The Subtitles Showed Me the Truth About My Baby

I had just woken up from the anesthesia after my C-section.

My husband gently placed a tiny baby girl in my arms.

Suddenly, glowing lines of text flashed across my eyes like a live-stream chat.

[Wait! That's not your daughter. Your real daughter was swapped by your husband and Fiona Cross, the single pregnant mother you sponsored.]

[They did it together.]

[They put their own love child in your arms instead!]

[They want their illegitimate daughter to replace yours and inherit the Montgomery family fortune!]

[Your real daughter is right next to Fiona. She has a faint pink birthmark behind her left ear.]

[In ten minutes, they will transfer her out of this hospital under the excuse of treating severe jaundice.]

The blood in my veins turned to ice.

In the next second, Fiona knocked and walked in.

She smiled, looking innocent and harmless.

"Mrs. Montgomery, my daughter has severe jaundice. She's being transferred to another hospital in a few minutes. I wanted to come by and say goodbye."

The floating text in front of my eyes flashed rapidly.

[Don't let her leave!]

[If she walks out that door, you will never find your daughter again.]

I dug my fingernails deep into my palms. I forced a smile.

"Jaundice? Let me take a look."

The hospital room fell dead silent.

Julian was the first to react.

He sat on the edge of the bed and pressed his hand against my shoulder. The pressure wasn't heavy, but it was just enough to press down on my C-section wound, sending a sharp pain through me.

"Chloe, you just woke up. Don't move."

I stared at him.

To the public, Julian Vance was the most respectable son-in-law of the Montgomery Medical Group.

He was the man who would run out in the middle of the night to buy sour plums when I had morning sickness. He accompanied me to every single prenatal checkup. He told the media that marrying me was the luckiest thing that had ever happened to him.

But the floating screen said otherwise.

It was him. He had stolen our daughter and put his mistress's baby in my arms.

My chest choked with an unbearable ache.

"I'm not moving too much," I said, looking past him to Fiona. "She is a pregnant woman under my charity program. Since her baby has severe jaundice, it's only natural for me, as her sponsor, to check on her. Is there something wrong with that?"

Fiona's grip on the baby bundle visibly tightened.

"Mrs. Montgomery, the doctor said the baby shouldn't be exposed to the cold wind. The transport ambulance is waiting downstairs."

"I heard jaundice is most obvious behind the ear. I'll just check behind her ear. No need to unwrap her completely."

Her face turned pale.

Julian tried to coax me in a gentle voice, "Chloe, Fiona has had a hard time. Her baby needs urgent care. Let's not delay them."

"Will a five-second delay kill her?" I asked.

His brows furrowed slightly. It was a silent warning.

During our standoff, the nurse at the door walked in.

Rachel.

She was the one who had checked my wristband before my surgery.

She wore a professional smile. "Mrs. Montgomery, the anesthesia hasn't fully worn off yet. You might not be thinking clearly. The transfer paperwork for Fiona's baby is already complete. The ambulance is waiting downstairs."

I looked at her. "What is her bilirubin level?"

Rachel paused. "320."

"When was it tested?"

"Twenty minutes ago."

"Where is the report?"

Rachel's smile stiffened. "It's all logged in the electronic medical system."

A new comment floated across my eyes.

[They just modified the numbers.]

[The original record was only 176. It didn't meet the emergency transfer criteria at all.]

[They just want Fiona to take your daughter and make a quick escape before you find out.]

My daughter was standing just a few steps away from me.

Held by her biological father and another woman, about to be erased from my life forever.

I forced myself to breathe steadily.

"Since the jaundice is so severe, I'll contact the head of the Neonatology Department at Crestview to check her personally. I'll cover all the expenses."

Fiona raised her head instantly.

"No need, Mrs. Montgomery. You've already helped me so much."

"I'm not asking for your permission."

I pressed the call button next to my bed and told the nurse aide who walked in:

"Tell the head of Neonatology to come to my room. Also, before he arrives, Fiona and her baby are not allowed to leave this floor."

