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Hey everyone,
Here's my new work. Join me in this journey of sizzling romance with loads of exciting thrills. Please support me the way you always do. Take love. I am sharing the first two chapters with you. There will be one update everyday. Looking forward to your support. I am excited to meet you all again. Take love ❤
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“Morina…my precious baby” under the wailing sky, sat a wailing father, on his lap was a girl, taking her feeble last few breaths, drenched in blood, which was getting washed away by the downpour, as fresh blood oozed out from the wounds. There was hardly any part of her body that wasn’t wounded, her face was bruised to such an extent that it was beyond recognition, who would say she was once blessed with ethereal beauty, only at this moment did her father realise, that, her beauty was a curse after all, “Hold on my baby, father will save you.”
With the last bit of strength left in her, the dying girl held her father’s hand, it was ice cold, she tried to speak but her voice chord was broken, pulling is palm over her bleeding lips she struggled to speak, and after several futile attempts, with quivering lips, she uttered her parting words, “I am sorry father, I couldn’t save the baby.” Then the weak, cold hands went lifeless.
“MORINA” the scream of the devastated father echoed around the ink black woods; the sky mourned the death of an innocent girl along with her bereft father. He held on to her lifeless body, and cried until his tears had dried out; it rained until dawn. “Now I know why girls are rarely born in the Betrice family, we aren’t good enough to protect our daughters.” He looked at the dawn sky, “If a girl is ever born again to the Betrice bloodline, I hope her father isn’t as hopeless and weak as me. And even if her father turns out to be someone as useless as I am, I hope she gets someone, who will protect her and cherish her, I hope that girl gets her happily ever after the way you wanted it my dear Morina. This is not the end; this can’t be the end, not until there’s a happy ending. ”
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On the dimly lit hospital corridor a man was pacing to and fro, his shabby appearance complemented the shabby walls around him, parts of which were now leaking water, one couldn’t blame the walls for this is an old dilapidated building, built decades ago, even the last renovation of this building perhaps took place ten years back, when the Mayor had been kind enough to visit this almost forgotten town of Mignos. Who would say it once stood in all its glory as an empire, the cobwebs of time have hidden it hard to mere oblivion, even the pages of history couldn't recall. Just like this man at the hospital corridor who bore a family name too heavy for his stature and capacity.
Evan Beatrice, looked outside, the sky was still squalling, one would never expect such rains in winters, glancing at the clock set at the corridor wall, he realised, it was already an hour, wiping a drop of sweat that was hanging over his forehead even in this cold night, he continued panicked strides along the corridor.
The baby was due another month or so, this sudden labour pain wasn't expected. Evan had just returned after his tedious overtime at the factory, his work was demanding and strenuous which took a toll of strength. His fellow workers would often have a drink or two after work, Evan however would always declined them politely, and rush back to his beloved wife Merlyn, who was going through the final heavy months of maternity, he would help her to close the shop, a small bakery cum café, which they had under their family name at the boundary of the market area. The pregnancy had been difficult for Merlyn all through, for she had a weak constitution. The doctor had instructed for a strict rest and high nutritious diet for her, Evan could afford none. His parents worked hard on the little plot of land that was left with the family, in order to support him, but their advancing age was getting a better off them.
Merlyn was on the floor of the little shop, screaming out of excruciating pain, the water line had broken, the woman who ran the grain shop right next to them was rubbing her palms, "To the hospital Mr.Beatrice, the baby needs to be taken out. Hurry…"
"We need to save the baby. Always choose the baby Evan, no matter what happens, always choose the baby." Those were the few words Merlyn had managed to say, before she was taken inside what seemed to be the labour room, since then it has been a long wait. Evan wouldn't have realised the rain had stopped, had he not heard the cry of a little life from inside. An old nurse huddled outside the very next moment, "Mr. Betrice" she paused to breathe, "It's a girl" Evan tried to run into the room, a daughter was what Merlyn had always wanted, girls are rare in Beatrice bloodline, hence they are precious and a sign of good fortune, is what she believed.
"However, we are extremely sorry" he stopped midway, "Your wife couldn't make it." Evan froze, "Her condition had been deteriorating for the last few months, it was stage three of leukemia when her pregnancy was confirmed," He looked at her in disbelief, a tear rolled down his fear stricken eyes. "She had repeatedly been warned to abort the baby. I guess she never said a word to you." The nurse realised reading his expression.
Evan wanted to run away, run away from Mignos, run away to the end of the world, run away from being the coward, ignorant man he was, the one who was self absorbed only to his own hardships that he couldn't see his wife hiding her impending death behind her smile. As he was about to take a flight, he heard the baby crying from inside.
The baby, yes the baby, the one Merlyn had wanted desperately, the baby whom she had chosen even above her life. Right now at this moment, Evan despised it, the very fact that it was breathing while the one who gave birth to her, was lying lifeless, covered in a white sheet in this nauseating hospital ward.
Curious, Evan wanted to have one last look at this small ball of life, whom Merlyn had chosen before everyone and everything else, even herself.
Wrapped in a small, almost tattered blanket, which smelt of hospital disinfectant, were a pair of ocean blue eyes, which resembled Merlyn, the crying stopped the moment she was put in his arms, and he had accepted it out of reflex, not by choice.
"It's your daughter Mr.Betrice, isn't she beautiful?" The old nurse said.
Indeed, she was the most beautiful thing Evan had ever seen, the most beautiful feeling he had ever experienced. His world view altered in just that one moment. Evan realised right away, as to, why Merlyn had chosen this little bundle of life even over herself. It was something that came out of them and yet it was most precious to him right now, he would do anything for this bundle of joy who was sleeping soundly in his arms right at this moment.
"Always choose the baby Evan..." his wife's words resonated over and over inside his head. "Your mother wanted to call you Morina, I don't know why she had taken a fetish for this name, she said she had found it in the family tree, but I will call you Evelyn, because, you come from Evan and Merlyn."
Evan took one last glance at his precious daughter, before keeping her in the small cot, he was a hopeless man, weak, useless, looked down upon by everyone, he couldn't even save his wife.
"Evelyn, my precious baby. This incapable father can't give you anything much, but I will pray day and night for your happiness. Daddy will love you with all his heart. You are precious always remember that." The baby slept soundly, as if assured by her father's words.
Evan walked outside the hospital gate, into a new morning with a heavy heart which grieved of his beloved Merlyn and with a new hope in his arms, his world, his precious daughter Evelyn, oblivious of how the name Betrice which meant nothing but a burden to him, already had a predestined fate for his beloved Evelyn for the lifetime.
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NOTE FOR MY READERS:
If I get more than two comments today from my readers today, then I might update a third chapter as well?. I am really excited and I hope you all will shower love to me the way you always do.
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