The Stillborn Daughter

While my daughter and I were trapped in a mangled car, bleeding out, my husband was busy celebrating his first love's birthday with our son.

My daughter, Maya, was in critical condition and needed an immediate blood transfusion. She had a rare blood type that only my husband and son shared.

When I finally got through to him, Silas didn't sound worried. He just growled with impatience.

"Again, Elena? How many times are you going to use this trick? It's getting old. Jade is celebrating her birthday alone, and it's heartbreaking. My son and I are just keeping her company. Why can't you be less obsessed and just let it go?"

Our son, Hayden, chimed in from the background. "Exactly! Mom, you're just jealous. You've turned Maya into a little liar, too. We're not coming back. Maya has you, but Auntie Jade only has us."

Maya never got to see her father or brother again. She passed away in that cold hospital bed, still clutching the gift she had bought for Hayden.

During the two days I spent arranging her funeral, Silas and Hayden were busy treating Jade like a princess.

Later, when they finally learned the truth, they knelt at Maya's grave, sobbing and begging for my forgiveness.

I only gave them a cold smile. "You want my forgiveness? Fine. Go die, and then we'll talk."

......

"Have you reached the father yet? The child is fading fast. We need that transfusion now."

The doctor stood outside the operating room, his expression grim.

My heart was racing, pounding against my ribs like a trapped bird.

I looked at the long list of rejected calls on my screen and shook my head with a bitter smile.

Three hours ago, a truck had slammed into our car.

Maya was severely injured and losing blood. Because of her rare type, the hospital was out of stock. Silas and Hayden were her only hope.

But every time I called, the line would ring a few times before they cut me off.

This had become the norm over the past few months, but this wasn't some petty argument. This was Maya's life. I forced myself to dial Silas's number one more time.

"Please pick up. This is a matter of life and death," I texted him first, my fingers trembling.

Finally, the call connected.

"What is it now?" His voice was as cold as ice.

I didn't care about his tone. I just screamed into the phone. "Silas! Maya and I were in a crash! She's losing too much blood and needs a transfusion. The hospital doesn't have her type. Please, bring Hayden here right now!"

There was a two-second silence on the other end. Then, he let out a sharp, mocking snort.

"Elena, really? This time it's a car crash? Last time it was a fever. You're truly something else. You'd actually curse your own daughter just to trick me into coming home?"

I was frantic. "It's real this time! She's covered in blood, Silas! I'm not lying! Please!"

I looked down at my own blood-stained clothes, desperate for a way to make him believe me. I just kept repeating the words through my tears.

His voice turned even more dismissive. "Using the same trick over and over is pathetic. Try something new next time."

Before I could say another word, I heard Hayden's voice in the background. "Dad, come on! Auntie Jade is about to blow out the candles!"

Silas hung up without hesitation.

My heart went cold. The realization hit me like a physical blow.

They were with Jade. They were celebrating her birthday while Maya was fighting for every breath.

It was always Jade.

2.

A sharp pain flared in my chest, but I knew I couldn't afford to break down. Not yet. Maya was still waiting for me to save her.

The doctor pressured me again. "We're running out of time. She's slipping."

I dialed Silas again, my heart in my throat.

When he answered, his voice was dripping with annoyance. "Are you done? I know what you're doing. You just want to check on us. Fine, I'll tell you. It's Jade's birthday. She's lonely and she needs us. We've spent every day with you for years. Can't you handle one night without us?"

Before I could respond, Hayden grabbed the phone. "Mom, stop being such a drama queen! Your jealousy is disgusting. You're teaching Maya to be a liar just like you. Why can't you be more like Auntie Jade? She's so much more graceful than you. Maya has you, but Auntie Jade only has us."

Then, I heard Jade's soft, manipulative voice. "Elena, honey, it's just for tonight. I'm just borrowing Silas and Hayden for my birthday. I'll give them back tomorrow. You know I lost my family. I'm all alone. Please don't be angry at me. Just be kind for once."

Silas started to say something, but I cut him off with a desperate scream. "Maya is in the emergency room! I'm begging you! Just come and save her! After that, you can stay with Jade forever. I don't care! She needs you!"

