My Father Wants My Baby's Heart

My father told me that celebrating a birthday while pregnant was the ultimate blessing.

He insisted on cooking a massive feast himself, placing all my favorite dishes right in front of me.

Gia, honey, try this. I made it just for you, he said with a smile.

I honestly can't wait to meet my little grandson.

I took two large bites and smiled back at him, feeling spoiled.

"Dad, I'm only eight months along. We still have over a month to go before he's here."

The smile on my father's face looked almost painted on, stiff and unchanging.

He just kept urging me to eat more, his eyes fixed on my plate.

I thought he was just worried about me being tired from the pregnancy.

But halfway through the meal, a sharp, twisting pain erupted in my lower abdomen.

I clutched my stomach as sweat began to pour down my face like rain.

I tried to scream for help, my voice catching in my throat.

In the next second, my father rushed over, his gaze locked onto my belly.

His entire body was trembling with a terrifying kind of excitement.

"Gia, don't hate me. I just can't wait any longer."

"Your nephew's heart... he's running out of time."

The rolling waves of pain in my gut forced tears from my eyes.

My fathers hands shook as he lifted me and carried me toward the bedroom.

His voice was thick with a frantic sort of joy.

Gia, your nephew needs a donor to survive. He needs a heart.

If you bring this baby into the world now, youll be the hero of this family.

Your brother and Nyla will be so grateful to you. Ill be grateful too!

Violent contractions began to rack my body. I gritted my teeth and stared at him in horror.

What are you saying? You want my baby to die for him?

My breathing hitched. I couldn't believe my own father was capable of this.

He turned his head away, refusing to meet my eyes.

I tried to scream, to demand answers, but the door swung open.

My brother, Axel, and his wife, Nyla, walked in with cold, determined faces.

I reached out and grabbed Axels shirt like it was a lifeline.

Axel... please. Take me to the hospital. Im begging you!

He looked down at me, his eyes filled with a flicker of guilt and pain.

I pleaded with him, but he reached down and cruelly pried my fingers off his sleeve.

Nyla walked around the bed and suddenly crouched down.

She grabbed the hem of my pants and yanked them down with brutal force.

The cold air from the AC hit my legs, and a wave of humiliation washed over me.

I struggled, sobbing, trying to pull my legs together to cover myself.

But Nyla pinned me down, her voice as flat and emotionless as a machine.

Not yet. The water hasn't broken. Maybe the dosage wasn't high enough.

She looked at me and frowned, her lips curling in disgust.

Gia, can't you just cooperate for once? Be useful.

I bought enough labor-inducing meds to make sure this happens today.

Little Leos condition is critical. He cant wait another day.

She stood up and turned to my father and Axel, giving them strict orders.

Don't take her to the hospital until youre sure her water has broken.

If the baby isn't born today, Leo is as good as dead.

My brother and father ignored my cries and forced me onto the bed.

They looked at me with a moment of hesitation before they left.

Then, they slammed the door shut, locking me in the dark.

Boundless pain and a crushing sense of despair swallowed me whole.

I gripped the bedsheets so hard they tore, but the physical pain didn't fade.

I looked for my phone, but it was nowhere to be found.

I forced myself to breathe, to think through the haze of agony.

Nyla had made an excuse about her phone being dead before dinner.

She had taken mine, and I hadn't thought twice about it.

When I had asked for it back, my dad and Axel kept distracting me with food.

This wasn't a sudden whim. They had planned every second of this.

Six months ago, my father, who I hadn't spoken to in years, suddenly called.

He was crying on the phone, telling me how much he missed his daughter.

My parents divorced when I was a toddler, and I always craved that missing love.

So, like a fool, I came back to them.

When they first saw me, Silas and Axel both wept, hugging me tight.

They insisted I stay with them while I finished my pregnancy.

I agreed, thinking I finally had a family again.

Then I found out about Leo, my nephew with the congenital heart defect.

They talked about his suffering constantly, their faces full of misery.

I even tried to comfort them, promising to help find a donor.

My father would just cry and stare at my growing belly with a strange look.

It was all a lie. The reconciliation, the fatherly loveDeverything.

From the very beginning, he was only looking at my unborn childs heart.

My consciousness was starting to slip away into the dark.

But the sharp stabs of pain kept dragging me back to the surface.

This room felt like a giant cage, sealing me in with my own terror.

Just as I felt like I was going to break, a phone rang loudly outside the door.

It was Nylas phone.

She answered it, her voice so sharp it felt like it was piercing my eardrums.

Silas and Axel sounded like they were panicking out there.

