Chapter 490 - 423: A Woman’s Ordeal
Chapter 490: Chapter 423: A Woman’s Ordeal
Unlike the disastrous, rushed birth of Polly in her past life, this time was different. After Lex Cross carried her back to the villa and handed her over to Maeve Preston and the others, Flora Bloom drank a few mouthfuls of spiritual water to recover some of her strength.
Her water had already broken, but it would still be a long time before she actually gave birth. With Maeve’s help, she took a shower and then went to the adjacent medical unit.
The medical unit was on the first floor of Maeve Preston and Shelly’s villa. Just as Flora lay down on the operating table, Jade and the others arrived.
They had all gone to the trading market together, hoping to rummage around and find a special gift for the new baby, since they knew Flora was due.
Selina was also there, holding her own child. Her own delivery had been perilous, and it was all thanks to Flora that her baby was born safely. She felt she had to be there to show her support when Flora’s child was born.
So, when they heard the news that Flora was in labor, Jade and some of the others headed back first, leaving Mark Sterling and a few others to continue browsing.
After returning to Villa Area No. 3, Jade, Caleb Bloom, Neal Wallace, and the others went straight to the medical unit. However, Maeve Preston shooed them out.
Inside the medical unit, besides Maeve Preston, the OB/GYN, and Shelly, the nurse, there were only Robin Grant and Cynthia Grant, two traditional medicine practitioners.
Flora’s pregnancy had been smooth: the baby was in the right position, the heartbeat was strong, and she had plenty of amniotic fluid. So, even after her shower, though she was panting from the pain, she was still full of energy.
Maeve examined Flora. An hour had passed, and Flora was drenched in sweat from the pain, but she had only dilated one finger.
Flora had wanted to drink the spiritual water every so often to maintain her stamina and ease the pain. But after another two hours, she was still only dilated one finger.
After checking Flora’s dilation again, Maeve looked at her with a worried expression and spoke.
"Flora, I have to be upfront with you about the situation. We don’t have the means for a painless natural delivery, but I am confident I can perform a C-section. Do you want to..."
"I’ll do it myself!"
"But, Flora, I have to tell you, it’s been three hours and you’ve only dilated one finger. It might have something to do with your spiritual water. Your spiritual water has powerful restorative effects..."
The spiritual water could restore stamina, but it couldn’t stop the pain. The dilation of the cervix and the widening of the pelvis during childbirth are enough to make a woman pass out from agony.
"Are you saying my spiritual water is slowing down my dilation?" Flora asked Maeve, her face deathly pale as she fought through the pain.
"It’s possible. Why don’t you try not drinking any more spiritual water for a while..."
Flora nodded. Even though she was trembling all over from the pain, she didn’t drink any more spiritual water. An hour later, Maeve’s examination showed that her dilation had started progressing normally again.
Two fingers in four hours, but without an epidural. For a woman determined to have a natural birth, it was an immense trial and torture.
Flora endured the overwhelming pain, her eyes fixed on the villa’s main door.
’I can endure the pain.’
What she worried about was Joel Bloom. Had Lex Cross brought him back? She knew how terrifying the man in white was, but he was no match for Lex.
Shelton Underwood’s return from the dead had truly made her lose her composure. She admitted that the moment she saw him, her mind had shattered.
"Is Flora alright?"
Lex Cross’s voice came from outside the villa, acting as a calming balm for Flora’s anxious heart.
"Lex..."
Lex pushed his way through the crowd gathered at the door, which included Caleb Bloom, opened it, and slipped inside, closing it behind him.
"Flora!"
Flora’s face, still not fully recovered from the aftereffects of the alien insect poison, was now ghostly pale. Her lips were bloodless, and she was drenched in sweat—a truly wretched sight.
"He’s fine, don’t worry."
"What about Shelton Underwood! Where is he!"
Her resilient gaze locked onto him, her expression a clear mask of stubbornness.
"Five and the others are guarding him. Don’t worry." Lex didn’t know what to feel at that moment.
On one hand, he was worried about Flora’s condition. On the other, he felt incredibly conflicted.
’This woman was enduring agony to give birth to their child. And yet, in the midst of all this pain and misery, the first person she asks about is that man!’
"Kill him!" Unstoppable tears streamed from Flora’s eyes, whether from the pain or the shock of seeing Shelton Underwood, it was hard to say. "Lex, help me kill him!"
Lex saw the hatred in Flora’s eyes—a raw, overflowing loathing so intense it seemed capable of devouring someone whole. It made his own feelings shift.