Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Nakahiga si Auliffe sa operating bed, maputla ang kanyang mukha, at basang-basa ng pawis ang buong katawan. Mariin niyang kagat-kagat ang labi habang nagpipigil ng luha. Kahit naasaktan na siya ay pinipilit niyang magpakatatag. Ilang oras na siyang nasa operating room. She’s sweating bullets and her body is shaking because of fear.

"Ere pa ng malakas, Miss. Nakikita ko na ang ulo ng bata." Dumagundong sa kanyang tainga ang boses ni Dra. Henares na siyang midwife. Napakagat naman siya sa ibabang labi.

Hindi niya alam kung bakit ito ang nagpaanak sa kaniya sa oras na dumating siya sa hospital. Nag-iinarte nanaman siguro si Narvi.

“Ahh!” Malakas na sigaw niya. Habol ang hininga dulot ng matinding pagod. Mahigit dalawang oras na siyang nasa operating room. Ang kamay ni Auliffe ay mahigpit na nakahawak sa head rest ng kama na tila doon siya kumukuha ng lakas.

"The child seems to be stuck, and it may be difficult to give birth. Should we call Dr. Inzerillo?" sambit ng doctor sa kaniya.

Umiling si Auliffe naghahabol pa rin ng hininga. Butil-butil ang pawis sa kaniyang noo. Nagpalitan ng tingin ang midwife doctor at ang head nurse.

Hinawakan ni Auliffe kamay ng doctor, “I c-can do this… No need to call another doctor.”

Hindi niya akalain na mahihirapan siyang manganak dahil lahat naman ng bilin ng doctor ay kanyang sinusunod.

Napangiti ang doctor sa sinabi ni Auliffe, hinawakan nito ang kanyang kamay, “Let’s try again, Ms. Albano. Now you listen to my instructions, inhale and exhale. Tapos ere ng malakas, understood?”

Tumango lang si Auliffe at muling humawak sa head rest ng kama. She inhales deeply before closing her eyes, “Ahh!”

Ilang segundo lang lumipas ay malakas na pag-iyak ng sanggol ang kanilang narinig. Nakahinga ng maluwag ang lahat ng nasa delivery room. Iminulat niya ang kaniyang mga mata ng daha-dahan. Napangiti si Auliffe habang pinakikinggan ang iyak ng kanyang baby. A baby boy and a baby girl.

“What would you name them, Miss Albano?” The Doctor asked.

“Nicklaus and Cassiel…” She smiled.

The head nurse took the baby to wash it, the midwife walked out of the delivery room when Dr. Inzerillo ask the details about Auliffe and her baby.

He took out his mobile phone and dialed very familiar a number.

"Pionella..."

“Hi, Dr. Inzerillo. How’s Auliffe and her baby? Are they fine?” sunod-sunod na tanong ni Pionella.

“Hey! Calm down.” Natatawang puna ni Narvi sa kausap. “Auliffe gave birth to a healthy twin baby… let Hawk know.”

Tumango naman siya na tila nakikita ito ng kausap sa telepono, “Okay, give me an update from time to time,” dagdag niya dito.

“Okay,Ma’am,” biro naman nito.

Pionella hung up the phone and knocked on the door in front of her.

“Come in,” the mature and low voice of a man said.

Poinella pushed the door in slowly, and a tall man stood in front of the tall French windows, “Mr. Valiente.”

The buttons on his suit were scattered, revealing the crisp shirt inside, and a cigarette was quietly burning between the middle finger and ring finger of his left hand.

“What is it?” Tumaas ang kilay ng lalaki. A kind of shocking and self-prestige.

“The hospital just called, Sir. Well, Ms. Auliffe Albano gave birth to a healthy baby boy… and a girl. The mother and children are safe,” Pionella replied immediately.

"I see." There was no furrowing of the Hawk’s brows after he listened.

Pionella felt like she should say "congratulations", but before she could say anything, he continued to ask, “What time does the video conference of the Singapore branch start?”

Pionella froze for a moment, and almost didn't keep up with the rhythm. She raised her wrist, looked down at her watch, and answered cautiously, “In half an hour, Mr. Valiente.”

“Go to the meeting room and prepare all the necessary.” Hawk finished speaking, extinguished the cigarette from his fingertips, and turned to the door.

The video conference lasted until the early morning of the next day. The secretary walked into the meeting room with two cups of strong coffee.

“Why don't you go to the hospital and check, Sir?” Pionella had been holding back all night and couldn't help but ask.

Hawk, who sat across from Pionella, sipped his coffee with grace. "Call Rene to ready the car," he commanded without looking at her. She immediately excuses herself.

At the age of thirty-one, Hawk never indulge himself into a serious relationship. Well, hindi pa kasi niya nakikita ang babaeng seseryosohin niya kasi karamihan sa mga naging babae niya ay pera lang ang gusto sa kanya. He’s a good catch, after all. He is good looking and rich. Ang gusto naman niya sa babae ay iyong hindi nasisilaw sa yaman niya, iyong tatanggapin siya bilang siya. Hindi dahil siya si Hawk Valiente.

Hospital, ward.

The rays of sunshine streamed in through the window early in the morning, and the warmth of the sunlight coming was soothing.

Pagod na iminulat ni Auliffe ang kanyang mga mata, pinagmamasdan ang natutulog na anak sa tabi niya, walang tigil na tumulo ang mga luha. Hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala na isa na siyang ina.

However, this is a child whose father has not been discovered. Muntik na siyang mahimatay nang malaman niyang buntis siya sa unang pagkakataon. Ngunit, sa loob ng sampung buwan, the baby has sprouted and developed little by bit in her body, becoming an inseparable part of her existence.

Perhaps this is what parenthood entails. As a result, when the doctor said that she could have cervical dilation, she was almost thoughtlessly determined to use her life to sacrifice the hope of survival for the kid.

When the doorbell rang, Auliffe swiftly wiped the tears from her cheek with the back of her palm.

"Please come in," she murmured hoarsely.

She assumed it was a nurse changing the infusion bottle when the door opened. Nagulat pa siya no’ng pagbukas niya ng pinto ay sumalubong sa kanya ang mukha ng isang gwapong lalaki. A tall, handsome man walked in their room, looking dignified but slightly arrogant.