[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":10},["ShallowReactive",2],{"viewer-data-260322E1C3D0-302":3},{"id":4,"number":5,"name":6,"content":7,"isLocked":8,"price":9,"hasRead":8},302,88,"Chapter 88: \"Is This Thing Supposed to Look Like a Wrinkled Old Man?\"","\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">After the medical team retreated, the room quieted into an intimate bubble for the three of them. Marcellus sat by the bed, his thumb tracing the back of Evangeline’s hand in a slow, rhythmic caress.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Evangeline looked ghostly pale. Her hair was matted to her forehead, damp with sweat, and were it not for the shallow, rhythmic rise and fall of her chest, she might have looked like a porcelain doll someone had simply discarded. Seeing the doctors press on her stomach earlier—and noticing the heavy, stained pads beneath her—had felt like a jagged blade twisting in his gut.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He would have traded places with her in a heartbeat if he could.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Waaah! Waaah!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The sudden wail of the newborn shattered the silence. Marcellus stood up, pacing the small space like a caged animal. He hovered over the cradle, his hands lifting and falling in hesitation. He hadn't the slightest clue how to handle something so fragile.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The nurse, waiting just outside the door, heard the commotion and slipped in quietly. She scooped up the infant. \"Sir, will you and the lady be going with formula or breast milk?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"…Formula, I suppose.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Marcellus?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He practically lunged back to the bedside. \"Evangeline? You’re awake. Are you in pain?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Evangeline shook her head weakly, holding out her arms. \"Give her to me. I’m breastfeeding.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The nurse glanced between the two of them, looking hesitant.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Evangeline, let’s stick to formula,\" Marcellus urged, his voice tight with concern. \"The baby will grow just fine, and I don’t want you draining yourself. It’s too exhausting.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"No. I’m doing it myself.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Seeing her iron-willed stubbornness, Marcellus relented. He gestured sharply to the nurse to hand the baby over. As Evangeline cradled the infant to her chest, her movements shifted—nature taking the wheel.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The moment the baby latched, a jolt of something primal surged through Evangeline. Her heart felt like it was liquefying, and a single tear slipped silently down her cheek.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"What is it? Does it hurt?\" Marcellus scrambled to reach for the baby, but Evangeline slapped his hand away.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Get back. Don’t you dare touch my baby.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Evangeline…\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Marcellus wore a look of utter, kicked-puppy defeat. Normally, she would have teased him or smoothed things over, but her entire universe had shrunk down to the tiny life in her arms. He didn't even register.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The baby’s suckling triggered a fresh round of contractions, and Evangeline winced as beads of cold sweat broke out on her brow. She clamped her lips shut, refusing to pull away.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Her sudden shift in color terrified him. \"What’s wrong? Where does it hurt? Tell me!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Evangeline furrowed her brows, her voice sharp with exhaustion. \"Can you just keep it down for five minutes?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The nurse spoke up from the corner. \"Sir, the suckling stimulates the release of oxytocin, which helps the uterus contract and clears out the residual fluids. It’s perfectly normal. No need to panic.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Then why is she treating me like I’m the enemy?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The nurse shared a pitying look with Evangeline before explaining. \"It’s maternal instinct, sir. The 'mama bear' effect. It's completely natural.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Right,\" Marcellus muttered, slumping into a chair by the window.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Through the night, the baby woke every two or three hours. Marcellus spent the time shadowing the nurse, learning exactly how to change a diaper. After two or three clumsy attempts, he had the technique down to a science. He realized then just how grueling parenting was. Since he couldn't take over the feeding, he insisted on doing everything else, determined to save her every ounce of unnecessary strain.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The next day, Leland Alexander arrived before he was even seen, his booming laughter echoing down the hallway. Marcellus rushed to the door, peering out and holding a finger to his lips.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Quiet! The baby is sleeping!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Good grief, what is this? A panda den?\" Leland quipped, eyeing Marcellus’s disheveled, sleep-deprived appearance.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Leland crept into the room, leaning over the bassinet to inspect the bundle. His face split into a grin so wide it looked like it might crack his skin. \"This little one… she’s got your features from when you were an infant, Evangeline.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Everyone says that,\" Marcellus mumbled, pacing behind him. \"Is she really? I don't see it.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The comment didn't escape Evangeline. \"She doesn't look like me?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"…She’s the spitting image of you!\" Marcellus corrected himself instantly. At a time like this, he wouldn't dare suggest the baby was anything less than perfect.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Leland pulled a black bank card from his pocket and tucked it under Evangeline’s pillow. \"Evangeline, we haven't had a girl born into the Alexander line for five generations. Five! You’ve done a great service for this family. This is just a little token of my appreciation—three hundred million to start the baby’s college fund, or whatever else you fancy.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Evangeline flashed a tired, genuine smile. \"Thank you, Grandpa.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Don't thank me, child. I should be thanking you.\" Leland stared at the baby, utterly smitten. \"Have you two picked a name? Or would you like me to take a crack at it?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Marcellus shot the idea down immediately. \"No. We’ve already settled on one.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Leland sighed, feigning disappointment. \"Very well. You are the parents, after all. What’s the name?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Aurora,\" Evangeline said softly. \"Aurora Alexander.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Lovely,\" Leland nodded. \"You young people have a knack for the elegant.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Knowing she needed rest, Leland didn't linger. Once he left, Evangeline turned her gaze to Marcellus. \"We had a whole list of names prepared. I don't remember 'Aurora' being on it.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I thought of it last night,\" Marcellus admitted. \"A nod to the morning light, and the way your face holds that same grace. Do you like it?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I love it.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The pain in her stomach was still searing—it had been twenty hours since she’d been able to roll over, and she felt as though her spine had been fused to the mattress. \"Marcellus, my back and hips are killing me.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He was at her side in an instant, his eyes glassy with unshed tears. \"Evangeline, last night, with your 'mama bear' act… I was genuinely worried you’d decided you didn't need me anymore now that you had her.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Ha! Oh—\" She laughed, but the movement caused a sharp tug at her stitches. She glared at him. \"Marcellus, just wait until I’m back on my feet. I’m going to make you pay for calling me a mama bear.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I’ll be waiting. Just get better soon.\" He slid his hand beneath her, his touch feather-light as he began to massage her aching lower back.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Suddenly, a head poked through the door. Remi Crawford caught sight of the scene and started waving her arms wildly, suppressing a squeal of delight. She crept over to the bassinet, her face melting into an expression of pure auntie-bliss.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She looked at Evangeline and gave her two thumbs up. \"Evangeline, you’re incredible! Look at those double eyelids, that tiny nose, those rosebud lips. She’s going to be a heartbreaker. She looks just like you.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Everyone kept saying the baby looked like Evangeline. Marcellus was starting to suspect he was the only one in the room who wasn't blind. To his eyes, she just looked like a wrinkled, tiny old man.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He hovered over the cradle again, squinting. \"Hmm.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Marcellus, what was that 'hmm' for?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Evangeline’s voice held a warning tone that made his blood run cold.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*Internal Monologue: Damn it, the disappointment showed. Evangeline, please, let me explain!*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Oh! I was just thinking… she’s got a bit of my look, too. See?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Evangeline didn't press it, dismissing his comment as a father’s typical, petty jealousy over genetic traits. \"Yes, she looks like you. She's your daughter, isn't she?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"…\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">That comfort was remarkably thin.\u003C/p>",false,0,1774272914712]