The Phantom's Gambit-Chapter 62: Frenemies

I was six months into my pregnancy, and I had no idea I was carrying a baby. Despite that time passing, my stomach remained flat, leaving me bewildered. How could I be six months along and still have a flat stomach?

Life has been playing cruel jokes on me, and this one takes the cake.

The doctor briefed me about a condition known as "cryptic pregnancy," where women remain unaware of their pregnancy until the late stages, often until just before giving birth. She explained that it was a rare phenomenon, but not unheard of, and that it can occur in people who are otherwise healthy.

The information I received didn’t improve my situation, but it did provide some clarity. Reflecting on the months that had passed, I realized I had consistently experienced my menstruation.

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After careful consideration, I made the decision to opt for an abortion. I felt that bringing a child into the world would only derail my carefully laid plans and leave me feeling vulnerable.

Additionally, there was a Will hearing scheduled for a few months down the line, and I was anxious about how the timing might coincide with a potential due date. I couldn’t imagine allowing a pregnancy to disrupt everything I was working towards, so I knew I had to take control of my circumstances.

Based on the doctor’s advice, it became clear that my fetus had already undergone significant development. As a result, if I were to consider termination, it would have to be achieved through a surgical procedure rather than a non-invasive method.

Without much thought, I opted for the surgery option dismissing the doctor’s advice to take some time to think about it.

I was doing it for a good cause. At that moment, I understood that raising a baby amid everything happening around me was not feasible.

The risks were too great—what if my child were to be kidnapped or worse, killed, if the truth ever came to light? The thought alone was unbearable, and I knew I couldn’t live with that possibility haunting me.

This was the best way I could handle my situation, and I’m going with it, I decided.

I had just undergone another thorough examination before being positioned on the operating table. As I waited, I expected the nurse to arrive and administer the necessary medication to facilitate a smooth and quick procedure.

After what felt like an interminable wait, the medical team finally returned. Just as the nurse was about to inject the medication, I felt a sudden gush of fluid emanating from my vagina. The medical staff seemed to notice it simultaneously, as they abruptly halted their preparations to inspect my undergarment.

I was in a state of confusion, unable to grasp the situation around me. One thing was clear: I hadn’t intended to pee.

That’s when I heard someone say, "Her water just broke."

My mind raced as another voice raised a question, "How’s that possible?" The uncertainty in the air only heightened my bewilderment.

And it was enough to make me worry.

I sat up, a sense of confusion washing over me as I tried to comprehend my surroundings. "What’s happening?" I asked, but before I could process the words, a wave of excruciating pain radiates through my abdomen, hitting me like a ton of bricks.

I fell back onto the bed and screamed. My thoughts whirled, but somehow I was able to hear someone call for more people.

The doctor I had spoken to about the whole process beforehand, came in and the ones already present were instructed by her to leave. The sudden flurry of activity only added to my distress.

"Now listen to me, you’re about to give birth, and I need you to be strong because I’ll be performing a cesarean section," the doctor explained, her voice firm but calm.

"Huh?" I asked, breathing heavily, trying to process the sudden turn of events. Just a week ago, I had walked into this hospital for a routine checkup, and now I was being told I was about to give birth?

Suddenly, my stomach began to swell noticeably, and I felt a strange sensation, like my body was taking over. My eyes widened in disbelief at what was happening. ’Am I going insane from the abdominal pain?’ I wondered. How could this be happening? I had no idea I was even pregnant.

She looked at me with intensity, her eyes pleading. "I want you to trust me. Okay?"

I opened my mouth, ready to respond, but the words got caught in my throat. Instead, an involuntary scream tore its way out, raw and unrestrained.

A million questions swirled in my head, but before I could voice any of them, someone who appeared nothing like a doctor strode in with hurried steps.

The woman glanced at me briefly to inspect my body before she turned to the doctor.

"Are you sure of what you’re saying?" she asked the doctor.

"Yes. She reeked of it." The doctor responded to the woman.

Reeked of what? I wanted to ask them but I could only groan and cry in pain.

The woman sprang into action immediately bringing out some weird objects out of her bag while the doctor sprang into action, prepping me for the emergency C-section. I felt a wave of fear wash over me as I realized I was completely unprepared for this.

The woman’s voice rose to a fevered pitch as she began to chant incoherent words, her eyes closed in intense concentration. The air around us seemed to vibrate with an otherworldly energy. Meanwhile, the doctor’s hands moved with swift precision, grasping a gleaming surgical scalpel, its blade curved like a crescent moon. With a steady hand, she made the first incision, the scalpel slicing through my skin with a soft, almost gentle pressure.

I felt a jolt of surprise, expecting a searing pain to follow, but instead, I was met with a strange, numbing sensation. It was as if the woman’s chanting had woven