Sydney gripped the water glass tightly, her hands trembling slightly.
Sebastian sat on a nearby chair.
Rosalie spoke up, "Mom, now that you're here, there's something important I need to tell you."
"What is it?" Sydney asked, looking up.
Rosalie held Sebastian's hand tightly. "Sebastian made a decision outside the operating room, and it was me who pushed him into it."
Sydney looked startled. "What?"
"Mom, I told Sebastian that if anything went wrong during the surgery, the priority should be to save the baby. I also told him that if I woke up and found out the baby was gone, I would be devastated and might even end my own life. I forced Sebastian to promise me, which is why he made that decision outside the operating room."
"Rose," Sebastian interjected urgently, "You don't need to talk about this."
"It's okay." Rosalie shook her head. "I need to explain."
She turned her gaze back to Sydney. "Mom, I forced Sebastian to make that choice with my life. If the baby was safe, I would be safe. If the baby was lost, I would be lost too. That's why he made such a painful decision. He didn't want me to die; he wanted me to live. Everything he did was for me.
"You've been angry with him, you hit him, and even insulted him. He has endured it all silently, not because he felt guilty, but because he was trying to protect me. He was willing to put up with your anger for my sake. Mom, you shouldn't have hit him."
No matter what, Rosalie had to stand up for Sebastian. The decisions he made were at her behest, and he shouldn't bear the blame for them.
Sydney sighed heavily. "You're right."
Sebastian had hit the bullseye. Even if he had tried to explain, she probably wouldn't have believed him. Her change of heart now, accepting what he said, was influenced by her sudden realization that he was her son.
So she listened to Rosalie's words and felt a deep sense of shame.
"Rose, why are you so reckless? Losing the baby is one thing, but what about your life? What happens if you lose that?"
"Mom, I understand what you're saying, but this baby means a lot to me. I have to keep this baby, even if… Even if Theodore doesn't want the child. I'm prepared to raise it on my own."
"What if Theodore does want the child? Would you reconcile with him?" Sydney pressed.
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