I held my breath, focusing every ounce of energy on listening.

Leos condition had taken a sudden turn for the worse.

The doctors said he might not even last another seventy-two hours.

The whole family started rushing to get ready for the hospital.

Before they left, I heard Axels hushed, trembling voice.

Were all leaving. What about Gia? What if something happens?

Youre really worried about her right now? Nyla hissed back.

If my son doesn't make it, I will cut that baby out of her myself!

There was no protest. Only a heavy, sickening silence followed her words.

I closed my eyes, letting the coldness of their betrayal sink into my bones.

Tears leaked from the corners of my eyes and soaked into the pillow.

My father and my brother didn't stay silent because they were shocked.

They stayed silent because they agreed with her.

These were the people I shared blood with.

The family I fought my mother to reconnect with.

The front door slammed shut with a heavy thud.

I fought to regulate my breathing, trying to fight the urge to pass out.

I rolled off the bed, crashing onto the floor, and crawled toward the door.

I managed to pull it open and saw my neighbor, Liam, in the hallway.

I clutched my stomach, my voice breaking as I begged him.

Liam... please. Save me. Save my baby.

His eyes widened in shock. Without a word, he scooped me up.

He sprinted toward the elevator, his face pale with worry.

What happened? Gia, youre only eight months.

Where the hell are Axel and your dad?

I was shaking too hard to give him an answer.

He didn't wait. He threw me into the back of his car and floored it.

He blew through every red light on the way to the emergency room.

By the time we arrived, the world was spinning and turning gray.

The pain reached a peak that made me want to scream until my lungs burst.

Gia! I think your water broke! Stay with me! Liam yelled.

He carried me toward the entrance, shouting for help at the top of his lungs.

Someone help! Shes in labor! We need a doctor now!

Medical staff swarmed us immediately, sensing the urgency.

They lifted me onto a gurney, their voices calm and professional.

I tried to speak, but the words died in my throat.

Suddenly, a familiar, gravelly voice cut through the chaos.

Thats my daughter! Shes eight months pregnant, and the baby is sick.

I felt Silass frantic, watery gaze land on my stomach.

He looked like a drowning man clutching at a final piece of driftwood.

He leaned over me, his voice trembling with fake desperation.

Doctor, shes been fighting with her husband. She didn't want the baby.

She took a bunch of meds to force the birth so she could... end it!

He grabbed the doctors sleeve, sounding like a broken, grieving father.

This baby is my grandson. If she doesn't want him, Ill take him.

Please, once the baby is out, you have to give him to me!

He threw himself onto his knees, his forehead hitting the floor with a loud crack.

I looked at his face, seeing the mask of a loving, concerned grandfather.

I suddenly remembered a moment from when I was very little.

He had the same smile when he walked out on my mother and me.

Daddys going to work to buy Gia a pretty dress, he had said.

Then he left and never looked back for twenty years.

I was the one who let myself be blinded by a fantasy.

I forgot that he was a man who was rotten to the very core.

The doctors gave me a suspicious look, and I was too weak to argue.

Silas kept hovering, pressuring the medical team to hurry.

Take her to the delivery room! Do it now!

Can we get the baby out in three hours? Is that enough time?

One of the doctors snapped, clearly annoyed by his behavior.

Do you think giving birth is like ordering fast food?

Shes not dilated enough. Youll just have to wait, sir!

Hearing that, the tension in my chest eased just a tiny bit.

I still had time. I could still find a way to get help.

They wheeled me into a prep room to wait.

Silas followed right behind the gurney like a shadow.

I didn't look at him. I reached for Liam, my voice a whisper.

Liam... can I borrow your phone? Please.

Liam looked confused, but he reached into his pocket automatically.

Suddenly, his phone was swiped out of his hand and smashed onto the floor.

The screen shattered into a web of cracks as it hit the tile.

Nyla pushed her way in, offering Liam a sugary, fake apology.

Im so sorry, Liam! Im just so on edge about my sister-in-law.

Once she delivers, Ill buy you the newest model, I promise.

I stared at her, my heart turning into a block of ice.

She ushered Liam out with a smile, but it vanished the moment the door shut.

She turned to me, her eyes filled with a terrifying, cold light.

Who were you planning to call for help, Gia?

Give it up. No one is coming to save you.

She looked at my protruding belly and suddenly slammed her hand onto it.

A scream of pure agony tore from my throat, echoing down the hall.

The doctor rushed back in, checking the monitors and my vitals.

What just happened? Why is she screaming like that?

