Chapter 2 - Into the Storm
The numbness hit Corinne first, followed by a surge of fiery clarity. The tears that had been threatening to spill dried instantly in the heat of her anger. She hung up the phone and looked directly at Dr. Ellison.
"Take them out," Corinne said, her voice steady and surprisingly firm. "Save my daughters. Do not wait for him. Do not mention his name again."
Nurse Tessa met Corinne's gaze with deep compassion, while Dr. Ellison gave a grim, resolute nod. Within minutes, the sterile silence of the operating room replaced the chaotic noise of her shattered world. The emergency C-section was a blur of bright lights, cold metal, and hushed, intense medical commands. Corinne focused entirely on the ceiling, repeating a silent prayer for her three unborn girls: Clara, Beatrix, and Maeve.
When the first cry pierced the air—fragile, thin, but undeniably alive—a sob finally tore through Corinne's throat.
"Baby A is out," Dr. Ellison announced. "A little girl."
Moments later, a second faint cry joined the first, followed shortly by a third. They were impossibly small, each weighing barely two pounds, but they were breathing. The neonatal team moved in a swift, practiced dance, immediately placing the tiny infants into incubators and rushing them toward the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Corinne was wheeled into recovery alone. As the anesthesia began to wear off, her phone buzzed on the bedside table. It was almost two hours after the delivery. The caller ID displayed Landon’s name.
She answered, keeping her breathing calm.
"Corinne! Hey, babe," Landon's voice sounded polished, smooth, and entirely unbothered. "Sorry I took so long. That work emergency ran a bit late. I'm pulling into the parking garage now. How are you feeling? Did the cramps pass?"
Corinne felt a cold smile touch her lips. He was playing his script perfectly, preparing to walk in and act the part of the doting husband.
"They're born, Landon," she said quietly.
There was a long silence on the line. "What? What do you mean?"
"The triplets were born two hours ago via emergency C-section. They are in critical condition in the NICU."
"Corinne, why didn't you call me?!" Landon’s tone shifted instantly from easygoing to defensively outraged. "How could you let them do a surgery without me there? I’m their father!"
"Nurse Tessa called you three times," Corinne replied, her tone icy. "You answered on the third try. Your pocket did, anyway."
The silence on the other end was deafening this time.
"I heard everything, Landon," she continued, each word measured and lethal. "I heard Brielle. I heard you complain about my 'crises.' And I heard you talk about starting your 'real life' after playing the devoted husband for the cameras. Don't bother coming up to my room. You aren't welcome here."
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She ended the call before he could speak, turned her phone off, and handed it to Nurse Tessa, who had just stepped back into the room.
"If Landon Pierce tries to enter this floor," Corinne said, "have security escort him out."
