Chapter Four

When Valerie opened her eyes all she could see was white. White walls, white ceiling, and then the IV stand. She was in a hospital and she was wearing a hospital gown she was trying to recall what happened when she remembered her baby.

“ my baby, my baby, what happened to my baby”.valerie screamed. Layla seeing that Valerie was awake rushed to hug her.

“Calm down love, you're fine now, just take it easy”. Layla tried to calm her down.

“Layla? How did I end up here and what happened to my baby”. Valerie asked, frantic.

“I'll go get the doctor now so he can check you”. Layla said, rushing out to get the doctor.

About a minute later Layla returned with the doctor who immediately proceeded to check her vitals and make sure she was okay.

“Mrs Hawkins, I'm Doctor Alex, and I must say you are very lucky you were brought into the hospital because if you had stayed a little longer the consequences would have been dire. It is a miracle you didn't go into eclampsia and that would have been a different story entirely but thankfully both you and your baby are okay and healthy”.the doctor said.

“Doctor did you just say my baby is healthy?”. Valerie asked.

“Yes ma'am , due to your condition when you came in we had to carry out an emergency C-section on you and deliver the baby. Congratulations Mrs Hawkins you have a beautiful baby girl”. The doctor said

Valerie could not believe it. Her baby was alive and it was a little girl.

“Can I see her doctor?”. She asked.

“ she is in the incubator because of course she's premature but you need to rest up ill come and check on you later and if you're stronger you can see her”.

“ okay doctor, thank you”.

“ What about your husband can you give us his contact, everything has been paidfor but we need his information for documentation purposes”.

Exhausted, Valerie replied. “ she has no father doctor, I'm everything you need”.

“ alright then you can see your baby”. And they were both taken to the incubator room. Valerie couldn't hold back her tears as she saw her little girl, she was so tiny she could fit in valeries palm but she was connected to a lot of wires which made Valerie sad. She was beautiful to behold.

“She's so beautiful Layla, I can't believe it, it is a shame I can't touch her and hold her in my arms right now ”. Valerie squealed.

“ very soon Val, so have you thought of a name?”.Layla asked Valerie.

“ Carmen, your goddaughter’s name is Carmen”. Valerie beamed.

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While they were still in the hospital, Layla would always stop by after work to check up on them and bring Valerie food and any other thing she needed. Valerie didn't know how to pay Layla back for everything she did for them but Layla would always say she would have done the same if they switched places.

They were to be discharged in a week as Valerie was getting better.

“ I'm so happy I get to leave this hospital with my baby”.

“ Val, I'm happy too, but we have to address the elephant in the room, Ryan”. Layla started.“ he has been buzzing my phone with calls and even came to my house yesterday. I told him I didn't know where you were. Look you know I'm not a supporter of your marriage but I need to know your plan first are you still going back to Ryan ?”. Layla asked.

Valerie was expecting that question. “ Ryan has proven to me beyond reasonable doubt that I and my daughter mean absolutely nothing to him, so I am going to close his chapter as well. My daughter and I will be fine without him. What I need right now is a lawyer I am divorcing him”.Valerie replied.

the next day at the hospital, Valerie was getting ready to leave when a nurse came to announce that two men were looking for her. Valerie could only wonder who they could be and asked that they be allowed in. Two hefty looking men in black suits and black glasses came in Valerie was confused as to why these kind of men were looking for her.

One of them finally spoke. “ Good day, please we are looking for Mrs Valerie Jones”.

“ yes?, I am Valerie how can I help you”. Valerie asked looking confused.

“ I am Omar, the head of security of the armani empire”. Valerie could not even guess where he was going to with this talk.

But he continued. “ our boss, Mr Thodore Armani sent us to find you and bring you to him”.

Valerie was confused. “ what is that even supposed to mean, so I'm just supposed to follow you to meet some person that I don't even know?, did Ryan send you ?”. She asked.

“I do not know who this Ryan is but I can assure you that it is very important that you come with us, no harm will come to you or your baby “. Omar replied.

Valerie immediately put a call to Layla to tell her to rush to the hospital as something weird was going on.

“How does this Mr Theodore armani know me anyways and why is he interested in me”. Valerie asked.

Omar replied her. “ I believe he is your father”.

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A few days later Ryan wassitting in his office, he had just concluded a board meeting and was lost in thought. He didnt know where Valerie could have gone to as he didnt expect that she will just disappear upon his return back home. he asked everyone he could think of. She didn't have many friends and even her best friend Layla didn't know of her whereabouts and even threatened to get him arrested if he didn't bring back her friend. He didn't know if she was dead or alive and as he was still lost in thought when a knock jolted him out of his reverie

.His secretary Candice came in with an envelope “excuse me sir ,a package came in for you just now”. She said, dropping the envelope on his table and then leaving the office. He wondered who it could be from and opened it and right there in his very hands were divorce papers from his wife.