Rachel panicked. "Mrs. Montgomery, this goes against hospital protocol."

"I am one of the largest individual shareholders of Crestview Maternity Hospital." I stared at her, my voice dropping to a whisper. "Are you really trying to talk to me about protocol?"

Rachel's face lost all color.

Julian called out to me in a low voice, "Chloe."

I didn't look at him.

"Also, my own baby is not allowed to leave this room. Any checkups must be done right in front of me."

Fiona's eyes welled with tears.

"Mrs. Montgomery, is there some kind of misunderstanding? I just want to get medical care for my baby."

I stared at the bundle in her arms.

"Then wait for the specialist to get here."

The floating text popped up again.

[Step one: successful.]

[But they have already altered the hospital system.]

[They won't let you see the birthmark that easily.]

The head of Neonatology didn't show up.

Instead, Dr. Thomas Sterling, the Vice President of the hospital, walked in.

There was sweat on his forehead. Two nurses and an administrative director followed right behind him.

Julian stood up and whispered a few words to him.

Dr. Sterling's gaze shifted to me, becoming instantly cautious and overly polite.

"Mrs. Montgomery, congratulations on a successful delivery. Your health is the top priority right now. The hospital will handle everything else."

I asked, "Where is the department head?"

"He is currently in surgery. But we can arrange phototherapy for the baby here."

"Then treat her in this hospital."

"According to the current records, Fiona's baby has extremely high levels. We highly recommend transferring her to our partner clinic for observation."

I stared at him.

"Crestview is the best private maternity hospital in the city. Are you telling me we can't treat a simple case of newborn jaundice and have to send her away?"

Julian walked over, leaning down to tuck my blanket in.

"Chloe, you just had surgery. You shouldn't be worrying about other people's problems. I'll handle Fiona's arrangements."

I grabbed his wrist.

"Did you sign the newborn birth confirmation?"

His eyes flickered.

"The hospital asked me to sign on your behalf."

"On whose behalf?"

"I'm the baby's father. It's only natural for me to sign."

I looked at him and slowly let go of his wrist.

"I wasn't even awake yet, and you already signed to confirm the baby's identity?"

His perfect composure finally showed a crack.

Dr. Sterling quickly intervened. "Mrs. Montgomery, it's very common for family members to sign on behalf of the mother in clinical practice, especially since you were still recovering from anesthesia."

"Common doesn't mean legal," my voice went cold. "Bring me all the handover records, identity verification videos, and the umbilical cord blood storage codes from my delivery."

Rachel stood in the back, her fingers clutching her clipboard so hard they turned white.

A comment floated by.

[She's panicking.]

[She already swapped the ankle bands of the two babies and backdated the handover log.]

[Don't drink the water. Julian ordered a sedative to be added to it.]

The moment I looked up, Julian was already holding the glass of water from the nightstand.

"Drink some water first, Chloe. Your lips are dry."

I stared at the warm water.

"You drink it."

His hand froze.

"Chloe, what are you doing now?"

"I said, you drink it."

Everyone in the room turned to look at him.

The gentle mask on Julian's face was about to shatter.

"You shouldn't be so paranoid after a C-section."

I laughed.

"I'm paranoid? Then take a sip and prove me wrong."

He set the glass back down.

"The doctor said you need to stay hydrated."

"Then have the nurse open a fresh, sealed bottle for me."

Rachel immediately chimed in, "The water in our ward is standardized. There's nothing wrong with it."

I looked at her. "Are you absolutely sure about that?"

She shut her mouth.

Fiona stood by the door, cradling the baby as tears streamed down her face.

"Mrs. Montgomery, I know you are wealthy and powerful, and you look down on people like us in your charity programs. But just because you don't like me, you shouldn't stop my daughter from getting medical treatment."

With a single sentence, she painted a vivid picture.

A rich heiress bullying a poor, single mother.

What a perfect card to play.

Dr. Sterling frowned. "Mrs. Montgomery, your emotional state seems highly unstable right now. Should I call a psychiatrist for an evaluation?"

I stared him down.

