Love Burnt Baby Stayed (by Nina R.Calder) novel Chapter 234

Chapter 234

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Once the office was empty, Camila leaned in, half her body stretched over the desk, hands braced as she looked at Charles with a secretive air.

Charles looked back at her, clearly interested. “So, what have you got? I’m fresh out of ideas.”

“I went to find Mr. Carter for something work–related, but he wasn’t in. He was with Mrs. Carter at her prenatal checkup,” said Camila.

“Oh, right. Today’s Briana’s prenatal checkup,” Charles replied.

Camila arched an eyebrow. “We’ll make our move starting with that checkup.”

Charles was stunned for a few seconds.

“I don’t get it. Are you saying we should let something happen to Briana’s baby? No way, that’s not happening,” he said. He waved his hands in protest.

“Hear me out, Mr. Lane,” Camila said lightly. “Of course, we can’t do anything to the baby. That’s just asking for trouble, and it’s bad luck. But if we focus on Mrs. Carter instead, now that’s where things get interesting.”

Charles looked a bit confused. “You mean focus on Briana?”

“Exactly. Mr. Lane, picture this. If Mrs. Carter suddenly gets diagnosed with some life–threatening illness, and Mr. Carter sticks with her through thick and thin, do you really think her heart would still be torn?

“Would she still want to leave?” Camila said.

The office was dead silent.

Charles leaned back in his chair. He stared at Camila for a moment, then a slow smile spread across his face.

Camila snapped her fingers. “How about that?”

“Sure,” Charles replied.

The two of them exchanged a knowing smile.

Two days later, Briana arrived at the hospital alone. She’d gotten a call from her doctor, asking her to come pick up her complete prenatal report.

Since she had some free time, she decided to stop by.

In the doctor’s office, Briana said, “Hi, I’m here to pick up my checkup report.

The doctor flipped through a pile of papers. “Briana, right?”

“Yeah, you remember me?” Briana asked.

“Of course, I do,” the doctor replied. “You had the highest–level VIP checkup, everything was fast–tracked, and your husband waited outside for you the whole time. Not many people get that kind of privilege.”

Briana smiled politely.

“Another reason I remember you is-“The doctor hesitated, as if she was about to say something, but stopped herself.

11:03 Sat, Feb 14

Chapter 234

For some reason, Briana’s heart suddenly tightened.

The doctor didn’t say anything else.

The office was completely silent. The only sound was the rustling of papers.

After a while, the doctor pulled out a report. “This one’s yours, Briana.”

Her name was printed right on the cover.

As Briana reached for it, the doctor held it back. “You need to prepare yourself for what’s inside.”

Briana wobbled unsteadily. The very first thing that flashed through her mind was the baby she was carrying.

After all, she’d already had a miscarriage before. There was no heartbeat.

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‘Could this baby have problems, too?‘ Briana wondered. Her mind buzzed and went blank, her hands trembling. She gripped her palms tight, trying her best to keep it together.

Briana had already lost one baby. She couldn’t lose another. She couldn’t take another blow like this.

“Doctor, what’s wrong with my baby?” Briana forced the words out, each one a struggle. “Is there something wrong?”

“Well-” the doctor began.

But before the doctor could finish, Briana cut her off. “No matter what, I want to keep my baby. My own health doesn’t matter. Save my baby.”

She was ready to risk her own life if that’s what it took to make sure her baby came into this world safe and healthy.

Briana’s legs went weak, and for a moment, everything went dark. She could barely see the room around her.

She swayed, grabbing onto the desk, barely managing to stay upright.

The doctor quickly got up and helped her sit down.

Briana’s hands were ice–cold.

“The baby’s fine,” the doctor said quickly. “The issue is with you.”

“Me?” Isabelle looked surprised.

“Yes, the doctor replied. “There’s something wrong with your heart.”

“Heart disease?” Briana echoed, stunned.

“Kind of. The cause is pretty complicated,” the doctor said, adjusting her glasses. “Honestly, I didn’t call you here just for your prenatal report. I needed to talk to you about your heart.”

Every time the doctor mentioned her heart, Briana felt her chest tighten painfully.

“Try to stay calm,” the doctor sighed. “Take a moment. I’m worried this might be too much for you.”

The doctor turned and went to pour her a glass of water.

“No, doctor,” Briana shook her head. “Just say it, all at once.”

She didn’t want the doctor to drag it out, saying one sentence and pausing for a few seconds. It felt like being slowly carved

up with a blunt knife, every moment grinding away at her. It was better a quick pain than a long one.

Sat, Feb

Chapter 234

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The doctor sat back down, locking eyes with Briana.

“Here’s the situation,” the doctor said. “I recommend you terminate the pregnancy while you still can, and prepare for heart surgery. That’s the only way to give you a better chance at survival and a longer life.

“If you refuse to let go of this baby and push through to the end, your heart’s only going to get worse. When the time comes for you to give birth, it might be your last day on earth.

“With how things are now, if you force yourself to have this child, you’ll be running on empty, burning up everything you’ve got. It’s basically trading your life for the baby’s. But if you let the pregnancy go, you—”

Briana interrupted, “Even if I give up the baby, there’s still no guarantee I’ll make it, right?”

“But if you keep the baby, your odds of surviving are pretty much zero,” the doctor replied.

Briana locked eyes with the doctor.

The doctor met Briana’s eyes for a few seconds, then looked away.

“I’ve decided,” Briana said. “I’m keeping the baby.”

“You really don’t want to reconsider?” the doctor asked.

“No, I’m not changing my mind,” Briana said firmly. “I can’t be selfish.”

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The doctor looked like she wanted to say more, but after a long pause, she finally said, “This is a big deal. You should really talk it over with your family. Don’t make this decision alone.”

“This is my baby, and I’m the one having it. I don’t need anyone else’s approval,” Briana said.

“But the baby’s father has a right in this decision,” the doctor replied.

Briana’s lips parted slightly, unable to speak.

It felt like history was repeating itself.

She’d been in this same hospital before, learning that one of her twins had no heartbeat.

The doctor told her she needed both her and her husband’s signatures to go through with the procedure.

Now, after all this time, the doctor was telling her that even when it came to choosing between her baby and her own life, she still couldn’t make the call herself.

Her fate was still tied to Shepard’s. Because, legally, he was her husband

Briana felt like she was about to break down. Her tears fell in huge, unstoppable drops, splashing onto her lap. She couldn’t hold them back, no matter how hard she tried.

“Why? Why is it like this?” Briana muttered to herself. “I got pregnant once, had twins, and not a single one made it. Not one could be born. Did I do something so wrong?”