Chapter 921 William’s Moon
After the surgery, Greta stayed in the ICU for a week. The doctors kept a close watch to make sure there were no complications, like vasoplegia syndrome. Once they confirmed she was in the clear, they moved her to a regular
room.
She stayed in the general ward for another two weeks. It wasn’t until her health had improved significantly that the doctors allowed her to go home.
Emelie finally felt the weight lift off her chest seeing her mother able to take care of herself again.
With only a week left before her due date, she could now shift her focus back to herself. She almost forgot that she had come back to Cedonia to give birth.
It was October in Capebatt City, which was the perfect time of year. was cool and comfortable but not freezing cold.
Emelie sat on the mat by the window, the fresh autumn breeze stirring the trees in the courtyard outside. The soft rustling sound was soothing, almost like a lullaby.
As she snacked on some fruit, she watched William pack up the things she’d need for the hospital. Something crossed her mind.
“William, have we forgotten to talk about something important?” Emelie asked.
“What’s that?” William replied.
“The baby’s name!” Emelie exclaimed.
William chuckled. “Didn’t we agree to wait and see if it’s a boy or a girl first?”
They’d probably only have one child, so they wanted to keep the surprise until birth. Even though they could have asked the doctor about the baby’s gender during the checkups abroad, neither of them had, so they still had no idea.
Emelie tilted her head. “Well, we can at least settle on the surname and a nickname.”
William folded her nightgown neatly and placed it in the suitcase. “I think that is something you need to think about.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Because you need to figure out whether the baby’s surname should be Hoven or Pierce,” William said.
Emelie smiled. “You’re not going to fight for your family’s last name?”
“The Middleton family? What right do they have to claim the last name?” William loathed that last name.
“Why is it a tradition for wives to take their husbands’ last names? Why isn’t there a tradition of a husband taking his wife’s name? I’d happily take yours,” he added.
Emelie struggled to form a response as she stared at him. “Keep your distance from Elias. Your antics are starting to resemble him a bit too much.”
It was sometimes overwhelming for her. What was she supposed to do about her husband who turned into a lovesick fool in his middle age?
However, she was still facing a dilemma. Should the baby take her last name, Hoven? Or her biological father’s, Pierce?
The Hoven family had three daughters. Her eldest sister had two kids, both taking their father’s surname. Her younger sister didn’t have kids yet, but her husband was a foreigner, so if they gave their child a Cedonian name, they would definitely have the surname Hoven.
As for the Pierce family, Wesley hadn’t changed his name back to Kingston Pierce for various reasons. If he had children, their Cedonian names would likely carry the Pierce surname.
In the end, both families would have descendants. Hence, whether the child’s last name was Hoven or Pierce, it really was up to her. However, having that freedom just made her indecision worse.
The Hoven family had raised her, but the Pierce family gave her life. After all these years, she had worked tirelessly to clear the Pierce family’s name. It seemed fitting for a new life to memorialize or witness that legacy.
Should it be Hoven or Pierce?
Emelie was in a dilemma, so she asked Greta and Yennifer for advice. Both mothers were gracious and recommended the other family’s surname, so it was still a tie at 1:1.
Emelie expanded her circle of advisors, asking her two best friends, Mona and Ashley.
Mona’s answer was firm and confident. “Pierce, of course!”
“Why?” Emelie asked.
Mona explained, “Have you never heard that joke? The four most common surnames for domineering CEOs in fiction are Pierce, Johnson, Williams, and Brown!
“Your kid is definitely going to inherit your and William’s wealth. I mean, William’s broke now, so he’ll inherit your wealth and become the next powerful CEO. They have to have a powerful surname like Pierce!”
Emelie was speechless. How did it sound so absurd yet make sense?
Ashley, on the other hand, approached it like the professional lawyer she was. “First of all, all your legal documents like your identity card and bank letters still list you as ‘Emelie Hoven’. The name ‘Mandy Pierce’ isn’t recognized legally.
“If your child inherits your wealth and properties, it’ll be easier if they share your surname, Hoven, avoiding complications. It’s not like Wesley, who got pushback from the Cronus family for his last name.
“Sure, no one from your family seems likely to contest the inheritance right now, but better safe than sorry. Hence, I’m voting for Hoven to avoid this ticking time bomb of an issue. And besides, Hoven is a pretty uncommon surname. Whether it’s for a boy or a girl, it’s got a certain elegance to it.
“Your name “Emelie Hoven” is beautiful
sounds very poetic and sophisticated.”
Emelie thought long and hard about it. Ashley’s argument made so much sense. Hence, each last name received a vote, and the score was currently 2:2.
