6 Chapter 6
The young medical trainee, white as a sheet, stood resolutely at the entrance to the surgery, abandoning formalities and shouted, “Gerald, come to your senses! Eleanor is pregnant with your baby, already in her second trimester! And now you, her spouse, intend to operate on her? Are you trying to end her life?”
Gerald disregarded the frantic plea, slamming the surgery door behind him.
Through the opening, I caught the trainee’s urgent words, “Gerald’s gone mad! Contact the hospital chief right away!”
“No, get in touch with Miss Barren! Inform her that Gerald is about to perform a C–section on Eleanor!”
Driven by his resolve to please Joanne, Gerald skipped the anesthesia. Seizing a surgical knife, he pressed it against my stomach.
He said, “Eleanor, you brought this upon yourself. If you hadn’t deliberately crashed into Joanne, or fabricated stories about carrying my child, would Joanne be so heartbroken as to leave the country and enter an arranged marriage?”
Terror gripped me and tears mingled with perspiration drenched my hospital gown, “Gerald, don’t harm my belly! I’m pleading, the baby just moved, calling for help…”
I cried out, “We can end our marriage. Isn’t that what you desire? I vow to leave you and Joanne in peace and vanish after we part. You’ll never see me again! You can do as you please. I promise to
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Chapter 6
tay away following the divorce and never cross your path again.”
“Gerald, please… let’s just separate … my begging falls on deaf
ears.
The blade suddenly paused, suspended above my skin. Gerald’s brow furrowed, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face.
Joanne cleared her throat softly, her puffy eyes turning towards me, “Eleanor, please don’t fight with Gerald because of me. I’ll arrange my flight and depart immediately.” She made as if to exit, but Gerald halted her.
Turning back to me, any trace of doubt evaporated from his expression, “Eleanor, this will only take a few moments. If you’re scared of blood, just shut your eyes.”
The harsh operating lights cast deep shadows on Gerald’s face, making him appear more like an unfeeling automaton. Under Joanne’s influence, he gripped the blade and systematically incised my abdomen.
Warm fluid spattered onto my arms. Surprisingly, I felt no pain.
I couldn’t tell how much time had passed before the surgery door was forcefully thrown open.
The sharp sound of a slap reverberated in the room, followed by the hospital chief’s enraged voice, “Gerald! What on earth are you doing?”
With a loud clatter, the surgical knife dropped to the floor. All strength seemed to leave Gerald’s body as he sagged weakly against the operating table.
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Staring blankly at my opened abdomen, he stuttered, “Chief…
Eleanor’s stomach
how is there a baby inside?”
