nurse losing all strength. The clenched fist opened and the bloodied palm was filled with the wounds caused by her nails.
Finn, if I could start over, I would never fall in love with you.
…
In the observation room, Finn watched as Aoife’s belly was cut open, the doctor pulling out a fetus covered in blood. The five-month-old fetus was still very small, and when he saw this scene… his heart suddenly spasmed, as if losing something precious.
He stood up and left the observation room, entering the bathroom. After splashing cold water on his face and looking at himself in the mirror, he could barely recognize his own face.
The more Finn looked, the more he disgusted himself. Clenching his fists, he fiercely punched the mirror, the force causing it to crack and fall into the sink.
The cleaning worker who came in inexplicably glanced at him, but Finn ignored them. After leaving, he stood in the corridor for a long time. Only after forty minutes, Aoife finally came out of the operating room, her eyes closed, her face lifeless. Her eyes were still wet from crying, unsure if the glittering at her temples was from tears or sweat.
“Where’s the child? Is it a stillborn?”
While removing his mask, the doctor paused. He hadn’t expected Finn to ask this question first. His expressionless face sent chills down the outsider’s spine, feeling a coldness in their heart.
“The child is still inside. When it was first removed, there was a faint heartbeat… but it was just too small, gasping for air and then gone…”
Finn’s face showed little emotion, asking coldly, “How is Aoife’s condition now? Is she in danger?”
“Miss Powell is still unconscious, she needs to be sent to the intensive care unit for observation for a few days. But you can rest assured, the induced abortion went smoothly without any life-threatening risks.”
Finn asked, “Will this induced abortion have any impact on her uterus? Can she still conceive?”
“Whether she can conceive in the future depends on her postoperative care. With proper care, there should be no problem.”
At this moment, Finn’s expression finally changed slightly, but it was still unclear whether the expression on his face was one of joy or sorrow.