Nitzan soon settled fairly quickly into living with the Shen's. They were warm, generous and kind and they treated her like the child they had never had and they were like the parents she had lost and when they discovered that she was pregnant they treated her like a fragile egg and refused to let her do anything.
Although grateful for their care, Nitzan however did not give up on seeking justice and went to different lawyers who basically had the same thing to tell her.
"Since you did indeed sign the documents and the board has voted you out, then legally the company is no longer yours."
Bing had done a thorough job of ensuring that she could not get back control of the company without a huge fight for it. Nitzan cursed her carelessness in leaving everything in Bing's hand but it was too late.
She realized pretty soon that if she wanted to fight for the company, it was going to be a near impossible uphill task which would involve a lot of money that she did not have so she decided to focus on having her baby for the time being even though she was tormented almost daily with news of Bing and Jie.
After Bing's press conference, the Cheng family publicly announced that they were calling off the engagement between Jie and Nitzan. And after that, Nitzan would occasionally see pictures of Jie with a mystery woman and even though the pictures did not show her face, Nitzan knew the woman in question was Bing and it tore at her heart to know that they were both happy after they had hurt her so badly.
*
Nitzan jolted awake, a gasp escaping her lips. A dull ache, unfamiliar and insistent, pulsed low in her abdomen. It was not the usual pregnancy discomfort, this was a different feeling.
Sitting up in bed, she switched on the bedside lamp, the soft glow revealing a sheen of sweat on her skin. The ache tightened around her lower belly, a wave that rolled through her body, leaving a tremor in its wake.
Panic threatened to rise, but she pushed it down and managed to breathe. It had been six months, so this must be it, Labor. She was about to meet her baby at last.
The past six months had been spent meticulously preparing, reading countless books and attending endless birthing classes with Mrs Shen who was as excited as her, it was like the baby was her own grandchild and she felt so grateful to know that there were people who could provide such needed love for her.
Taking a calming breath, she glanced at the clock – 3:17 am then she looked at the pallet on the ground where Mrs Shen was sleeping. She had taken to sleeping in her room for the past one week because she wanted to be there if Nitzan went into labor in the middle of the night. Mrs Shen and Mr Shen had been nervous wrecks throughout the last few weeks, more so than her.
Minutes stretched into an eternity as she measured each contraction, though bearable, it stole her breath and stole the remaining remnants of sleep. Finally, after what felt like an hour (though it was only twenty minutes), Nitzan could no longer deny the truth. Her contractions were coming at regular intervals, and the pain was steadily intensifying.
Leaning forward she called out softly, "Mrs Shen… Mrs Shen!" She repeated louder when the woman did not answer the first call and she turned around and looked at Nitzan sleepily then her eyes flew wide open with realization.
"Is it coming?" She asked and when Nitzan nodded she jumped up and ran out of the room, roaring for Mr Shen.
Then she came back in and they timed the contractions while she put on a coat on Nitzan and packed the hospital bag in between. When the pain reached a level beyond her control, Nitzan whimpered, clinging to Mrs Shen like a lifeline. She spoke softly, reminding her of the breathing exercises she had been taught, her voice a steady anchor in the growing storm.
Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, the contractions shifted. They came more frequently, but with a pushing sensation.Nitzan knew then it was time. Fortunately Mr Shen came into the room and together they helped her into the tricycle, their faces etched with nervous anticipation and concern.
At the hospital, everything became a blur. Nurses bustled around the room, checking Nitzan and prepping the room while shooing Mr Shen out. The sterile white walls, the beeping machines, all receded into the background as Nitzan focused on the task at hand. The pain was a primal force, but so was the overwhelming urge to bring her child into the world.
Hours bled into one another. Nitzan grunted and pushed, her body working overtime. Mrs Shen remained by her side,offering support and unwavering encouragement. The doctor's voice, calm yet firm, guided her through each powerful push.
Then, with a final, earth-shattering cry, a tiny, wet form slipped into the world.
Exhausted but exhilarated, Nitzan cradled the tiny baby in her arms. A tiny face, a button nose, a head crowned with dark downy hair - this perfect little miracle was hers.
The baby was taken away to be cleaned while Nitzan was taken to her room and the baby brought to her.
Tears streamed down Nitzan's face as she looked up at the two people who had helped her through the entire journey. Their eyes mirrored her own emotions – love, awe, and a profound exhaustion.
Mrs Shen leaned down, kissing her forehead, a silent promise of a lifetime of love and support for her and her baby and Nitzan felt overwhelmed with emotion.
The journey of motherhood had just begun, but in that moment, cradling her newborn child, Nitzan knew, with a fierce certainty, that she was ready for whatever was to come and she would ensure that she restored all that had been taken from her for the sake of the little one in her arms.
The baby was placed in a crib beside the bed to allow a very exhausted Nitzan get some much sleep and the Shen's left, Mrs Shen went to make some food for Nitzan while Mr Shen went to prepare to go to work, leaving Nitzan alone with the baby.
Some time later, Nitzan heard her baby's cries and she woke up to see someone standing beside the bed and rocking the crying baby. Nitzan instantly went wide awake when she recognized the person standing there beside her.