Our Daughter

"Ah!"

Selina sat up out of nowhere, making her head spin from her sudden movement. Her palm reached to support her forehead and her eyes were squeezed tightly closed. As the swirling feeling in her head slowly disappeared, she opened her eyes in slow motion.

She smelled a familiar cologne hugging her when she first popped up from bed. Her nose was the first to react as the pungent scent of disinfectant ran up her nostrils. She felt the heaviness of her weight as her strengthless body fell backwards onto Jason's chest.

Her eyes were half closing again and she felt completely exhausted - dazed, almost. As her eyes wandered around the room, she realized many concerned faces and frowns were surrounding her bed. Rubbing her eyes, she blinked a few times to make sure they weren't hallucinations.

Then, she heard Jason's voice calling out her name. She tilted her head slightly slanted to face the direction where his voice was coming from. Squinting, she reached out to touch his sharp jawline. "Oh...Not a dream.." She mumbled.

Everyone in the room sighed when they heard her remark. When she abruptly rose to a sitting position from bed and fell backwards, the Huis, Clovers and her three brothers thought their hearts would stop beating.

"What's going on?" She asked after the hazy moment had passed and her mind began clearing up. The last time she was conscious, she remembered the medical staff attending her ankle.

"You collapsed in the middle of getting your ankle treatment. You scared the wits out of us." Jason remembered how she went unresponsive in the matter of seconds. Fortunately, it was only her body going into rest mode after going through extreme stress. Once her body relaxed, the tension drained from her body and she knocked out.

Jason pulled the blanket above her chest level to make sure she was warm. She had just woken up and should not be careless with minor habits. Though she was fully awake now, she still enjoyed staying in Jason's embrace. His body warmth was much comfier than the bed sheets.

"Oh, right. What happened? Aaron's leg was also injured and Celinda's scratches." She started recalling fragments of memories before her consciousness faded.

"Aaron's leg will be fine after a month's rest. I'm giving him two months off. Celinda suffered from scrapes and bruises, but she will be fine. As for you, your ankle needs at least a month of bed rest." Jason replied to her inquiry.

While he explained and nagged her at the same time, she could hear his heart pounding from his chest. He was very concerned about her wellbeing ever since she fainted in his embrace. Looking around the room, she noticed two unfamiliar faces.

She finally found a chance to ask about them. "Sorry, but who are you two?" Her eyes spotted a tall and petite figure in the room. They've been quiet, but the distress and longing in their eyes could never escape from Selina's sharp observation.

The room became quiet, and Selina had a mixed feeling about the situation. The Clovers nervously strode towards the side of Selina's bed. As if she was staring at herself into the mirror and seeing a mature version of herself, Selina's mouth agape in surprise. Her hands subconsciously clenched on the blanket, leaving wrinkles behind.

She pressed her lips together before parting it once again. Still, a word hadn't left her mouth as if she was waiting for someone to speak the assumption she had in her own mind. As if drum rolls were played in the background, she swore she could hear the exaggerated effects. Her eyes were glued to the woman in front of her, who looked like she was in her mid-twenties. In fact, she could walk out with this woman and tell others they were sisters!

After the Clovers exchanged glances at each other, Rosanna tried reaching out to hold Selina's hands. This was the first time in twenty-three years that she has seen her daughter. It was amazing how genetics worked. Selina looked like the younger version of her.

As her hands got closer to Selina's hands, she began trembling nervously. The crease between Selina's brows appeared when she felt the warmth of a stranger's hand touch hers. Though she hated interacting with strangers out of nowhere, her body didn't dislike her touch. Hence, she allowed Rosanna's hand to hold onto hers.

Rosanna's face gradually flushed and tears formed in her eyes. The layer of mist continued surfing in her eyes, refusing to fall. Her voice rasped as Eric wrapped his arm around her and rubbed her shoulders gently. His hand also placed on top of his wife and daughter's as his thumb caressed their hands in circular motion.

Taking in a deep breath, Rosanna's lips quivered. "Selina, you're our precious baby girl. You're our daughter. My child, whom I've carried nine months and the one I've fought many cravings for during the pregnancy. We're your mom and dad. We finally found you.. Finally."

In a gentle tone, Eric also spoke. "You've suffered. You're our Clover family's precious princess. Our flesh and blood. We've been looking for you for a long time. Finally, we meet again."

The Clovers were ninety percent sure about Selina's identity when they met with Jason at his office. After following Jason to the scene and seeing the butterfly birthmark on her back, they were more than ever sure that Selina was their daughter.

