?Chapter 315:


    Bryan barely registered what the nurse had said.


    In his armsy a tiny, pinkish newborn who squirmed, stretching her hands above her head.


    Her features were simple yet captivating — a small, red mouth and sparse hair clinging to her scalp. Her half-open eyes met his, reflecting an astonished expression that seemed to mirror his own.


    Bryan stood frozen, feeling out of ce in his tailored suit while holding the newborn. Panic flickered across his face, giving him the appearance of a first-time father.


    “Young man, you should grab a baby carriage from the nurse. You wouldn’t want to drop your baby,” advised a woman in her fifties, her tone warm but firm.


    Bryan looked up, his frown deepening as he scanned the empty hallway outside the operating room. His lips pressed into a tight line, his gaze lingering on the older woman.


    “I’ll help you,” she offered kindly. Rising from her seat, she walked over to the nurse’s station and returned with a baby carriage.


    With patient precision, she demonstrated how to ce the baby inside. Bryan watched intently, his every movement careful, as if afraid he might break something.


    Holding the baby felt like cradling the entire world. His arms ached after mere minutes, but when he ced her gently into the carriage, an odd sense of emptiness settled in his heart.


    He sat in a nearby chair, his legs spread protectively around the carriage. Resting his wrist on its edge, his fingers brushed lightly against the baby’s soft, tender face.


    At the touch, the baby turned her head and opened her mouth, her tiny lips moving as if searching for something to eat.


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    Startled, Bryan pulled his hand back, his eyes locked on her every movement. The baby clumsily tried to stuff her tiny fist into her mouth, only for it to slip away.


    Her attempts were persistent but futile. Shecked the coordination to seed, and Bryan watched, strangely fascinated by her determination.


    Eventually, he reached forward and gently pinched her little fist between his fingers, pulling it away from her face to prevent her from chewing on it.


    But the baby surprised him. Her tiny fingers wrapped around his index finger with a grip far stronger than he had expected. She clung to him tightly, refusing to let go, even as he tried to free himself.


    “Whoa!” Josue’s voice rang out as he returned, his eyes immediatelynding on Bryan, who was seated protectively by the baby carriage.


    His gaze shifted to the tiny, wrinkled baby inside. Shock and confusion yed across his face. Holding a crumpled receipt in one hand, he approached with wide eyes.


    “Whose baby did you snatch?” Josue asked, his tone half-joking but filled with disbelief. “Are you trying to one-up me as a godfather by bringing in a whole baby? She’s… uh, not exactly pretty.”


    Bryan shot him a sharp look. Josue raised his hands in surrender but continued his teasing.


    “Seriously, where are the parents? Did they actually leave you in charge of their baby?” Josue asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.


    Bryan’s gaze remained steady, his eyes cutting through Josue’s yful attitude.


    “The mother’s still in the delivery room, and the godfather’s off paying the bills. No one else was here, so they left her with me,” Bryan exined calmly, his tone as unshakable as his presence.


    Josue’s eyes widened, his smile vanishing as realization set in. He turned to look at Bryan, then at the baby, his confusion giving way to shock.


    “Wait…” Josue’s eyes darted between Bryan and the baby. “What did you just say? Is this… my godchild?”


    Without waiting for an answer, he tossed the receipt at Bryan, ignoring where itnded, and rushed to the baby carriage. He nudged Bryan aside, practically pushing him out of the way.


    Peering into the carriage, Josue’s face softened with awe.


    “So… she’s a girl?” he asked eagerly, his eyes filled with wonder.


    “Yes,” Bryan replied, leaning back in his chair, his voice steady but distant.


    Josue’s face lit up with joy, his grin wide as he bent closer to the baby. His eyes filled with warmth and affection.


    “Hey there, my little princess,” he cooed, his voice unusually soft for a man known for his boisterous personality.


    Bryan, however, wasn’t in the mood to indulge Josue’s excitement. His brows furrowed as he red at him.


    “She’s not your biological daughter. What’s there to brag about?” Bryan muttered, his voice sharp and cutting.


    “So what?” Josue shot back without missing a beat. His grin widened, his eyes never leaving the baby. “You don’t have one.”


