“Oh—right, right.” Arthur nodded quickly, steadying himself before striding toward the car waiting at the door with Ashley in his arms. The doctor hurried in right behind them, afraid that if he was a step too slow, Arthur might just leave him standing there. The hospital was some distance away, and if the baby decided to come in the car, he needed to be right there beside Ashley. Sure enough, as soon as Arthur climbed in, he barked at the driver, “Drive! To the hospital! Hurry!” The doctor silently breathed a sigh of relief. Good thing he’d made it into the car in time. They sped through the streets, arriving at the hospital to find a gurney and medical team already waiting. Ashley was wheeled straight to the delivery room, and the doors swung shut, leaving Arthur outside. He paced anxiously in front of them, eyes never leaving the barrier between him and Ashley. “Don’t worry,” the doctor reassured him. “This is the best hospital in Lioran—top-notch facilities, excellent physicians. Your wife will be in the safest hands.” But Arthur couldn’t relax. People said childbirth was like walking through the gates of death—how could he not worry? Time crawled unbearably. He walked the same strip of floor over and over, heart pounding with every muffled sound from inside. Finally, as the first light of dawn crept into the sky, the doors opened. Ashley was wheeled out—pale and exhausted, but alive—and nestled beside her was a plump baby boy. “Sir,” the nurse beamed, “Madam Ashley’s delivered a healthy baby boy. Here, have a look.” Arthur barely spared the newborn a glance. He went straight to Ashley’s side, voice thick with emotion. “Honey, you’ve been through so much.” Seeing her like this brought a sting to his eyes. Ashley shook her head with a weak smile. “We have a child now, my love.” Not long after she was settled into a room, Benjamin, Spencer, and Nancy arrived. They had returned to Lioran as soon as Ashley’s pregnancy was confirmed, determined to be there when the baby came. Nancy hurried straight to her daughter’s side. Throughout the pregnancy, Arthur had surrounded Ashley with maids, nannies, a nutritionist, and private doctors—leaving little for Nancy to do but give the couple their space. But now, seeing Ashley’s drawn face, both she and Spencer were filled with aching tenderness. Nancy stroked her cheek, voice catching. “You’ve suffered, my dear.” As a mother who had birthed two daughters, she knew the toll childbirth took. To see her own child endure the same pain was like having her own flesh cut away. Ashley shook her head again. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.” By then, a nurse returned with the baby, freshly fed and drowsy. Every gaze in the room shifted instantly to the tiny bundle—plump and rosy, stretching in satisfaction. The nurse handed him to Arthur and began instructing him on how to hold an infant. His large hands froze the moment the baby was in them; the child was so soft, so small, like he had no bones at all. Arthur didn’t dare move a muscle for fear of hurting him. His stiff, awkward posture set off a ripple of laughter around the room. Taylor was the first to mock him. “Hahaha! Arthur, the man who can face down anything—completely undone by his own baby?” Before he could laugh further, Tricia smacked him lightly on the head. “Idiot. This isn’t the same. A newborn’s body is delicate—handle him carelessly and you could hurt him.” She took the baby, demonstrating the proper way to hold him, speaking with such care that not only Arthur, but everyone present listened intently. Benjamin, cradling his great-grandson, could hardly bear to let go.