Chapter 14 — The Nurse
Fate intervened unexpectedly.
Nathan hosted a charity fundraiser at the Whitmore Foundation.
Among the guests was an elderly retired maternity nurse named Margaret Ellis.
She had delivered thousands of babies over four decades.
Vanessa greeted her politely.
Margaret smiled.
"When are you due?"
Vanessa answered confidently.
"Late November."
Margaret nodded.
Then embraced her.
As they separated, Margaret frowned almost imperceptibly.
Her experienced hands had touched Vanessa's stomach.
Something felt...
Wrong.
Not painful.
Not dangerous.
Artificial.
Margaret said nothing.
But later she quietly approached Nathan.
"May I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Has your fiancée been examined by the same doctor throughout her pregnancy?"
Nathan looked confused.
"Yes... I think so."
Margaret hesitated.
"I may be mistaken."
"But something about her abdomen felt unusual."
Nathan laughed politely.
"She's just carrying differently."
Margaret smiled.
"I hope you're right."
Yet the concern in her eyes lingered long after she walked away.
Across the room, Ethan had witnessed the entire conversation.
May you like
For the first time...
An adult had noticed it too.