    The jab hit its mark.


    Bryan’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Josue.


    But he said nothing.


    His gaze drifted down to the baby once more, his eyes tracing the delicate curves of her face. Her little cheeks puffed up as she squirmed, her small hands still clinging tightly to his finger.


    For a moment, Bryan’s hardened demeanor softened, his cold, calcting eyes flickering with something more human.


    Something tender.


    Something he didn’t understand.


    Leaning over the carriage, Josue tried to y with the baby, but she kept her eyes tightly shut,pletely ignoring him.


    “Please take the baby back to the ward and wait for further instructions,” a nurse said when she saw them still waiting outside.


    Hearing this, Josue stood up to push the carriage. Bryan also stood, hands in his pockets, ready to leave, when the nurse called out once more, “Aren’t you taking your bags?”


    It was only then that Bryan and Josue noticed the tworge bags of baby supplies Eileen had packed beforehand and brought along in the ambnce.


    Bryan ced his hand on the carriage. “I’ll push.”


    Josue firmly declined. “You carry the bags.”


    With a smirk, Bryan slid both hands into his pockets and began walking away.


    “Bryan!” Josue called urgently. “Fine, you push the baby carriage. I’ll handle the bags. But be careful — a newborn’s head is very fragile!”


    He kept talking nervously, ncing back every few seconds while picking up the two bags and following Bryan closely, his eyes darting between the baby and Bryan, as if worried Bryan might run off with the child.


    The ward was quiet, save for the faint beeping of distant medical equipment. The two men kept their eyes fixed on the baby in the carriage, watching her every tiny movement.


    The baby was peaceful — neither crying nor making a sound — for a full half-hour.


    Bryan’s gaze softened as he observed her. At some point, she had managed to grab his finger again, holding it tightly with her tiny hand.


    Josue watched with envy, unable to contain himself. “Alright, that’s enough. I’ve booked a hotel for you. You should leave now,” he said, feigning irritation.


    “Can you manage everything on your own here?” Bryan asked, a hint of reluctance in his voice.


    Suddenly, Josue’s eyes widened as he remembered something. “Oh no! I forgot to tell my mom about this!”


    He dashed out to make the call.


    As soon as Rylie learned about Eileen’s delivery, her voice erupted through the phone, loud enough for anyone nearby to hear.


    “You fool! You didn’t think to call me first? I just got back, and now I have to rush to the hospital? You’d better be ready to exin yourself when I arrive!”


    She hung up abruptly, leaving Josue trembling with fear. He returned to the ward, still visibly shaken.


    “The baby’s grandmother and my mom will be here soon. You should head back. I can manage it from here,” he said to Bryan, his gaze shifting to Bryan’s hand, which the baby was still holding onto tightly.


    Bryan remained silent for a few seconds before gently pulling his finger away.


    He nced at the baby onest time. After all, he wasn’t part of the baby’s family. Once the mother returned and the family reunited, his presence would only make things awkward.


    “Okay, I’ll leave now,” Bryan muttered. He stood up, his movements slow, almost reluctant. As he walked away, an odd sense of emptiness settled in his chest.


    “Since you’re here for a few days, I’ll spend time with my goddaughter while you handle thepany’s affairs!” Josue called after him, adopting a hands-off approach. Then, sensing something was wrong, he asked, “Hey, wait a minute. Why did youe here all of a sudden? Isn’t there some urgent situation back at thepany?”


    Bryan paused at the doorway, ncing briefly at the small hands reaching up from the baby carriage.


    “Visiting doesn’t take much time. You can handle the work on your own,” Bryan said tly before continuing toward the exit.


    The obstetrics floor was filled with the soft sounds of newborns crying, the distant beeping of medical devices, and the quiet chatter of nurses.


    Bryan’s footsteps echoed against the sterile floors. The image of the tiny baby lingered in his mind.


    He headed toward the stairwell, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it, standing near a trash can. He took long, slow drags, each exhale releasing a thin stream of smoke.


    But the nicotine failed to calm him. His nerves remained tense, and his yearning for Eileen surged like wild weeds in his heart, untamed and relentless.


    Unable to resist any longer, he pulled out his phone and dialed her number.


