Chapter 320

After Jasmine finished recording the video, she quickly left.

Natalie happened to glance up and noticed a shadow passing by. There was something familiar about the figure’s back.

She hurried over, opened the car door, and saw Jasmine walking away briskly.

Frowning, Natalie wondered why Jasmine was here.

Then it hit her. Jasmine must have found out about Zoe.

Natalie rushed back to the room. Seeing Zoe doubled over in pain, she said, “Zoe, I just saw Jasmine. I think she discovered you’re pregnant.”

Zoe let out a cold laugh. “So what if she did? This baby is mine, not Jason’s. Even if he finds out, it has nothing to do with him.”

Her voice grew more urgent as she continued, “Natalie, you have to help me. If Jennifer finds out, she’ll definitely try to get rid of me and the baby. Last time, she already set me up once.”

Natalie tried to reassure her. “Zoe, there’s no time to switch hospitals now. Why don’t we stay and see what Jasmine is up to?”

Zoe looked hesitant and shook her head. “No, Natalie, I can’t gamble with my baby’s life. I’ve decided to keep this child. It has nothing to do with Jason, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the Simpson family. I’ve seen Jason’s true colors. He’s tasteless, and his character is even worse.”

She added bitterly, “If it weren’t for Jennifer’s schemes that night, and the accident that led to Jason raping me, I wouldn’t be pregnant.

“But now that this child is here, I’ll never abandon it. As a mother, I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my baby.”

Her tone grew icy as she continued, “If the Simpson family tries to take the child away, I still have evidence from that night. I’ll sue Jason for raping me.”

Zoe’s voice was firm, her resolve unshakable. She had already planned her next steps.

She would never forgive Jason, let alone love him again.

From the moment she left the Simpson residence, Zoe’s heart had turned cold.

She would never give Jason another chance to hurt her.

Natalie held her hand tightly and smiled. “Zoe, as long as I’m here, nothing will happen to you. Don’t worry. I’ll stay with you every step of the way.”

After speaking, Natalie stepped out of the room and sought out the floor’s doctor. She quickly bribed her and managed to get Zoe transferred to a different room.

Within no time, another patient was moved into Zoe’s old room.

Downstairs, Jasmine sent a message to Madison.

Jasmine: [Madison, the pregnant woman is in Room 408.]

Madison: [Got it. I’m busy.]

Madison was extremely preoccupied at the moment. She glanced at the photo Jasmine had sent but couldn’t make out the person’s face clearly in the snowstorm.

Still, knowing it was VIP Room 408 was enough for her to investigate later.

By the time Madison got around to checking, however, another patient had already been moved into Room 408.

Natalie remained on high alert, observing her surroundings carefully. Though nothing seemed out of the ordinary, she didn’t let her guard down.

Meanwhile, Jasmine had been moved to Room 419, far away from 408.

Zoe’s labor pains grew increasingly intense. Natalie stayed by her side, patiently supporting her. At 3:30 a.m., Zoe finally gave birth to a baby boy.

On Solstice Isle, hospitals allowed companions to accompany mothers into the delivery room. Natalie stayed with Zoe throughout the process.

Once the baby was born, Natalie took it upon herself to clean him.

The doctor watched her skillful movements, clearly impressed.

“Miss, you’re very experienced. The baby looks so comfortable. He only cried twice before calming down,” the doctor exclaimed.

No sooner had the doctor finished speaking than the baby began crying loudly again, his tiny hands flailing as if searching for a sense of security.

Natalie chuckled. Listening to his powerful cries, her eyes brimmed with tears.

‘If my own baby could be born safely, I’d give them all the love in the world,’ she thought to herself.

She said aloud, “I practiced these moves repeatedly back when I studied medicine. But now that I’m holding a real baby, I can’t help feeling a little nervous.”

Natalie glanced at the doctor, a middle–aged woman with short hair. The doctor smiled and said, “Here on Solstice Isle, family members can come into the delivery room and even witness the birth of the baby firsthand.

“In some larger hospitals, families have to wait for a while after the baby is born before they’re allowed to see them.”

Natalie nodded, understanding that rules varied from place to place.

The doctor quickly finished caring for Zoe, who had delivered naturally. With an IV drip in one hand, Zoe followed Natalie, who carried the baby, back to the hospital room. The process was surprisingly simple.

Zoe no longer felt any pain and could even walk on her own.

She stared at the baby in Natalie’s arms, her expression shifting to one of mild disdain. The baby resembled Jason far too much.

“He’s too much like Jason,” Zoe said, her tone tinged with disappointment.

Natalie’s lips curved into a reassuring smile. “Zoe, no matter who he looks like, he’s your child. Someday, you’ll meet someone who truly loves you.”

Zoe looked at her son and, for the first time, her expression softened into a warm smile. “You’re right. Everyone deserves at least one moment of happiness in life.”

Once back in the room, Zoe lay down to continue her IV treatment. Exhausted, she quickly drifted off to sleep.

The baby, snuggled beside her, also slept soundly.

Natalie watched the mother and son, a gentle smile on her face.

“Zoe, you’d better find happiness forever,” Natalie thought to herself.

Knowing the baby would be hungry when he woke up, Natalie got up to boil some water and prepare formula.

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway.

Natalie frowned and opened the door, catching sight of several nurses rushing past in a panic.

She stopped one of them. “Doctor, what’s going on? Why is everyone in such a hurry?”

The nurse recognized Natalie from earlier in the delivery room and quickly replied, “Miss, stay inside if you can. A baby was just stolen from Room 408, the Solstice Isle police chief’s child. It’s chaos now; everyone is searching for the baby.”

“Stolen?” Natalie asked, incredulous. “Solstice Isle isn’t that big. How could someone steal a baby and actually get away?”

“I have no idea. But it’s turned into a complete nightmare. With the snow and rain outside, it’s making everything worse. We all have to join the search. Just keep an eye on your own baby, okay?” she said.

The nurse added grimly, “This is a small hospital, and our surveillance system isn’t great. The camera in that delivery room had been broken for a while and wasn’t fixed. We don’t even know who took the baby.”

With that, the nurse rushed off, leaving Natalie standing in stunned silence.

Suddenly, a chilling thought struck her. ‘Jasmine? Could Jasmine have been lingering outside Zoe’s room because she wanted to steal Zoe’s baby? Damn it. And now another child has suffered because of this.

Worry clouded Natalie’s mind as she returned to the room.

Still, Jasmine’s involvement didn’t quite add up. Jasmine knew Zoe. If she were stealing a baby, she’d make sure it was Zoe’s child to use it as leverage against her.

‘Could someone else have been behind the kidnapping?’ Natalie wondered.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of Zoe’s phone.

Natalie walked over and answered it.

“Hello?” she said.

A voice came through the line, gender indistinguishable, but filled with smug satisfaction. “Zoe, if you want to save your baby, bring 15 million dollars.”