Emelie expanded the voting circle once again, asking Elias, Jayden, Yelena, Lyle, and even Wesley. They contributed votes evenly, leaving Jayden to cast the deciding one.
After some thought, Jayden suggested, “Since you’re keeping the baby’s gender a surprise, why not leave the last name up to fate too? If it’s a girl, go with Hoven. If it’s a boy, Pierce.”
Everyone shot down this idea.
“Why can’t a girl have the last name Pierce?” someone yelled.
“Why can’t a boy have the last name Hoven?” another person chimed in.
“Okay, fine,” Jayden said, feeling a little attacked. “I’m sorry for being a smartass. I’ll refuse my right to vote.”
Hence, after a full week of deliberation, they still hadn’t decided even when Emelie went into labor.
Emelie was cared for by the best doctors and nurses during delivery to minimize her pain. The doctors assessed her condition and opted for a C-section.
From the moment she was wheeled into the operating room, William was a nervous wreck. He couldn’t stand still, couldn’t sit still, and eventually went downstairs to smoke a cigarette.
He hadn’t smoked since he got sick. It had been years. However, at that moment, he needed to do something to calm his nerves. His hand trembled as he lit the cigarette, his palm damp with sweat.
He knew he would be scared, but he hadn’t anticipated this level of fear.
The doctors had assured him that Emelie was healthy and that her pregnancy was going well. On top of that, the baby’s weight and size were ideal, so Emelie wouldn’t suffer too much.
However, he couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that they’d have to cut her open to extract a lump of flesh from within her. Thinking about it left him shivering.
He was afraid there would be an accident. He feared that fate would decide he was a bastard who didn’t deserve the happiness he had after getting back together with the love of his life and regaining his health.
He worried that the heavens would confiscate some of the blessings he had received, thinking that he didn’t deserve them.
He was so afraid. He even felt like dropping to his knees and begging the heavens. If they had to take something away, take it from him, not from Emelie or their child.
Thankfully, his fears were unfounded. The C-section was quick. By the time he finished his cigarette and changed his clothes, it wasn’t long before the door to the operating room opened after he returned.
Without waiting for the doctor’s update about Emelie or the gender of the child, William rushed inside to Emelie’s
side.
She laid on the bed, face pale as her forehead beaded with cold sweat. The anesthesia hadn’t worn off, and she was half-conscious.
William exhaled deeply and then, right there in front of her, burst into tears. His tears fell on her face, mixing with her sweat and disappearing into her hair.
His voice cracked as he asked, “Does it hurt? Does it hurt?”
When she saw his eyes that were red from crying, she finally realized how red single monolids were when one
cried.
She smiled faintly. “It’s not too bad. I don’t feel much pain right now.”
William held her hand, resting his forehead against it. He whispered, “I’m sorry. Thank you. I love you.”
He promised to take care of her and protect her. He would never let her enter another operating room entrust
her life into another person’s hands again.
Emelie touched his face, tearing up herself as she said softly, “I’m fine, honey.”
In the end, both mother and daughter were safe and sound.
A week later, Emelie was recovering at their home in Alderbrook. However, they still hadn’t decided on their daughter’s full name or which surname she’d take.
Nonetheless, she had decided on the baby’s nickname. She chose “Willie”, which was similar to William’s name, giving him a sense of involvement in the child’s life.
However, the baby’s official name needed to be decided since newborns must be registered within a month.
William didn’t want to trouble Emelie over it any further. Instead, he wrote ‘Hoven’ and ‘Pierce’ on separate pieces of paper, crumpled them up, and put them in a glass jar. Then, he walked over to the mother and daughter in bed. Emelie thought he wanted Willie herself to draw lots to decide the surname. Instead, he handed the jar to Emelie
and said, “You choose, angel.”
“Me?” Emelie was puzzled.
“It’s your child. You have the right to decide her surname and given name,” William said.
Emelie happily reached in and drew a piece of paper, unfolding it to reveal “Pierce.” Emelie and William exchanged glances, and William smiled, “Then it’s settled. ‘Pierce’ is perfect.”
Hence, the baby’s full name was decided-Wilhelmina Hope Pierce. The name “Wilhelmina” represented their
protection for her, and “Hope” reflected their hopes and wishes for her future.
Since ancient times, autumn had always been a season of melancholy. However, Emelie felt that autumn was better
than spring
She held onto William’s neck and pulled him down to land a kiss on her mouth. This was the best autumn in the 29
years of her life.
Her mother was healthy, William was safe, and their daughter had arrived in the world. She loved him more than
ever.
William gently held her head, releasing her moist lips, but tenderly kissed the corner of her mouth.
He stayed by the bed, watching over them, unable to look away for a long time.
“I am truly blessed to have finally found the moon I yearned for in my youth,” he thought to himself.