Nyla sighed, sounding like a weary, patient saint.

Its nothing. Shes just being dramatic because she hates this baby.

I bit my lip until I tasted blood, grabbing the doctors coat.

No... theyre trying to hurt my child!

Nylas expression darkened. She pinched her own thigh hard under her dress.

Tears sprang to her eyes instantly, making her look like a victim.

Why would we ever want to hurt the baby, Gia?

Even if you hate me, how could you say that about your own father?

She pulled Silas toward the bed, gesturing to him.

Hes your own flesh and blood. Do you think hed harm his grandson?

The doctor looked between us, his brow furrowed with doubt.

He eventually sighed and looked at Nyla, his voice stern.

The patients emotional state is the most important thing right now.

Whatever family drama you have, keep it out of this room.

He turned and walked out, leaving us alone again.

Nyla slammed the door and locked it tight.

She checked the small window to make sure no one was looking.

Then she lunged toward my bed with a look of pure malice.

Axel, Dad, hold her down. Now!

Im going to press on her stomach until that baby comes out.

She leaned in close to my face, her breath smelling of bitter coffee.

Don't blame me for this, Gia. You brought this on yourself.

Her hands were cold as she pressed them against my skin.

She shoved down with all her weight, and the world exploded in pain.

Suddenly, I felt a warm gush of blood between my legs.

My fathers grip on my shoulders loosened, his voice trembling.

Theres so much blood... why is there so much blood?

Nyla didn't stop. She pushed even harder, her face twisted.

Dad, if she dies from complications, no one will ever know the truth.

The blood kept coming, and I felt the baby struggling inside me.

My father and brother shared a look of grim realization.

Then, they both leaned down and pinned me to the bed again.

This time, I didn't fight back. I wanted the blood to flow faster.

Before I came here, my mother and my husband had a tracker implanted in me.

It was a tiny chip that monitored my heart rate and vitals.

If my life was in danger, they would receive an emergency alert.

I just hoped they were close enough to reach me in time.

The blood was draining my strength second by second.

My vision started to blur, the room fading into a gray haze.

Nyla saw my eyes rolling back and suddenly stopped what she was doing.

She leaned over and slapped me across the face with a stinging crack.

Wake up! You need to stay awake to push!

The sting on my cheek brought a momentary, sharp clarity.

The pressure on my stomach stopped, and the agony dipped slightly.

Nyla sat back and signaled for Axel and Silas to sit down.

The meds are working. Now we just have to wait.

She pulled out her phone and started watching a video of Leo.

The little boy was covered in tubes, crying in a way that broke the heart.

The woman who was just trying to kill me now looked like a grieving mother.

She was a monster wearing the skin of a human being.

She finished the video and turned her cold gaze back to me.

We had almost given up hope for our son.

But then Dad remembered you and found out you were pregnant.

She looked at my stomach with a creepy, possessive sort of affection.

Youre Axels sister. Your babys heart is the perfect match for Leo.

I wanted to wait until the baby was full-term, but Leo can't wait.

I spat at her, my voice a ragged, hateful growl.

Youre all disgusting. Youre demons.

You conspired to drug me and kill my child.

Nyla started laughing until tears of mirth actually came out.

I might be a monster, but the meds weren't my idea.

Your father was the one who suggested it to save his precious grandson.

I turned my head to look at Silas, who was staring at the floor.

Silas! Do you even remember that Im your daughter?

He flinched, his eyes bloodshot and rimmed with red when he looked up.

I only have one grandson, Gia. Hes the future of this family.

Once Leo is healthy, Ill make it up to you, I promise.

Your brother agreed to give you my entire inheritance. Its all yours.

Youre only sacrificing a baby you haven't even met yet.

The sheer insanity of his words made me want to laugh.

But before I could, a massive contraction ripped through me.

Nylas eyes lit up, and she stood up abruptly.

Its happening! Cover her mouth so she doesn't scream!

If the doctors come in now, we lose control of the situation!

Silas and Axel moved in unison, pinning my limbs to the bed.

The pain was shredding my sanity, leaving me with nothing.

I felt my spirit drifting away, my body giving up the ghost.

Was this it? Were my baby and I going to die in this room?

Just as the darkness started to win, the door was kicked open.

The sound was like a thunderclap that shattered the silence.

The three people holding me down were violently yanked away.

I was suddenly lifted into a pair of warm, strong arms.

I looked up and saw my mother, her face a mask of cold fury.

She held a serrated blade against Silass throat, drawing a bead of blood.

Silas Sterling, if you touch my daughter again, youre a dead man.