Chapter 6 - The Monstrous Calm
The labor lasted for two agonizing hours. The medical team worked with a synchronized, silent efficiency, guiding the first baby—a beautiful, healthy boy—into the world at 11:14 PM. Without a moment's delay, the head nurse swept the crying infant away into a concealed, adjoining neonatal room, out of sight of the viewing window where Richard, Bernice, and Sophia were now standing, peer into the room like spectators at a theater.
At 11:28 PM, the second baby—a delicate, perfect little girl—was born. She, too, was instantly moved to the secure side room, her first cries muffled by the heavy acoustic padding of the hospital doors.
Then, the performance began.
Marcus caught the eye of the lead anesthesiologist, who flipped a switch on the main cardiac monitor. Instantly, the rhythmic, healthy pulsing on the screen transformed into a terrifying, flatline drone.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPC.
The red warning lights over the delivery door began to flash. Nurses began moving frantically from side to side, executing a perfectly choreographed chaos. One doctor called for the defibrillator paddles, charging them against nothing, while another loudly announced the time of death: "Patient flatlining! Internal hemorrhage! Call the time—11:35 PM!"
Through the large glass observation window, the reaction of the trio was instantaneous.
Richard stood with his jaw tight, his chest swelling with a monstrous, cold calm. He didn't shed a single tear. Beside him, Mrs. Bernice openly squeezed her rosary, a triumphant, ugly smile breaking across her old face as she whispered a fervent "thank God" that echoed against the glass. Sophia clung to Richard’s arm, her fingers digging into his expensive suit jacket, her face lit up with the radiant joy of a woman who had just inherited a empire built on blood.
Inside the room, Elena lay perfectly still, her eyes closed, her breathing shallow and controlled as she listened to the flatline beep that symbolized the death of her old life.
Marcus took off his surgical gloves, his movements slow and deliberate. He let the mask drop from his face, revealing an expression of hardened, absolute coldness. He walked toward the delivery room doors, pushing them open to face the monsters waiting in the corridor.
The moment Richard saw Marcus exit, he stepped forward, already pulling a gold pen from his breast pocket. "Is it over? Is the child safe? My attorney is downstairs to finalize the custody and estate management documents."
Marcus stood perfectly still, looking at the three of them. The silence in the corridor grew heavy, suffocating.
"The mother is gone," Marcus said, his voice dropping into a low, quiet register that made the hairs on the back of Richard's neck stand up. "But before you sign any paperwork, Mr. Palmer... there is a medical detail you need to be aware of."
Richard frowned, an uneasy ripple breaking through his triumphant calm. "What detail? The child is alive, isn't it?"
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Marcus looked directly past him at Sophia, then back to Richard.
"It’s twins," Marcus revealed, his voice echoing in the quiet hallway. "A boy and a girl. Both born alive. Both perfectly healthy."
