Nine C-Section, Nine Dead Sons, One Escape novel Chapter 5

Then darkness.

Vertigo crushed me. Something clamped down on my chest so hard I couldn’t draw breath.

The past ten years flickered through my mind like a carousel of shattered glass.

I’d crossed over with a powerful family name. Parents gone early, but my grandfather doted on me.

Julian had been nothing then. A disgraced illegitimate son, cast out by the Ashworth family. He only knew that Priscilla never left his side.

What he never knew was how many strings I pulled to pave his way back. How I helped him claw back his inheritance.

That charity gala the year we met, he thought it was our first encounter. It was my chess move, every step calculated.

But I fell for him anyway. I couldn’t stop myself.

We had good years once. Back when we were young. He’d drape a jacket over my shoulders late at night. He’d make me pancakes on my birthday.

When did it all change?

The first child was cut from me too soon and died. His eyes were red when he said it, “This is what you

owe Priscilla.”

Child after child died. And I went cold toward him, piece by piece.

What he’d done went beyond words. I wanted to tear him apart with my bare hands. Strip him down to

nothing.

A shrill medical alarm split through my head. And my grandmother’s scream, raw, terrified.

“Ruby! Ruby, wake up! Don’t you scare me like this!”

The system notification chimed at the same time.

[Ding!

Host has successfully disconnected from the world. Reward: Full health restoration upon

return to original world.]

[Seduction mission complete. $100 million deposited.]

I should’ve been overjoyed. But all I could think about was that child. It carved me open.

The system chimed again.

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[Host need not worry. We’ve detected the level of torture you endured far exceeded mission parameters. This was a failure on our end.]

[As compensation, your last child will be reincarn… ]

I blacked out before it finished.

When awareness crept back, I felt warm tears dripping onto my face.

I forced my eyes open. The fluorescent lights stabbed.

Nana June collapsed into my arms, sobbing.

“Ruby! You’re awake! You nearly scared me to death!”

I opened my mouth. My throat was sandpaper. No sound came out.

Doctors and nurses rushed in. After a flurry of checks, the attending physician exhaled. stable. She’s out of danger.”

The words finally landed. I was back. I was really back.

I clung to Nana June, my voice cracking.

it… no more waiting…”

“Vitals are

“Nana… your surgery… we have the money now… we can do

She froze, then shook her head through tears. “Silly girl. You’re all that matters. I’m old. It doesn’t

matter.”

I fumbled for my phone with shaking hands. When I saw those numbers in my banking app, I finally let

myself believe it wasn’t a dream.

I remembered that night.

Working late at the office, way past midnight. The system found me.

The mission was absurd. Bear nine children for an heirless CEO. I wanted to refuse on the spot, but the system said the reward was $100 million.

That meant Nana June’s bypass surgery. Her recovery. Every medical bill after. All covered.

I gritted my teeth and said yes.

And I walked into a world of unspeakable suffering.

Now I held my grandmother tight, tears streaming down my smiling face. “Nana, we’re gonna live a good life from now on. I’m never leaving you again.”

She steadied me, her hands still trembling.

“You can’t move around yet. The doctor said it was a stroke–induced coma. When they brought you in,

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they said you probably wouldn’t wake up.”

Her voice broke again.

“I wanted to go with you…”

“Nana, I’m fine now. Look at me. I’m all here. Now

I wiped her tears and whispered reassurances.

it’s my turn to take care of you.”

The doctor added instructions, another head CT, light meals for a few days, observation period, then discharge if nothing unusual.

Three days later, I signed the discharge papers.

When I stepped through the hospital doors, a spring breeze hit my face, carrying the scent of flowers.

I stood on the curb and breathed deep.

No mansion. No branding iron. No leather whip. No children drained of marrow and blood.

The pain. The blood. That entire past. I left it all in that other world.

I squeezed Nana June’s hand and walked forward.

On the other side, Julian hurled himself at the fireplace. Too late. It was all too late.

“Help! Someone help!”

Security guards scrambled to douse the flames. They dragged out a body burned beyond recognition.

Julian stumbled toward it, hand shaking as he reached for her face. His voice came out shredded.

“Call a doctor! Now!”

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