Chapter 514 - 510: Dawn

Midpoint Military Hospital.

"Don’t worry, I’ll be right outside waiting for you. You’ll be fine!"

Only at the last second, as Zelda entered the delivery room, did Cecilia Sterling let go of her hand. Her heart leaped into her throat the moment the white door swung shut.

Even with how advanced modern medicine had become, childbirth was still a terrifying prospect for any woman.

Even when you weren’t the one giving birth.

"It’ll be okay. This is her second child, so it should be a little easier than her first." Sensing her daughter’s taut nerves, Jasmine Sterling stepped forward and gently patted her.

Cecilia couldn’t suppress her anxiety, as her feelings weren’t just about the delivery itself.

More importantly, she had promised her brother she would take good care of her sister-in-law and the child, so there could be absolutely no mishaps.

Soon, Duane and a few other key members of Wesley Yates’s circle also arrived one after another.

With Jasmine Sterling present, the group refrained from addressing Cecilia with her usual honorific. Only Duane stepped forward to ask directly, "How is it?"

"She just went in half an hour ago. She should be fine."

Duane and the other men were completely clueless about childbirth; the only thing they could do was wait here together.

Cecilia was still in her pajamas. Seeing this, Mrs. Lynn stepped forward. "Miss Sterling, I’ll take Alex home first. He has school early tomorrow. I’ll also bring a coat back for you. The AC in this hospital is fierce; you absolutely mustn’t get sick."

"Alright. Thank you, Mrs. Lynn."

"It’s no trouble. I’m just glad you’re here, otherwise..." Mrs. Lynn’s voice choked up. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache thinking of the hardships Zelda Warner had endured all alone during her pregnancy.

"Don’t worry, I’ll be here the whole time. You take Alex home first."

Mrs. Lynn nodded and left, taking a terrified-looking Alex with her.

"Sit and wait. It’s going to be a while," Jasmine Sterling said, pulling Cecilia down onto a nearby chair.

Cecilia stared blankly for a moment. Earlier, she had wanted to bring her sister-in-law to the hospital to await labor, but Zelda herself had been unwilling to go. Thinking that the medical facilities around their community were quite comprehensive, Cecilia hadn’t pushed it.

’Thank goodness I came back from Jovar.’

"Ma’am, how long does it take once she’s in there?" Duane asked cautiously.

Jasmine Sterling explained, "It’s hard to say. It depends on her specific situation and even her physical constitution. A natural birth tends to take longer."

Zelda Warner had requested a natural birth herself.

Duane nodded and asked no more questions. The group fell silent, making the atmosphere feel even more tense.

Cecilia kept looking down at the time, feeling as if time itself had stood still, its slowness an agonizing weight.

After what felt like an eternity, the door finally opened. A young nurse stepped out, and everyone shot to their feet, rushing toward her.

"Nurse, has she given birth yet?" Cecilia asked impatiently.

The young nurse calmly scanned the group, her gaze finally settling on Jasmine Sterling, who was obviously the eldest. "The baby is in a breech presentation, so the process will be affected. But don’t worry, the mother is in great condition. She clearly did breathing training before labor and is cooperating very well."

Hearing this, everyone let out a small sigh of relief.

The nurse turned and shut the door again.

Another long wait followed. When the door opened again, the faint cry of a baby could be heard from within.

A doctor in a white coat emerged, pulling off his mask as he walked. "Congratulations. It’s a daughter, eight pounds, one ounce."

The moment she heard this, Mrs. Lynn’s tears started to fall. "That’s wonderful, just wonderful."

Cecilia, however, anxiously asked, "Doctor, is the mother okay?"

"Mother and daughter are both safe and sound. After we finish cleaning up, the mother will be transferred to a ward, while the baby will go to the observation room first. You can just wait here for the mother to come out."

The doctor added, "Oh, right. Remember to pay the bill."

"I’ll go, I’ll go!" Duane quickly raised his hand.

Cecilia let out a long sigh of relief, a smile finally spreading across her face. Seeing this, Jasmine Sterling said, "It’s over now. You can finally relax."

Cecilia gave a wry smile. "I don’t think I’d be this nervous even if I were giving birth myself."

But Jasmine Sterling blurted out, "That’s fine. If you’re scared, then don’t have children."

Cecilia was slightly taken aback. Looking at her mother, she asked, "Mom, you’d be okay with me not having kids?"

"Why would you need my permission whether or not to have children?" Jasmine Sterling blinked, her expression gentle as she looked at her daughter. "That’s something for you to decide."

A warmth spread through Cecilia’s heart. "Then what if I don’t get married?"

"That’s your decision to make, too."

Cecilia smiled. In her eyes, her mother seemed to grow even more magnificent.

Before long, Zelda Warner and the baby were wheeled out together.

"Zelda!"

Cecilia was the first one to the gurney, immediately grasping Zelda Warner’s hand. "You’ve been through so much."

Zelda Warner’s face was pale, and she looked utterly exhausted, lacking even the strength to speak. But her eyes, fixed on Cecilia, were filled with emotion—brimming with gratitude.

"Rest now. I’m not leaving. I’ll stay right here with you," Cecilia said.

Zelda Warner nodded weakly, and Cecilia helped wheel her toward a private room.

By the time everything was settled, the sky had already brightened.

"A natural birth is physically draining. She needs some nutrients. I’ll go home and make something light for her," Jasmine Sterling said. She knew from experience that it was fine to eat immediately after a natural delivery.

"Mrs. Sterling, we couldn’t possibly trouble you. I’ll handle it when I get back. I need to make breakfast for Alex anyway," Mrs. Lynn quickly interjected, taking on the task.

Cecilia added, "Mom, you go home and get some sleep. Just let Mrs. Lynn do it."

"Alright. I have to go into the office this afternoon anyway. Text me if you need anything."

Once her mother and Mrs. Lynn had left, Cecilia turned to Duane and his men. "You’ve all worked hard, too. Go on home and get some rest. I can stay here and keep her company."

"Cecilia, I should stay. It’s good to have someone around to help," Duane said, still worried.

Cecilia looked at him and said, "Help with what? It wouldn’t be convenient for a man to help out here."

"But can’t I at least run errands for you?"

"Then at least go home, get some sleep, and then come back."

Duane glanced down at his watch. "I’ll just get a room at a hotel outside the hospital and sleep for the morning. The hospital has professional postpartum caregivers. I’ve already paid, but they don’t start until eight. Once they arrive, you should get some rest too, Cecilia."

Cecilia smiled and nodded. "You’ve really thought of everything. Thank you for all your hard work."

"Of course," Duane said. He didn’t stay long after that, signaling for the others to leave with him.

Cecilia walked to the bedside and sat down. Zelda Warner had recovered a bit of strength by now and whispered, "Thank you, Cecilia."

"You should be thanking yourself. You have a son and a daughter now—the perfect pair," Cecilia said softly. "Have you thought of a name for her?"

"Yes. Your brother said that if it was a girl, her name would be Phoebe."

Cecilia thought for a moment, then affirmed softly, "Phoebe... She was born at the crack of dawn. The name means ’bright and radiant,’ which represents hope. It’s a beautiful name!"