"Do it."

He was stunned.

I continued, "And while you're at it, call the legal department, the risk management team, and the hospital administration. If we're doing an evaluation, let's evaluate everyone."

Julian said in a low, warning tone, "Chloe, don't make a scene."

I pressed a button on my smartwatch. My fingers were still trembling from the lingering anesthesia.

I sent a text to Vivian:

"My baby is in danger."

Vivian Carter was my late mother's most trusted lawyer and the executor of the Montgomery Family Trust.

She had once told me:

"Chloe, marriages can fail, and people's hearts can change. But the protective clauses in a trust fund never lie."

Back then, I thought she was too cold.

Only now did I realize the painful truth in her words.

By 11:40 PM, the ward was in complete chaos.

Rushed footsteps echoed from the hallway outside.

I had already instructed Vivian to lock down the hospital. Fiona wouldn't be able to escape.

But I couldn't sleep a wink.

My daughter was still in another woman's arms.

How could I sleep?

The door was pushed open.

Rachel rolled in an incubator transport cart. Fiona followed right behind her.

The baby had already been placed inside the incubator, covered by a transparent plastic dome, showing only a tiny, red face.

Fiona's eyes were red and swollen from crying.

"Mrs. Montgomery, please stop blocking us. The doctor said if we delay any longer, my daughter might suffer brain damage."

Julian was there, too.

He had changed his jacket, looking exhausted.

"Chloe, I had Dr. Sterling call a specialist consultation. The conclusion is that we must transfer the baby first. If you're still worried, I'll ride in the ambulance with them."

The floating text flashed frantically.

[Lies!]

[They forged the consultation records!]

[She taped over the baby's left ear to hide the birthmark. You have to look!]

[Once they enter the elevator, the underground parking lot has blind spots in the security cameras.]

I pushed myself up against the headboard, trying to sit up.

A sharp, ripping pain in my abdomen made my vision go black.

The nurse aide quickly held me down. "Mrs. Montgomery, don't get up! Your stitches will rip!"

I gritted my teeth. "Bring the incubator here."

Rachel blocked it. "We are on a tight schedule."

"Bring it here!"

She didn't budge.

I looked at Julian.

"You said you'd ride in the ambulance, right? Then you personally bring the baby to me so I can look at her."

His eyes turned cold.

"Chloe, you are disrupting hospital order."

"I just want to look at her once."

Suddenly, Fiona dropped to her knees.

She clung to the edge of the incubator, sobbing hysterically.

"Mrs. Montgomery, I beg you! My daughter is not your toy! Just because you have money, you can't keep my child hostage here!"

Her loud wails drew the attention of patients in the neighboring rooms.

"What's going on?"

"I think it's the Montgomery heiress. She won't let a poor pregnant woman's baby get transferred for treatment."

"Rich people are terrifying. They even want to control other people's sick babies?"

"She just gave birth, right? Is she having some mental breakdown?"

The whispers crawled into my ears.

But I only stared at the baby inside the incubator.

She was crying.

The final thread of my sanity snapped.

I ripped the IV needle right out of the back of my hand.

Beads of blood welled up.

Julian's face changed instantly. "Chloe Montgomery!"

I used every ounce of my remaining strength to swing my legs out of bed. The moment my feet hit the floor, my knees buckled, and I fell forward.

Julian caught me.

Using the momentum, I grabbed the edge of the incubator and slammed open the side access port.

Rachel screamed, "What are you doing?!"

I reached my hand inside and gently parted the soft hair behind the baby's left ear.

In that split second.

I saw it.

A faint, reddish birthmark sat quietly on the skin behind her ear, looking like a tiny drop of red ink on paper.

The floating chat exploded.

Tears instantly poured down my face.

"This is my baby."

The room fell dead silent.

Fiona's crying stopped for half a second.

Then, she shrieked.

"You're lying! That's my daughter!"

Julian grabbed my shoulders and tried to drag me back.

"That's enough, Chloe!"

I struggled, screaming at the top of my lungs, "She has a birthmark behind her left ear! She's my daughter!"

