Chapter 12 - EMERGENCY DELIVERY|
The hallway erupted into sudden, controlled medical panic.
"Placental abruption risk!" Dr. Chen, the chief obstetrician, commanded as nurses rushed Imara’s gurney down the surgical wing. "Get her into Operating Room 3! Prepare for an emergency C-section!"
Imara clutched Dr. Chen’s wrist, her face slick with sweat, her heart racing against her ribs.
"My baby..." Imara begged, tears streaming down her temples. "Is my baby going to be okay?"
"We're going to do everything we can, Mrs. Coulson," Dr. Chen said calmly, snapping on sterile gloves. "You are thirty-four weeks. We need to deliver now to protect you both."
Outside the double doors of the surgical floor, Roa Chabi stood pacing the floor, her phone pressed tightly to her ear.
"Julian," Roa said to Julian Vance over the line. "She went into early labor. The stress of the last month finally caught up to her body."
"Is she safe?" Vance asked, his voice deeply concerned.
"She's in surgery now," Roa replied. "Keep Beck's lawyers away from this hospital. If Beck finds out she's in labor, he'll try to use his parental rights to cause chaos."
"Don't worry," Vance said coldly. "I'm sending four private security guards to stand outside her room right now. No one enters that floor without your permission."
Inside OR 3, the bright surgical lights burned down.
Imara focused entirely on the ceiling lights, counting every second, praying with every beat of her heart.
One. Two. Three. Stay strong, little one. Stay strong.
A sharp, high-pitched cry suddenly broke through the sterile quiet of the room.
"We have a baby girl!" Dr. Chen called out softly, holding up a small, trembling child wrapped in a sterile blanket. "Four pounds, eight ounces. She's breathing on her own, Imara!"
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Imara let out a choked sob of joy, tears running into her hair as the nurse brought her daughter close enough for her to kiss her soft, warm forehead.
"Maya," Imara whispered weakly, her heart filling with an overwhelming wave of peace. "Her name is Maya."
