As Phoenix’s eyes slowly opened, she was greeted by the soft glow of the room, the lingering sensation of pain a reminder of the recent childbirth. With a gentle shift, she adjusted herself on the bed, her gaze immediately drawn to the sight of her baby peacefully sleeping in the crib.
A warm smile graced her lips at the sight, her heart overflowing with love and gratitude.
Turning her attention to the couch where Camilla had been resting, Phoenix noticed that her friend was no longer there.
A pang of curiosity mixed with concern flickered within her as she wondered why Rome hadn’t arrived yet. However, the presence of her newborn filled her with a sense of contentment, easing her worries momentarily as she settled back against the bed.
Despite the lingering discomfort, Phoenix felt an overwhelming sense of happiness knowing that she had safely brought their child into the world. She couldn’t help but reflect on the intensity of the pain she had endured during childbirth, a testament to the strength and resilience required for motherhood.
With a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes briefly, allowing herself a moment of rest amidst the whirlwind of emotions.
Her eyes snapped open at the sound of movement, her gaze shifting to see Doctor Jeff standing before the crib, his attention focused on her baby.
“Doc,” she called out softly, prompting him to turn towards her with a warm smile.
“How are you feeling?” Doctor Jeff inquired, his smile reassuring as he approached her bedside. Despite the lingering discomfort, Phoenix managed a weak smile in return.
“I’m feeling better than before,” she replied, her gaze drifting to the crib where her baby lay peacefully.
“He’s okay, but I came to give you some medication to relieve the pain,” Doctor Jeff explained, retrieving an injection from his pocket.
Phoenix nodded in understanding, watching as he carefully prepared the medication.
With gentle precision, Doctor Jeff shook the injection into her hand, his movements deliberate yet comforting. Phoenix felt a sense of relief wash over her as she accepted the medication, knowing it would help alleviate some of the discomfort she was experiencing.
As Doctor Jeff administered the medication, Phoenix closed her eyes briefly, allowing herself to relax into the sensation.
She felt a wave of gratitude towards the doctor for his care and attention, knowing that she was in good hands under his watchful eye.
As Phoenix sighed, resting against the soft bedding, a wave of dizziness washed over her.
The exhaustion of childbirth, coupled with the medication, weighed heavily on her senses, threatening to pull her into the depths of sleep. Despite her best efforts to resist, she felt herself succumbing to the overwhelming urge to rest.
With heavy eyelids, Phoenix watched as Doctor Jeff approached the crib, a gentle smile playing on his lips as he lifted her baby into his arms.
Confusion clouded her mind as she tried to form words, to question why he was taking her baby away, but her voice failed her. Panic flickered briefly within her, but the fatigue was too great to fight against.
Struggling against the encroaching darkness, Phoenix felt as though she had been drugged, her body growing heavier with each passing moment. She watched in silence as Doctor Jeff left the room with her baby cradled in his arms, the realization dawning upon her that she was powerless to stop him, to demand an explanation.
As the tendrils of sleep enveloped her, pulling her into a deep slumber, Phoenix’s mind was clouded with unanswered questions and a sense of unease.
Yet, in that moment, all she could do was surrender to the embrace of sleep, hoping that answers would come with the dawn of a new day.
~~
Rome entered the hospital with Neo, who was brimming with excitement at the thought of meeting Rome’s son.
“Does he look like you?” Neo asked, his smile wide and expectant.
“Yeah,” Rome replied proudly, clutching a bag tightly. Inside were supplies and goodies for Phoenix.
As they entered the room, Rome’s gaze immediately fell on Phoenix, who appeared to be sound asleep. However, Camilla, whom he expected to see, was nowhere in sight. Worried, he approached the crib, only to find it empty.
“Where is the baby?” Neo’s question cut through the air, reflecting Rome’s own growing alarm.
“I don’t know,” Rome admitted, his concern mounting as he turned to look at Phoenix, still asleep.
Exiting the room, Rome hurried towards the nurses’ station, Neo following closely behind.
“Where is Doctor Jeff?” he urgently asked one of the nurses.
“In his office,” came the swift reply.
With a sense of urgency, Rome made his way to Doctor Jeff’s office, Neo by his side. He knocked on the door, his heart racing as he waited for a response.
“Doctor Jeff, it’s Rome. We need to talk,” he called out, his voice urgent with worry.
Doctor Jeff opened the door, a look of concern etched on his face. “Rome, what’s wrong?”
“My son? Where is he??” Rome asked anxiously, his heart pounding with fear.
“What do you mean, Mr. Rome?” Doctor Jeff replied, his expression mirroring Rome’s growing concern.
“He’s not in his crib,” Rome stated firmly, his gaze fixed on Doctor Jeff as he demanded answers.
“What?” Doctor Jeff exclaimed, visibly taken aback by the news. Rome’s sense of panic only intensified at the doctor’s reaction.
“I don’t understand…” Rome began, his voice tinged with disbelief as he struggled to comprehend what was happening.
“I went to the room just a short while ago to check on Phoenix’s vitals and your child’s, and they were both perfectly fine,” Doctor Jeff explained, his words catching Rome off guard.
“What about Camilla?” Rome interjected, grasping at any hope that his sister might be with his child.
“She left the hospital to go freshen up,” Doctor Jeff replied, his tone grave.
Rome felt a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach. His worst fears were starting to take shape.