Although Selina had already guessed their relationship, she was still stunned when she heard it with her own ears that her biological parents were someone else other than Katrina. She stuttered and slipped her hand away from them. Instead, she held onto Jason's hand and looked at them as if she was on a prank show.

Her eyes were reddened and head shook slightly. "Y..You two are my real parents?" She asked to confirm. Everyone in the room nodded their heads, while she was still trapped in her surprised moment.

She felt strange. For her entire life, she's been wondering about the same question regarding Katrina as her biological mother. Still, she chose to believe that it was her fate. And now, her real parents showed up after she had gone through life and death situations. Their eyes were filled with guilt, joy, worry and other emotions.

"Then.. why did you two not want me when I was born? Why was I given away?! Why didn't you come for me earlier? Why?" Tears left the corner of her eyes as she asked them. Her body trembled and breathing quickened.

As her small palms curled up to a fist, she questioned her parents and cried out to them. Facing her inquiries one after another, Rosanna and Eric weren't sure what to respond to her.

Then, they heard a voice from the crowd. "Mom and dad did it to protect us. Selina, don't blame them for what had happened. They didn't want to do this either."

Selina and the Clovers turned their attention to the crowd where they saw a hand placing a soaked cloth onto the table. As he walked out of the crowd, a butterfly birthmark could be seen on his arm.

END OF CHAPTER - NEW NOVEL IS UP (Our Love Repeats At Zero) AND Continue reading for three future possible synopses.

I Like Your Smile, But Love It When It's For Me WAS the first title I came up with. After contemplating for a while, I wanted to change it to Timeless Love. Unfortunately, it was taken, so now my new novel title is called:

Our Love Repeats At Zero

It's my first time writing fantasy? Ish (minimal amounts of it but meh) It will still be contemporary romance. I am not quite sure whether this novel would be one that I am confident with in writing, so I am putting this novel on trial writing.

Honestly, this novel is a bit of struggle for me since I suck at descriptions. Anyway, if you are interested, you can check it out.

If anyone needs the link : https://www.webnovel.com/book/16782858205220105/Our-Love-Repeats-At-Zero

SECOND GOOD NEWS IS:

Since I'm not quite sure whether this novel will turn out good. I have three synopses prepared for my dear readers and as always, comment if you find it interesting or something you would like to read.

1. ER Romance

At the age of 25, Roxanne Zeng became one of the top surgeons in Leng City. She has never wavered in choosing patients over any choices in her life. As a workaholic, she often ends up arguing with her husband and in-laws about their wish for a child. Five years into their marriage, she focused on saving lives than making babies with her husband.

Plentiful arguments rose with repetitive words about having a child before her husband, Chris Chu, turns thirty years old.

One night, in the middle of their baby-making deed, she received an urgent call about a huge accident involving twenty-five patients. She rushed to the hospital, ignoring her husband's physical need. Out of anger, Chris filed for divorce and slapped it to her desk.

With his parents' words stuck to his mind, he chose to use divorce papers to threaten her to conceive a child for the family. Unexpectedly, she signed it without signs of hesitance. She even made copies of the document in her office and handed it back to him.

Though she didn't express her emotions, she felt that their marriage had been falling apart. If her husband didn't support her or respected her, why should she coax him every time? He wasn't a five year old wanting a lollipop. A child was a huge responsibility and she wasn't ready to have one.

During one of her night shifts, she noticed a patient whose wrist was bleeding. The nurses were busily roaming around the hallways, doing what they shouldn't be doing. Annoyed by their neglect, she brings the man to her office and disinfected his wounds.

When asked about how he received the wound, he said. "My ex-fiancee dumped me."

"Coincidence, my husband also divorced me." She let out a pitiful laugh, but she saw it coming. While filling out the registration forms, he left her his business card.

The first time they met, she was his doctor and he was her patient.

The second time they met, she was the defendant and he happened to be the prosecutor of her divorce case!

SECOND SYNOPSIS: CURRENTLY UNTITLED

Standing at the edge of a cliff, the Susanna Yan's heavy eyebags showed the distress she was suffering -many sleepless nights where she heard her baby crying for her. She's been crying every day of the past week. Images of her child's first ultrasound scan were crumbled in her hand. Some colors faded from the number of times her tears dripped onto it and the countless times she roughly wiped it off. She had begged...begged them to not harm her child, but they didn't listen. Her child was taken from her, forever gone.

Her child didn't even get a chance to see this beautiful world nor voice a cry with his/her tiny voice. She never had the chance to hold her child in her arms and tell him/her how much she loved him/her. Just like that, her baby came out in a bloody pool. Only she was left in this world.