Rachel immediately chimed in, "Birthmarks are extremely common in newborns. You can't claim a baby just because of a spot. Mrs. Montgomery, you just gave birth. You might be suffering from postpartum psychosis."

Dr. Sterling rushed to the door, his expression grim.

"Get Mrs. Montgomery back into bed immediately. Call the psychiatric department for an emergency consultation if necessary."

I looked at their faces.

I finally understood what it felt like to be forcefully fitted into the straightjacket of a "madwoman."

They were all waiting for me to break.

First, they would label me as mentally unstable.

Then, everything I said would be dismissed as the delusions of a crazy person.

This was Julian's ultimate advantage as my husband.

Julian leaned down, his voice barely a whisper in my ear.

"Chloe, don't force my hand."

I looked up into his eyes.

"What are you going to do to me?"

He remained silent.

That was his answer.

The crowd in the hallway grew larger.

Some people held up their phones, but the hospital security guards quickly blocked them.

Fiona knelt on the floor, gasping for breath through her tears.

"Mrs. Montgomery, I know you helped me, but you can't humiliate me like this. You have your own baby. Why do you want to steal mine?"

The moment she said those words, the whispers outside changed.

"Stealing a baby? Oh my god."

"Is she unhappy with her own baby? Does she think someone else's baby is cuter, so she's claiming it?"

"Shh, keep it down. They're rich. Even if she steals it, there's nothing we can do."

"Postpartum psychosis is pretty common among wealthy women, right?"

Two nurses held me down on the edge of the bed.

My incision was completely numb with pain.

Julian turned to Dr. Sterling. "She has been under a lot of stress during the pregnancy. She just woke up from anesthesia, and her emotions are highly unstable. I suggest letting her rest."

"I'm just worried about you," he added softly to me.

Fiona quickly sobbed in agreement, "Mr. Vance, Mrs. Montgomery just became a mother too. She's probably just too anxious. I don't blame her."

Rachel walked over holding a syringe.

"Mrs. Montgomery, this is a mild sedative prescribed by Dr. Sterling. The dosage is very small and won't affect breastfeeding."

I stared at the needle.

I raised my wrist and spoke directly into my smartwatch:

"Vivian, upload the audio recording to the cloud server right now."

All sound in the room died instantly.

The next second, the ward door was pushed open.

Vivian walked in holding her briefcase. Behind her were two police officers and the head of the Montgomery Foundation.

Seeing my bleeding hand and pale face, Vivian's eyes turned freezing cold.

She turned to face everyone in the room.

"Starting now, no one is allowed to move either of these newborns. No medical records are to be deleted, altered, or backdated. Anyone who violates this will be charged with destroying evidence."

Julian finally tore off his gentle mask.

"Ms. Carter, this is a private matter between my wife and me."

"Didn't you just say she's mentally unstable?"

Vivian looked at the police officers.

"In that case, we need a third party to step in. We can't have a husband making unilateral medical decisions for a supposedly 'unstable' patient."

"On behalf of Mrs. Montgomery, as the trustee of the Montgomery Family Trust, I am officially freezing all beneficiary status checks due to identity risks."

Julian's face went completely pale.

I didn't give him a chance to speak. I looked at the police officers.

"Officer, I request the immediate seizure and sealing of all Crestview Maternity Hospital's newborn handover logs, delivery room access logs, surgical cord blood samples, placental pathology samples, newborn screening blood cards, transfer requests, and ambulance GPS records."

"Furthermore, seal all of tonight's medical orders, including the sedative syringe they were about to inject into me."

Dr. Sterling broke into a cold sweat.

"Mrs. Montgomery, you've misunderstood. This is just a family matter..."

"It is not a family matter," I said, projecting every word clearly.

"I suspect a criminal conspiracy to swap newborns, forge medical documents, illegally transport an infant, and attempt to fraudulently claim the beneficiary rights of the Montgomery Family Trust."

The moment those words left my mouth, Fiona's face drained of all color.

The onlookers outside went wild.