“Are you saying…” Rome trailed off, unable to voice the unthinkable possibility that his child was missing.
“I’ll call security immediately. We need to find him,” Doctor Jeff stated firmly, his sense of urgency matching Rome’s own.
Rome’s concern deepened as he searched the hospital with Neo, scouring every room and corner for any sign of his newborn son. Doctor Jeff accompanied them, his expression sympathetic and worried.
“I don’t understand,” Doctor Jeff said, shaking his head. “The baby was supposed to be in the Room. I don’t know how he could have vanished.”
Rome’s anxiety mounted with each passing minute. “We need to find him,” he urged, his voice firm but laced with fear.
Doctor Jeff nodded. “Let’s review the security footage. Maybe it can give us a lead.”
They hastened to the security room, their hearts heavy with concern. As they reviewed the footage, however, their hopes were dashed. There was no sign of the baby being taken, no hint of anyone suspicious lurking around.
Rome’s face fell, his eyes wide with worry. “Where is my baby?” he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Doctor Jeff placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “We’ll find him, Rome. I promise. We’ll leave no stone unturned.”
But as they continued their search, the silence and lack of clues only deepened the mystery, leaving Rome and Neo with a sense of desperation and fear for the baby’s safety.
Rome’s heart pounded as his mother approached, her worried expression reflecting his own inner turmoil. She reached out to touch his face gently, her touch a fleeting moment of reassurance in the midst of chaos.
“Rome, what’s going on?” she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Rome’s throat felt dry as he struggled to find the right words. “Mom,” he began, his voice trembling as he pulled her into a hug, seeking solace in her embrace.
“What’s happening, Rome?” his mother pressed, her eyes searching his face for answers as they parted from the hug.
Rome hesitated, the weight of his words heavy on his tongue. “M-my son,” he finally managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper.
His mother’s eyes widened in alarm. “Where is he?” she asked, her voice urgent with concern.
Rome’s heart clenched as he admitted the truth. “He’s missing,” he said, the words heavy with fear.
“What?” his mother exclaimed, disbelief written all over her face as she withdrew from the embrace.
As Rome struggled to explain, his mother’s gaze sharpened with concern. “I think I know who took him, Rome” she said drawing Rome’s full attention.
” seriously?? How?? Who??” He asked anxiously.
It’s Phoenix,” she suggested tentatively, her voice hesitant.
Rome’s mind recoiled at the accusation against his girlfriend. “No, Mom, you can’t be serious,” he protested, his voice filled with disbelief.
But his mother’s expression remained resolute. “Rome, I’ve noticed some things that don’t add up. I didn’t want to believe it either,” she explained, her voice tinged with sorrow.
Rome shook his head, unable to accept what he was hearing. “No, there has to be some mistake,” he insisted, his voice wavering with uncertainty.
” Phoenix just gave birth and she is tired and even sleeping in the room. How could it be her?? You Don’t just like her” he said.
His mother sighed, her eyes filled with empathy as she reached into her purse, retrieving her phone with trembling hands. With a heavy heart, she played a video. Rome looked at the video to see a lady sneaking into his mother’s house. And taking a jewelry. His mouth drop wide when he saw that it was Phoenix. He was confused as fuck.
As Rome watched in disbelief, his mind struggled to reconcile the woman he loved with the accusations against her. “I can’t believe this,” he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
His mother placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I know this is hard to accept, Rome, but we need to find out the truth,” she said softly, her gaze filled with compassion.
Rome stood there, his mind reeling from the revelation. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. The woman he loved, the mother of his child, had betrayed him in the worst possible way.
“She stole that jewelry, but that doesn’t mean she took our baby. What would she even use him for?” Rome’s voice was laced with disbelief, his words barely audible over the pounding of his heart.
His mother’s expression was somber as she nodded, acknowledging his skepticism. With a heavy sigh, she reached for the playback device and pressed the play button.
As the recording played, Rome felt as though the ground had been ripped out from beneath him. It was Phoenix’s voice, unmistakably hers, but the words she spoke were like daggers to his soul.
“When I give birth to the baby, you would come take him,” Phoenix’s voice echoed through the room, each word dripping with malice and deceit.
The unfamiliar voice that followed sent a chill down Rome’s spine. “How much are we selling him?” it asked, the tone devoid of any remorse or humanity.
“5 million dollars,” Phoenix’s reply was chillingly matter-of-fact, as though she were discussing the price of a mere commodity.
“He won’t know, so he just has to pay me the money, and we will go our separate ways,” her callous words cut through the air like a knife, leaving Rome feeling numb with shock and betrayal.
His fists clenched at his sides, his whole body trembling with rage. How could she do this to him? How could she betray his trust in such a heartless manner?
“I am sorry, son,” his mother’s voice broke through the turmoil, her hand gently patting his back in a futile attempt to offer comfort.
But there was no comfort to be found in that room, only the searing pain of betrayal and the burning anger of a man scorned.
Rome’s gaze shifted from the playback device to the door of the room where Phoenix lay. Anger burned in his eyes, a fiery inferno fueled by betrayal and hurt.
He didn’t know what he would say when he confronted her. He didn’t even know if he could bear to look at her without feeling sick to his stomach.
But one thing was certain: he needed answers, and he needed them now.
With determination in his heart and anger coursing through his veins, Rome strode toward the room where Phoenix waited, ready to confront the woman who had shattered his world.
TBC