Left in the Rain After Birth

On the third day after my C-section, the baby and I checked into the premium postpartum care center I'd reserved in advance.

Worried about the cost, I gently suggested to my husband Santiago that we could just hire a nanny to take care of the baby at home instead.

Santiago laughed and said:

Don't bother.

"I withdrew this cash without going through the finance department. If Everett finds out, I won't be able to deal with her stubborn temper."

I froze. My heart felt like it had been pierced by a thornI couldn't pull it out, couldn't swallow it down. It just throbbed with a dull ache.

Every time Santiago spent money on me, he had to get approval from Everett, the new CFO at his company.

He called her his Minister of Finance.

But I never imagined that on the very night I checked into the postpartum center, Santiago's reservation would be hit with a full refund request.

Clinton, the center's manager, threatened and cornered, threw the refund receipt in my face and kicked the baby and me out into the rainy night.

That night, my incision became infected. I developed sepsis and a fever that wouldn't break.

I called Santiago crying for help, only to discover I'd been blocked.

As I lay in the emergency room with no one caring whether I lived or died, Everett posted a photo on Twitter from an auction.

In the picture, she nestled in Santiago's arms, smiling coyly:

"Without my approval, what does it matter that Mr. Santiago is worth hundreds of millions? He still doesn't dare spend half a cent without my say-so."

"I'd advise certain people not to be so possessive of other people's money. You just had a babywhere do you get the nerve to stay at a luxury postpartum center?"

Only then did I see clearly that Santiago hadn't just handed financial control to Everetthe'd also given her the power to hurt me.

When Everett arrived at the postpartum center with the legal team, it was already late at night.

Learning that the baby and I were staying in the most expensive top-floor suite, jealousy flashed in her eyes and her delicate features twisted for a moment.

Seeing me, she let out a contemptuous laugh and said coldly:

"How does a useless freeloader have the nerve to enjoy such luxury with a clear conscience?"

"Russell, surely you're aware that I never approved the expense for this postpartum center stay?"

The incision from my C-section hadn't fully healed yet. The fine, persistent pain left my face pale and my forehead covered in cold sweat.

Our eyes met. Everett stared at me arrogantly, her gaze full of smug confidence.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself through the pain to respond hoarsely:

"I'm spending Santiago's moneymy husband's money. I don't need approval from some company CFO."

"Now, you're disturbing my rest. Please leave!"

Everett's face darkened. She snatched the contract from the lawyer's hand and threw it heavily at me:

"Is that so? Too bad the money Santiago spends on you goes through the company accounts. And guess what? I have the authority to recover that money."

I jerked my head up to look at the lawyer standing nearby.

Meeting my questioning gaze, the lawyer pressed his lips together and said with some reluctance:

"Russell, Mr. Santiago did give Ms. Everett this authority."

"I'm sorry. I can only follow company regulations."

I froze, suddenly gripped by a terrible premonition. My heart pounded so hard it hurt.

Sure enough, the next second, Everett turned and presented a stack of legal contracts signed by Santiago to Clinton, the postpartum center's owner.

A shallow smile played on her face, but her words carried heavy threat:

"Refund this order in full, and I won't make things difficult for anyone. But if I don't get this money back, Clinton, you should know how easy it would be for Santiago's company to destroy a small postpartum center, right?"

"Government departments could shut you down for inspection with any random reason I give them."

"Or would you prefer to be charged with conspiring with Russell to launder money?"

Clinton didn't dare confront the aggressive Everett. He clutched the stack of legal documents tightly and shot me a sinister glance.

Through gritted teeth, he said:

"Ms. Everett, Russell is still Mr. Santiago's wife. Aren't you afraid Mr. Santiago will be angry if you do this?"

"Why don't I call Mr. Santiago right now and get his opinion?"

This fifty-thousand-dollar contract was too tempting. Clinton couldn't bear to give it up, so he tried invoking Santiago's name, hoping to make Everett back down.

But the moment Clinton finished speaking, Everett burst into laughter as if she'd heard the funniest joke.

In the vast room, only her clear laughter could be heard for a moment.

Piercing, sharp, dripping with mockery.

She said:

"Sure, let's get Santiago's opinion. I'll make the call myself!"

As she spoke, Everett pulled out her phone and directly dialed Santiago's number.

The moment the call connected, his lazy, infinitely indulgent voice came through:

"Everett, who's bothering you in the middle of the night?"

"What, we've only been apart for a little while and you already miss me?"

My face went deathly pale. Hearing Santiago's achingly familiar voice, I felt like my breath caught in my throat. The discomfort made my heart race with panic.

Everett glanced at me dismissively, then let out a coquettish hum and said in a wronged tone:

"Santiago, there was a fifty-thousand-dollar order a while back that you paid without my approval again, wasn't there?"

"I'm really going to get angry. You don't take me seriously as your CFO at all."

Santiago let out a muffled laugh and said helplessly:

"My mistake, my mistake. Just go recover the money, okay?"

"I give you full authorization. Take the legal team with you. Don't be angry anymore, alright?"

My mind went completely blank, replaying Santiago's words over and over in an endless loop.

Every word, every sentence was like a blade glinting with cold light, stabbing into my heart again and again.

Only then did Everett break into a smile. After hanging up with a proud flourish, she looked at me with a mocking expression.

"Surely no one actually thinks they can throw their weight around just because they're the CEO's wife?"

All the blood in my body instantly turned cold. I bit my lip hard, unable to make a sound.

Malice flashed in Everett's eyes. She leaned close and whispered:

"You dare pull rank on me as the CEO's wife?"

"Russell, just wait and see how I destroy you!"

As soon as she got close, the heavy scent of her perfume hit me in waves, making my temples throb painfully.

I suddenly snapped back to reality and frantically reached for my phone on the nightstand, my voice shaking:

"That can't be right. Santiago wouldn't treat the baby and me that way."

"I don't believe you, Everett. I need to make this call myself!"

But the moment I grabbed my phone, Everett slapped it out of my hand. She looked down at me from above.

Her high heel came down hard. The lit screen quickly went dark, and Santiago's name on the display went black along with it.

Everett smiled:

"One excuse after another, Russell. You're not deliberately stalling for time, are you?"

"I'm very busy. I don't have time to play games with you."

She stood up and walked leisurely toward the door:

"This postpartum center has no reason to stay in business anyway..."

Clinton shot me a venomous glare, then hurried after her:

"Ms. Everett, I'll process the refund right now. I'll return the money immediately."

"Please, you and Mr. Santiago, show some mercy. Don't make things hard for my small business."

Soon, the fifty thousand was refunded to Everett's account.

She lifted her chin and flashed me a triumphant smile:

"Oh no, Russell, this is Santiago's money after all. He trusts me, and I can't let him down, right?"

"Please don't blame me. If just anyone could spend Santiago's money, how exhausted would he be?"

The last thread of rationality in my mind snapped. Ignoring the pain, I lunged desperately at Everett.

My voice came out hoarse:

"Everett, you did this on purpose, didn't you!"

"I don't believe it..."

In the scuffle, I pushed hard. Everett stumbled backward.

Just then, a familiar voice rang out urgently:

"Everett!"

That shout made me freeze. Everett froze too.

But she quickly recovered, deliberately falling heavily to the ground, saying with tears in her voice:

"Russell, I only came out of kindness to check on you and the baby. Why did you push me?"

Santiago suddenly appeared, taking the fallen Everett into his arms. The look he gave me was ice-cold:

"Russell, apologize to Everett!"