Chapter 643

The delivery room doors opened one last time, and Little Bunny was wheeled out. She looked exhausted, her hair damp with sweat, but her eyes were bright. She was shocked to see the entire inner circle waiting for her. She had spent the pregnancy half-expecting Theodore to skip the birth entirely.

Theodore walked up to the wheelchair, looking down at his wife. "So? Does it feel like you finally pooped a giant shit?"

The room fell into an embarrassed silence. Little Bunny turned bright red. "Theodore!"

"What? I read it on the Internet! They said natural birth is like curing chronic constipation."

"I did it because I didn't want a scar on my waist for my acting career," Little Bunny muttered, though she didn't have the heart to crush his ego further when he promised to never treat her badly again.

As they moved toward the ward, Hannah walked beside the wheelchair. "He’s beautiful, Bunny. You were so brave."

"It’s worth it the moment they put him in your arms," Little Bunny whispered. Then, she leaned closer. "You have to be just as brave when it’s your turn, Hannah."

Hannah froze. "How did you..."

"Theodore guessed," Bunny smiled. "He saw the way Oscar was protecting you today. He might be an idiot, but he knows Oscar."

Hannah glanced back at Oscar, who was walking with a stoic, "secretive" expression. She couldn't help but smirk; his attempt at a grand reveal had been dismantled by Theodore of all people.

Back in the ward, as the baby slept, Laird pulled Oscar aside for a private conversation. When they returned, Oscar’s face was grim—the weight of the family's shifting power dynamics settling back onto his shoulders.

"It’s late. We’re going," Oscar said, taking Hannah’s hand. He turned to Manuel. "You too."

In the parking lot, the three men stood in the cool night air. The birth of a new generation had affected them all differently.

"Don't put all your eggs in one basket, Manuel," Oscar said quietly. He was referring to the bank, but the subtext was clear: Don't lose yourself in Susan again.

Manuel nodded, his expression unreadable. He watched Oscar and Hannah drive away, the silence of the parking lot closing in on him. He thought of the child he and Susan should have had—the life that was cut short by a "mistake."

Theodore, the least responsible of them all, was now a father. Manuel started his engine, the neon lights of the city reflecting in his eyes. He knew that time was supposed to dilute all pain, but as he drove into the night, the emptiness beside him felt heavier than ever.