A Second Chance at Forever ( Eleanor Shultz )

Chapter 1458 

On the other end of the phone, after a few seconds of silence, Dr. Amelia chose her words with care, “Mr. Laurence, considering Mrs. Laurence’s health condition, the chances of a baby born through induced labor surviving are almost nonexistent. Therefore, we plan to proceed with a caesarean section, doing our utmost to save the fetus, but… 

Mrs. Laurence has undergone several major surgeries, including a heart transplant. Her vision is compromised, she has pregnancy-induced hypertension, and suffers from a coagulation disorder. She’s already a high-risk pregnancy. Under these circumstances, the survival rate for a preterm infant delivered by C-section is also incredibly low. 

Moreover, performing surgery on such a high-risk patient is very dangerous. No one can predict what kind of emergency might arise during the operation. I’m afraid that in trying to save the child, we might endanger the mother’s life-or worse, we could lose them both…” 

Dr. Amelia couldn’t make any promises, which is why she presented a tough choice – if they chose to prioritize the child, they would use all available medical resources to get Mrs. Laurence through to a normal delivery. But in doing so, Mrs. Laurence’s survival post-delivery would be certain death. 

Blake had also considered that whether through induced labor or C-section, the child’s chances of survival were slim. He hoped to keep Mr. Laurence in the dark, allowing Eleanor to deliver naturally and deal with the consequences afterward. But as a doctor, Dr. Amelia’s priority was the patient’s life. 

When Bernard called Dr. Amelia, he too wished to save both his wife and child. But hearing the grim phrase “lose them both” made up his mind instantly, and he replied with a cold firmness, “No matter what, my wife’s life comes first. Everything else is secondary.” 

From the start, Bernard hadn’t wanted a child, just Eleanor. Though the baby’s kicks and the image of what could be had touched his heart, how could that unborn child compare to Eleanor? 

Having made his decision, Bernard ended the call, pocketed his phone, and with a steely resolve, turned back towards the hospital. Pushing open the door to the ward, he moved heavily towards Eleanor. 

Eleanor, who had been using Aidyn’s phone to send a reassuring text to Hailey, saw Bernard return and quickly set the phone aside, looking up at him, “Honey, is there trouble at Laurence Group again? What took you so long?” 

Bernard sat in silence for a moment before pulling up a chair by the bed and sitting down slowly. Then, reaching out with his slender fingers, he took Eleanor’s hand, “Eleanor, there’s something we need to discuss.” 

With a soft murmur of acknowledgment, Eleanor studied Bernard’s expression closely. 

1/2 

Chapter 1458 

Seeing his pale lips, she frowned, “You look terrible. Is it something serious?” 

Bernard’s gaze fell, his eyes resting on hers-so clear and untainted by the world. The cruel words he needed to say were almost too much to bear. 

He raised his other hand to Eleanor’s belly, feeling the presence of their child through the fabric of her gown, and said coldly, “Eleanor, we can’t keep this child. Is that okay?” 

Eleanor froze, disbelief etched on her face as she looked at Bernard whose exterior was always so cold and proud, “What are you saying? After all the trouble we went through to conceive, how can we just give up on our baby?” 

With every question she asked, it was as if she were firing a bullet straight into Bernard’s heart, the pain so acute he didn’t know how to face her or continue speaking. 

He said, “Dr. Amelia informed me of your pregnancy complications. The hospital consultants unanimously recommend a caesarean to deliver the baby.” 

The chill in his words hung heavy in the air. Eleanor, lost for a moment, finally grasped the severity when Bernard’s grip on her hands tightened repeatedly, “And… the child, is there a chance it will live?” 

Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Bernard felt a pang of heartache and couldn’t help but caress her face gently, “Given your health, Dr. Amelia can’t make guarantees, but she will do everything in her power.” 

Bernard had been away for so long under the guise of dealing with business, so Eleanor knew the situation wasn’t as simple as he made it sound. She clutched his hand tightly, pleading, “Honey, I need a straight answer. Will our baby survive?” 

Unable to meet her gaze, Bernard looked away, “I’ll bring in the best doctors in the world for the surgery. We’ll do everything we can to save our baby. You have my word.” 

His promise to bring in the best doctors implied slim odds of survival, and Eleanor couldn’t accept that, “I disagree. Our baby has been in my womb for over seven months, always so gentle. We can’t sacrifice our child just because of me.” 

Eleanor’s anger showed as she tried to pull away, but Bernard caught her hand again, tightening his grip and pulling her close. 

With a fierce hold on her hand, Bernard lifted his bloodshot eyes to her tear-streaked face, “Eleanor, the issue isn’t whether the child can live. It’s whether you can.” 

Eleanor, her hands trapped and immobilized, stared at Bernard and asked, “Pregnancy-induced hypertension, coagulation issues… they can be treated, right? We can manage them until it’s time for a normal delivery, can’t we have the baby then?” 

2/2 

08:55