    He brought the phone to his ear, waiting, but there was no answer.


    She didn’t pick up.


    He knew she hadn’t changed her number. He had checked before calling.


    So the only possible exnation was that she was deliberately ignoring him.


    Frustration coiled tightly in his chest, and he was about to put his phone away when rapid footsteps echoed down the hallway.


    The hurried rhythm of the steps grew louder, and Bryan’s eyes flicked toward the sound.


    “Oh, don’t be upset. I didn’t expect her to give birth this early. It’s my fault,” Rylie said, her toneced with concern.


    “I’m not angry, just a bit anxious,” came a familiar voice.


    Bryan froze.


    He hurriedly extinguished his cigarette and stepped out of the stairwell.


    But he was toote. He only managed to catch a glimpse of Rylie rushing into the ward.


    After a brief pause, Bryan turned and descended the stairs. His footsteps echoed in the deserted corridor, each step amplifying the profound loneliness that lingered in his heart.


    Two hourster, Eileen was wheeled out of the delivery room in a wheelchair.


    Since she hadn’t anticipated a cesarean section, the anesthesia left her feeling ufortable, and the dull ache in her abdomen made every movement feel heavy. Her face was pale, and her lips were dry. She had no appetite and could barely stay alert.


    The moment she woke up, her gaze instinctively turned toward the baby carriage next to her, but from her position, she could only see the edge of it.


    “I’ll bring her closer,” Ruby said gently.


    She carefully lifted the baby from the carriage and turned her so Eileen could see her face.


    The baby’s face was wrinkled like a tiny olddy. She wasn’t conventionally cute, but Eileen’s gaze lingered. Her eyes traced the baby’s small features, pausing at her high nose. Her heart clenched as a thought struck her — that nose looked just like Bryan’s.


    “She might not seem charming now, but she’ll grow into a beautiful girl,” Ruby said softly, allowing Eileen a moment to look at her child before cing the baby back into the carriage.


    Rylie and Josue had gone to reserve a spot at a postnatal care center, opting for the most luxurious one avable. Ruby remained in the ward, her attention focused entirely on the baby.


    Eileeny still, her mind swirling with emotions. Her eyes welled up as a tight, inexplicable feeling filled her chest.


    She nced at her phone and saw that Bryan had called once.


    He had also sent a message: “I’m here.”


    There was no mention of wanting to see her. The implication was clear — he wanted her to know he was nearby, but not enough to ask to see her.


    Her fingers hovered over the screen for a moment, but she didn’t reply.


    “Have you decided on a name for the baby?” Ruby asked suddenly, breaking the silence.


    Eileen shook her head. Since she hadn’t known the baby’s gender beforehand, she hadn’t given much thought to names.


    “You should think about it now,” Ruby urged.


    Just then, Rylie and Josue walked into the ward, their lively energy filling the room.


    “Think about what?” Rylie asked, ncing from Ruby to Eileen.


    “We’re deciding on a name for the baby,” Ruby exined.


    “Oh, I got this!” Josue dered confidently, puffing out his chest like a rooster ready for battle.


    His loud voice startled the baby, causing her to cry loudly.


    “Look what you did!” Ruby scolded as she quickly picked up the baby, gently rocking her to calm her down.


    Rylie gave Josue a sharp re before grabbing him by the ear and dragging him out of the ward. “If you can’t keep quiet, you’re useless here.”


    “Wait, I forgot! I couldn’t help it. Stop pulling my ear!” Josue yelped, his hands covering his head as he stumbled after her. “If you keep dragging me around like this, I won’t be able to think of a good name!”


    “Like you could think of a good name, anyway,” Rylie said, showing no mercy as she pulled harder.


    Josue twisted away and shot back, “Don’t underestimate me! I’m pretty influential, you know.”


    Rylie raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a sneer. “Influential? Are you more influential than Bryan? If it weren’t for Bryan’s early efforts, would you even be here today?”


    Josue’s face darkened. Resentment flickered in his eyes as he muttered under his breath, “Having connections with influential people is a skill too, you know.”


    “Keep telling yourself that,” Rylie scoffed, letting go of his ear. “You might believe it one day.”


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