In the First Care Medical Hospital, Onaton City, Zoey Fuller was in the Obstetrics and Gynecology ward. She was drenched in sweat from the contraction pains she was experiencing. Like a fish that was out of water, Zoey had her mouth opened wide to take in big gulps of air as she tried to follow the instructions of her obstetrician.
"Give another hard push, I can almost see the baby's head now."
"Don't be scared, you're almost there. The baby will be delivered soon."
"Congratulations! You have a pair of twins, a boy and a girl!"
"Oh no, the patient's blood pressure is too high and she's losing too much blood. We need to operate on her immediately."
Zoey had spent all her energy on delivering her twins. With the last bit of strength she had left, she cast a quick glance at her newborn babies before she lost consciousness.
"Look at these babies. They have such fair skin and rosy lips. Too bad that they are illegal children, really. Tsk tsk..."
Zoey regained consciousness amid the loud noises in the hospital room. The first person she saw when she opened her eyes was Stella Lynch. Stella was standing in front of the cots and criticizing her babies.
Her children. Zoey remembered now. She had gone through a difficult labor and had passed out after having lost excessive blood. The doctor had managed to save her. It was really good just to be alive.
"Zoey, you're awake." Stella turned and met Zoey's wary eyes. Stella curled her lips in a sneer and said, "These two illegal children that you've given birth to are quite good-looking. It's such a pity that you don't know who their father is."
As Stella was speaking, she started to reach out to pick up one of the twins.
"No!" Zoey's eyes widened in fear. In spite of her weakened body due to childbirth and excessive loss of blood, a motherly instinct arose in Zoey and gave her the strength to spring out of her bed and leap toward the cots. Shoving Stella away with what strength she had, Zoey stood in front of the cots like a protective hen guarding her chicks.
"Stella, what are you up to?" Zoey asked as she stared at Stella warily. Her eyes were filled with disgust and bitterness towards Stella.
Stella awkwardly regained her balance and glared at Zoey. However, a thought seemed to pop into her head and soon, Stella sniggered and said, "Zoey, I'm surprised that you actually care a lot for these illegal children of yours. But I wonder how they will feel when they get to know the truth about their birth when they are older."
Zoey stiffened and her eyes hardened with hatred. Stella had schemed against her and caused her to have sex with a stranger. This had resulted in her pregnancy. This had also caused her to be a disgrace to her family, and so, her entire family had
forsaken her. To this day, her father still believed that she was a jinx who had brought shame to her family.
That night with the stranger was the night she had lost her virginity. She couldn't remember much of it nor did she have any clue to that man's identity. She could only remember that man had given off the very unique and pleasant scent of ambergris.
"Shut the hell up, Stella!" A cold glint of harshness could be seen in Zoey's eyes. While Stella was still gloating over her misfortune, Zoey rushed up and gave Stella a few slaps across her face. Zoey had long wanted to do this - she had really hated Stella for what she had done.
"How dare you hit me?" With her hands to her stinging cheeks, Stella stared coldly at Zoey and said, "Zoey, do you know that my family has a stake in this hospital? Just one word from me and you and your illegal children will be thrown out of here!"
Undaunted, Zoey looked around the room and saw a fruit knife on the table. Curling her lips coldly, she rushed over to the table and grabbed the knife. Flashing the knife in Stella's face, Zoey snapped back, "It's just as well. I'll cut your face before you can call for help to throw us out."
Zoey had nothing except for her two babies. Motherhood had built her tenacity and she was no longer the soft and trusting Zoey from before. She had nothing more to lose. She would fight it out with Stella if she had to.
Stella began to panic. She could tell that Zoey would not hesitate to harm her if she was provoked further. "Zoey, I'm warning you, stop messing around. If you dare hurt me, I'll..."
"What are you going to do? Kill me? Or devise another scheme against me?" Zoey moved closer to Stella with the knife in her hand. She had a ruthless look on her pale face as she said, "Let me tell you this: I'm no longer the same naive fool from a year ago. If you dare devise another scheme against me or hurt my babies, I'll kill you right here."
Zoey had no intention to kill Stella. She had only wanted to teach Stella a lesson for all the grievances she had suffered over the past year.