"If you think jumping down that cliff could make everything end, then do it. If you jump, you're only escaping reality. Escaping the fact that your husband was the cause of your baby's death. All you are doing is dodging from reality."

Her friend, Gren Lu yelled from behind, making her take a step backwards.

"Escape? My poor child is calling for me..."

"And I'm also calling out for you! I'm a living human asking for your help." He shouted.

"You're asking me to help you?"

"Yes! I'm asking for you to help me by letting me help you recover. Your body is weak. Let me walk with you through this path. We'll go somewhere else. We'll leave this place. I'll do anything to help you as long as you're willing to accept my advice."

A drip of tears left her eyes, and many followed down her cheeks. She looked down at the crashing waves and then at the ultrasound scans. Crumbling the scans, she turned around. "I want revenge."

"Then I'll help you. I'll help you avenge for your child. Avenge for you. I'll be your support." He said with a relieved smile.

- 2 years later -

"A famous skincare brand exploded in popularity from overseas," the reporter said to the camera.

At the airport, Susanna Yan took off her sunglasses and smiled at the news. "Oh? Our brand is promoted here."

Holding her hand in his, Gren smirked. "Of course. This is only our first step." She said. "Let's go."

--------------------------

In a spacious office, Susanna Yan walked leisurely around the office, thinking which painting to choose for her office. When she turned around, she found herself caught between Gren's arms.

Gazing at him, she asked. "What do you think?"

Whispering into her ears, he said. "I think you're the prettiest in this room. Nobody will notice the painting."

THIRD SYNOPSIS: Melting You Like Caramel

Christina Wan's eyes wandered on her Rolex watch. It was a quarter after nine. She's been waiting for two hours for her husband - correction, contracted lover, Lewis Clone. Leaning her chin on her folded hands, she looked at the crashing waves, reminding herself about the feeling of being stood up once again.

This wasn't the first time he didn't show up to his promised dates. Soon, the waiter approaches the table, telling her that it was near closing time. She looked at the time again; it was almost midnight. Checking her phone, there were no messages...no calls and her calls were purposely cut off on his end.

She pays for the bill and goes home to find it empty. Walking to the refrigerator, she takes out a cake and brings it to the living room. It was a birthday cake for her. Lighting candle by candle, she sang happy birthday to herself. Her wish was simple. 'Stop hoping for him to look your way.'

It was past midnight; her birthday was over. Walking up to her room, she rummaged through her drawer and pulled out their contract. The last line was already highlighted: The contract terminates once a year is up.

A drip of tears landed on the first page as her thumb wrinkles a small part of the contract. Wiping her tears, she went back to the living room, used the pen he gift to her and signed her name.

-----------------

Lewis replied in frustration: "What right do you have to know where I was at? We are nobody's to each other."

Christina smiled, " You were probably with her again."

Lewis replied: "That's right. I was with her because she was drunk and was upset with her boyfriend. Talking about them -" He wanted to rant about it to her, but she refused to listen this time.

Christina stopped his rants and said, " You're right. Other than the titles of being husband and wife, we are nobody's to each other. I've already signed. All you need is to stamp your signature. My things are packed. I'll leave as soon as we both have a copy of this."

------------------

Walking along the boardwalk once again, she hears someone calling out her name. She turned around and recognizes his face right away. He was Carson Ku, the owner of the French restaurant.

She refused his invitation at first, but decides to follow him to his restaurant where she was ditched five times. Each time, the owner was the one who kindly notified her that the restaurant was closing.

This time, she came alone. This time, she finally gets to taste his specialty dishes.

Apparently, the restaurant was closed today. She was his only customer. Alas, she finished the course dishes. When she was ready to pay for the bill, he stops her and brings out a fruit pastry as dessert.

Before she gave it a bite, she was stopped again. There was a fruit barrier surrounding the tart from the outside. He takes his special mixed fruit dressing and poured it in a swirling movement. Slowly, the barrier melted, showing diamond shaped fruits with a glossy surface.

On the side, there was a smiley face message for her. "Happy belated birthday"

She looked up in surprise. "How did you know?"

"Your birthday was listed on the reservation information for VIP guests." Carson let out a polite smile.

She smiled, "Thanks. You're the first person to celebrate my birthday with me."

"That's my pleasure." Tasting the sweet and sour tart blasting in her mouth, a sweet smile showed on her face.

"Delicious. Did you always have this on the menu?"

"This is actually not for sale."

"Huh?"

"This was exclusively created for you. Miss. Fruit Champagne."

Blinking, she took a closer look at him. "Ah! You're-!"

"Yep, me."