Chapter 6 Whose Baby Is It?

It was time for the ultrasound, and Hannah was excited to see the baby. Lately, she could feel tiny flutters beneath her rib cage, as though the baby was poking her in different places. "Now, honey, you must be gentle with Mummy," she whispered, rubbing her belly. "We have a long time to stay together."

She walked into the examination room, her heart beating quickly. If only Darrian were here, she would be less anxious. She followed the technician's instructions as the doctor hovered over the monitor. He paused, then smiled. "What a surprise we have today!" Hannah's eyes flew to the screen, but his body blocked her view, and her heart rate spiked. Dr. Sharp noticed her panic. "Don't worry," he said gently. "It's good news."

"Congratulations, they're fraternal twins. One boy and one girl."

Hannah stared at him, the words settling slowly. Twins. She swallowed hard. "Doctor, can I ask you to keep this a secret until after the delivery?" She was already thinking about her situation as a single mother. How was she to care for two babies? She put on her brave face, rubbed her tummy, and spoke to them quietly. She told them they would be all right; she would take care of them both.

Back in her room, her best friend at the clinic, Lee, came to see her. Lee recognised immediately that Hannah was in panic mode. When she learned about the twins, she told Hannah to imagine all their babies on play dates together, all three of them, running and laughing. The conversation cheered Hannah, and they spent the afternoon making plans for their children.

One day, while walking in the garden, Hannah skidded on a small rock on the pathway. She began to bleed, and the staff rushed her to her room. Dr. Sharp arrived quickly. He told her she had a minor placental abruption, the placenta had ruptured slightly,y and amniotic fluid was leaking. She would have to remain on strict bed rest until it healed. If the leaking continued, the babies would be in danger, and she could face a dry labour. Hannah was terrified. Dr. Sharp, if the babies are ever in danger, could you give me a caesarean and save them?" He promised her he would.

That week, Hannah developed a high temperature, re and the nurses monitored her around the clock. By day four, the fever broke. Dr. Sharp warned her that the fever might cause complications for the babies at birth. Her blood pressure climbed dangerously high with worry.

The weeks flew by. Then one day, both Hannah and Lee developed severe back pains. The midwife checked them and realised they were both in labour. She asked the nurses to monitor her patients, then slipped to a secluded corner and called Charmaine. Charmaine immediately called Grandfather Martin, who took out the cigars he had bought for the occasion and waited. It was a long and gruelling night. Hannah endured a dry labour, and when it became unbearable, she begged Dr. Sharp to perform a caesarean.

While Hannah was in surgery, Lee was haemorrhaging in the next room. They were too far from the city for the ambulance to arrive in time. By the time it came, Lee had already passed away. In the chaos, Charmaine mistook the death for Hannah's. She called Grandfather Martin with the news that a baby boy was coming home, and that Hannah had died.

Grandfather Martin called Darrian and delivered the devastating news. Darrian was shattered. He grieved for weeks. He accepted the baby boy, and a paternity test confirmed the child was his. Although his grandfather encouraged him to marry Charmaine, Darrian refused. He would raise his son alone. But Charmaine convinced the older man that the child needed a mother, and she positioned herself as the boy's caretaker. Charmaine became Mummy to her own nephew.

On the other side of the world, when Hannah regained her strength, she relocated quietly, purchasing a house with her inheritance money. Her father managed the business in Seoul, so she did not have to worry about the company. While caring for the twins, she began designing clothes as a hobby. Friends asked her to design their wardrobes, and soon her business was booming. Her brand was unique, designs were ordered internationally, and revenue reached seven figures. She became known worldwide for men's and women's designer clothing, with limited editions produced exclusively for the elite.

The twins were kind to their mother and obedient. Everywhere they went, people stared at the beautiful little girl and her red-haired twin brother. They looked nothing alike, and people often asked if they were truly twins because they bore no resemblance to each other.

Hannah's best friend from university, Elisa, was getting married and invited Hannah, whose design label was called Rose, to create her wedding dress. Elisa flew to England and visited the fashion house to view the designs. Hannah told her she was welcome to try on existing pieces, but the wedding dress would be made from scratch.

They had dinner together, and the twins enchanted Elisa. Over dessert, she mentioned that Darrian and Charmaine had a son who looked exactly like Hannah's daughter. She supposed they resembled each other because they were cousins. Hannah could not tell her the truth; they looked alike because they were siblings sharing the same father. She smiled and agreed that Elisa was probably right.

Then Elisa added, "Hannah, did you know that Darrian never married Charmaine?"

Hannah raised her eyebrows but said nothing. A sharp, unexpected feeling rose in her chest. Was she jealous? She wondered at herself.

She bid her friend farewell and told her she would see her in a few months for the fitting. She took the twins home. Rebecca and Rayner went straight to bed. The quiet evening gave Hannah extra time to work on the wedding dress design. The next morning, she sent the sketches to Elisa, who approved them immediately.

Dear Reader,

What will happen to this twin? Will they one day realise they are not twins? What will Charmaine decide when she finds out? Read on to find out what happens as they grow.

Love always,

Your Auhtor.