"You're delusional," Silas said before clicking off. "Don't listen to her, Hayden."

I stared at the name "Husband" on my screen. It felt like a cruel joke.

I had given this man fifteen years of my life and my entire heart. I thought I could melt his icy exterior with love, but all I got was "don't listen to her."

But I couldn't cry. Every second I spent crying was a second Maya didn't have.

I called back instantly. As soon as it connected, I gasped, "If you don't believe me, talk to the doctor! Just wait!"

I shoved the phone toward the doctor. He didn't need to be asked twice. "Sir, your daughter has a very rare blood type. We are out of stock. If you share her type, you need to get here immediately. Her body can't take much more of this."

I thought that would finally break through Silas's wall of denial. Instead, he laughed.

"Wow, Elena. You've really leveled up. You're even hiring actors now?"

He raised his voice, speaking to the doctor. "Hey, how much is she paying you to pull this sick stunt?"

The doctor stood there, stunned into silence.

"Elena, there's a limit to your games. Stop testing my patience!" Silas barked and hung up.

When I tried calling again, the phone was turned off.

My last spark of hope was extinguished.

3.

Maya's vitals plummeted. The doctor, his eyes filled with sorrow, signaled for me to go inside for a final goodbye.

Only an hour ago, she had been smiling. Now, she lay there, pale and motionless, the white sheets soaked in a terrifying crimson. The sight burned my eyes, and the tears I'd been holding back finally flooded out.

Maya struggled to open her eyes. When she saw me, she tried to force a tiny smile. "Mommy are Daddy and Hayden here? It hurts so much. I just want them to hold me."

The words choked in my throat. I didn't know how to tell her.

I couldn't bear to see the light leave her eyes while she was disappointed. "They're so worried about you, sweetie. They're driving as fast as they can."

"Really?" Her eyes brightened for a second before fading again. "You're lying, Mommy. They aren't coming. They're still mad at me because I lied. I'm not a good girl."

Each word felt like a serrated blade twisting in my heart. I could barely breathe.

"No, baby. You're the best girl in the whole world," I sobbed.

"Then why aren't they here? Mommy, can you tell them I'm sorry? I didn't mean to lie. I just saw how they stayed with Auntie Jade when she had a fever. I just wanted them to stay with me too."

She was talking about what happened three days ago.

It was Maya's birthday. We were supposed to be celebrating as a family when Jade called Silas. She claimed she had a fever. Silas immediately panicked and prepared to leave. Hayden was just as worried and insisted on going with him.

I looked at Maya's crushed expression and tried to stop them. "If she's sick, she should go to the hospital. You aren't doctors! Maya has been looking forward to this dinner for weeks. Please, don't leave."

Silas gave Maya a cold, annoyed glance. "Jade's temperature is nearly a hundred. She's all alone and has no one to drive her. We grew up together. I have to take care of her. Maya has a birthday every year. Missing one doesn't matter."

Hayden added, "Exactly. Auntie Jade is so lonely. Maya has us every single day. Why does she always have to compete with Auntie Jade?"

They walked out without looking back.

Maya waited and waited. By midnight, they still weren't home. In her desperation, she used my phone to call Silas and told him she had a high fever, hoping it would bring them back.

Silas didn't want to come, but Maya kept calling until he finally gave in.

When they arrived, Maya ran to them happily. But the moment Silas felt her forehead and realized she didn't have a fever, he pushed her away with disgust.

4.

Silas scolded Maya harshly. He told her she was becoming a manipulative liar and that she'd be a disaster when she grew up.

Then he turned his rage on me. "I can't believe you've become this person. You're so desperate for attention that you're teaching our daughter to fake illnesses. Are you even fit to be a mother? Jade was delirious with fever, alone and terrified, and you pulled us away for this? You're heartless."

Hayden looked at Maya with pure disdain. "You're a liar now, Maya. I hate liars. I'm done with you."

Maya burst into tears, but they didn't care. They turned around and left again.

That night, after I finally got Maya to sleep, I saw Jade's post on social media.

It was a photo of Silas and Hayden in her kitchen, busy cooking soup for her.