"Don't, don't you dare!" Stella started to move back out of fear but she soon changed her mind. She shouldn't be so easily intimidated by Zoey. Straightening her back, Stella was about to call for help when Zoey charged forward and pressed the knife to her neck.
"Stella Lynch, since you don't believe that I have the guts to do what I've just said, I'll show you instead!" Zoey raised her hand and was about to slash Stella's neck when a large hand gripped hers.
A cold voice sounded suddenly, asking, "Zoey, are you mad? Do you know what you are doing?"
Zoey turned her head and met Xavier Lewis' eyes. She felt a sudden ache in her chest when she saw the disappointment they held. However, when she thought about how both he and Stella had caused her current situation, hatred swiftly replaced the heartache.
Shaking off his hand, Zoey swung the knife in a backhand move and slashed Xavier.
Fresh red blood began to flow from his arm.
Xavier stared at Zoey with disbelief as he clutched at his injured arm. "Zoey, did you just hurt me?"
For as long as Xavier could remember, Zoey had loved him with all her heart. She would feel pained whenever he was hurt, no matter how small his injury was. But now, she was looking at his injury and there was nothing but hatred in her eyes.
Zoey said through clenched teeth, "Xavier, if it wasn't against the law to murder someone, I would definitely kill you both right now."
Zoey was filled with bitterness and hatred towards Xavier and Stella. These two had a hand in everything she had gone through in the past year; from falling into their trap and becoming pregnant, to becoming a disgrace to her family and being thrown out of her house by her father because of shame.
"Xavier, I only wanted to let Zoey know about her father's demise so that she can attend his funeral. I don't know what made her so angry that she even wanted to kill me. She has even hurt you..." Stella hid behind Xavier and spoke hesitantly.
"What did you say? What happened to my father?" What Stella had said struck Zoey like a bolt of lightning. She tried to get to Stella, anxious to clarify the details.
Frightened by Zoey's sudden move, Stella clutched at Xavier's clothes and cried out, "Help me, Xavier!"
Xavier moved back with Stella securely protected behind him and told Zoey grimly, "Stop it, Zoey! My men are outside this room. Just one word from me and you will not be able to escape."
There was a glint in Zoey's eyes as she thought about her children. She could not let her children fall into the hands of these two savages.
Zoey decided to pretend to succumb to Xavier's threats and said, "Tell me what happened to my father, Xavier." She needed to ensure that she and her babies could leave here safely.
Xavier's expression softened a little when he saw that Zoey had listened to him and backed off.
Stella said, "Zoey, your father heard the news about you going into labor and got so agitated that he had a heart attack. The doctors couldn't save him. Your father willed the Fuller Corporation to Xavier and you have been cast out from the Fuller family."
"You're spouting nonsense, Stella! My father has regular health checks and there's nothing wrong with him. His doctor has said that he does not have any heart issues!" Zoey roared in fury, "What did both of you do to him? You must have done something. Otherwise, even if I was driven out from the Fuller family, I still have my uncles who can take over the company. There's no way my father would have willed it to Xavier!"
Xavier stared at Zoey while Stella said, "Xavier, I think Zoey has developed persecutory delusions after giving birth. She's not in a state to take care of her
babies right now. Why don't we adopt her babies on account of her father? This way, without her children, Zoey can find someone to marry as well."
Xavier turned towards Stella and asked, "You're willing to do that, Stella?"
Stella smiled and dimples appeared on her cheeks. "Those twins are good-looking kids and Zoey is someone whom you have cared about. I just thought it would be good if we can help her."
Xavier nodded and said, "OK, I'll get someone in to bring them back."
Zoey could feel her blood run cold as a murderous look appeared in her eyes. When she saw Xavier walking towards her twins, she charged over to him and plunged the knife into his injured arm without any hesitation. Taking advantage of his shocked reaction at being stabbed, Zoey dashed to pick up both her twins and the bag on the table before running for her life.
She could still hear Stella's furious roars as she ran out of the hospital room. Once she exited the hospital, Zoey hailed a cab at once. As she got into the cab, she turned around and saw some bodyguards running towards her. Her entire body was tensed as she asked the driver to speed up. Those bodyguards were sent by Xavier. She would not allow her babies to fall into the hands of those two. Otherwise, her babies would definitely suffer under the devious hands of Stella.