Ellinor awakened to find herself surrounded by a crowd, each person gazing at her as though she were some exotic creature.
She felt weak and in pain, unable to sit up on her own.
Belinda, hiding at the bedside, teared up as she looked at her. âAuntie, youâre incredible! Youâve given birth to a set of twins!â
Twins? Werenât there supposed to be three?
Ellinor was aware she was carrying multiple babies. During the time she fled from the Blanchet family, due to limited resources, she didnât have regular check-ups. So for a long period, she was in the dark.
Then, back in Greenhaven, the doctor told her there were not one but multiple babies in her belly. She recalled the doctor saying it was triplets.
Balfour gently stroked her forehead with a worried look. âYouâve done well, Ellinor. Both the babies are healthy.â
Ellinorâs consciousness still seemed clouded. She began to doubt if her memory of expecting triplets was a mix-up. She asked, âWhere are the babies? Let me see them.â
Ida stepped forward and explained, âBoss, the children were premature, and since they were triplets, theyâre all under 9 lbs. They need to be in incubators under professional nursing care, Donât worry, each one of them is healthy.â
Ellinor, lacking the energy to think deeper, trusted Ida implicitly. She nodded. âAlright, as long as they are healthy. When theyâre ready to be seen, have the nurses bring them to me.â
Ida readily agreed. âSure!â
After inquiring about the babies, Ellinor scanned the faces surrounding her bed, clearly searching for someone. Not finding the person she sought, she asked in a bewildered tone. âWhereâs Theo?â
Silence fell on the crowd for a minute.
Chase was the first to break the silence. âBoss, Mr. Blanchet hasnât returned yet. Your premature labor caught us off guard. Mr. Blanchet needs time to rush back.â Belinda quickly chimed in. âUh⦠Yes!
Auntie, Uncle Theo hasnât returned yet. Once he does, heâll rush to see you.â
He hadnât returned?
Ellinor frowned. She was completely confused.
She clearly remembered seeing Theo in the delivery room and even biting his arm.
Everyone felt a bit guilty as they looked at Ellinorâs confused expression.
Before Ellinor had finished delivering, Theo had left the delivery room with the first baby, and then, when they were not paying attention, he had disappeared without a trace.
Now, they couldnât even reach him.
They were afraid that Ellinor, having just given birth, would be upset if she knew about this situation, so they decided not to tell her that Theo had taken one of the babies.
They planned to find Theo and the baby, figure out what was going on, and then explain the situation to Ellinor.
Ellinor was still pondering. She was wondering if she had hallucinated due to her longing to see him.
By this time, Theoâs plane should have landed. Why hadnât he come to see her?
To divert her attention, Balfour said, âEllinor, you need to rest now. Everything is under control with the babies. Thereâs nothing to worry about.â
Ellinor asked, âWhereâs my phone?â
She wanted to call Theo, tell him about the birth of their babies, ask why he hadnât returned yet, and give him a piece of her mind for not keeping his word.
Balfour, looking worried, gently touched her pale face. âListen, Ellinor. You shouldnât be looking at your phone during your postpartum period. Itâs not good for your eyes.â