The caption read: Feeling sick, but these two are so worried they're fighting over who gets to cook for me. I'm the luckiest girl in the world.

The comments were even worse.

What a perfect little family of three! I'm so jealous.

Where do you find a husband and son like that? You must have been a saint in a past life.

Jade didn't correct them. She just soaked up the praise.

I looked at Maya's sleeping face, still streaked with dried tears, and felt a bitter ache. I tried to call Silas one last time, but he didn't pick up.

Eventually, he just turned his phone off.

The next morning, Maya woke up and said she was sorry. She wanted to apologize as soon as they came home, but they never did.

This morning, Maya told me she wanted to go to the city over to buy the limited-edition action figure Hayden had been wanting. She was sure he'd forgive her if she gave it to him.

It was a four-hour drive. We went, we got it, and on the way back, the world ended in a screech of metal.

Standing in that hospital room, I was consumed by regret. I should have never taken her.

But Maya didn't regret it. Even as her life faded, she gripped the toy in her small, bloodied hand. A tiny smile touched her lips. "Hayden loves this one. He won't be mad anymore."

A moment later, she looked at me, her voice a mere whisper. "Mommy, it hurts. Am I going to die?"

My throat felt like it was filled with broken glass. I couldn't speak. I just shook my head frantically.

She reached out with her other hand to touch my cheek. "I think I am. I'm not scared, Mommy. But I'm worried about you. Who's going to wipe your tears when you cry?"

My heart shattered into a million pieces. The pain was so intense I thought I might stop breathing too.

Suddenly, the monitors began to scream. The sharp, continuous beep pierced my eardrums. My mind went blank.

Nurses rushed in and pushed me aside. The room became a blur of blue scrubs and panic.

I don't know how long I stood there. Eventually, the noise stopped. The doctors looked at me with those heavy, grieving eyes and told me they were sorry for my loss.

Loss? My entire world was gone. How was I supposed to just feel "sorry"?

5.

I stayed in that cold morgue all night.

Maya was always afraid of the dark. I had to stay with her, or she'd start whimpering, "Mommy, I'm scared."

My tears ran dry, then started again, until my vision was nothing but a red, hazy blur.

A kind nurse came by several times, urging me to get my own wounds treated. She said I needed X-rays for my arm and head.

I looked down at my mangled, bloody arm. I felt nothing. The physical pain was a joke compared to the hole in my soul.

I shook my head and stayed.

"I can't leave her," I whispered. "Maya hates being alone."

The nurse looked away, unable to find any words of comfort, and left me to my grief.

During those hours, I stared at my phone, wondering if I should tell Silas.

But I knew what he'd say. He'd think it was just another play for his attention. He'd think I was trying to steal him away from Jade.

He didn't realize that I didn't want him anymore.

I used to have this foolish hope. I thought if I just kept loving him, I could eventually push Jade out of his heart.

I thought I was winning. But the moment Jade moved back to the States, I realized that a "first love" is a ghost you can never beat. The moment she showed up, everyone else became invisible.

The years of coldness had already frozen my heart. If it wasn't for Maya, I would have left him a long time ago.

As I sat there, my phone lit up.

It was a message from Jade. It was a photo of her, Silas, and Hayden under a sky full of fireworks.

She was in the center, looking radiant and triumphant.

The text read: Elena, isn't the display Silas and Hayden put on for me beautiful? Silas said he never did this for you, so he wanted me to show you what you're missing. Thanks for letting me have them tonight. I'm so happy. I made a wish under the fireworks that our little family of three stays together forever.

The brilliant fireworks in the photo felt like a slap in the face in this dark, silent morgue.

If Maya were still here, if she saw this, her heart would have broken all over again.

I couldn't take it anymore. I typed back: If you want these two pieces of trash so badly, you can have them. I'm done. I forgot to give you a birthday wish: I hope the three of you stay together forever and rot in your own filth.

They were garbage. And it was time to throw them out.

Jade didn't reply, but Silas called almost instantly.

I had begged him to answer earlier, and he had ignored me. Now, he was calling just to defend his precious Jade.

I wanted to see just how low he could go. I picked up.

As expected, his furious voice boomed through the speaker.