Chapter 719 The Switch

The doctor didn’t hesitate any longer and got straight to the point, saying, “Mr. Aniston, your son has a heart condition. He might need surgery, but he’s too young right now. Operating on a newborn this small is extremely difficult. Most doctors wouldn’t dare to take the risk.

“And even if the first surgery somehow succeeds, he’ll still need careful post-op care. By the time he turns three, he’ll have to undergo a second procedure.”

Chandler got the message loud and clear. The doctor was saying, in no uncertain terms, that this surgery was incredibly complicated–doing it on a premature baby made things even worse. There were too many unknowns and too many risks. No one could guarantee a smooth recovery, and if things went south, well, no one wanted to finish that sentence.

The doctor added, “Besides that, the baby is also showing signs of anemia. We’ll probably need to give him a blood transfusion soon.”

Chandler didn’t even hesitate. Of course, he’d do whatever was needed. But the heart condition… That was something he’d have to find the right moment to discuss with Meryl. He wasn’t sure how she’d take it–hell, he wasn’t even sure if she could handle it.

He nodded. “Go ahead with the transfusion. And schedule the surgery as soon as possible. Do whatever’s best for the baby.”

The doctor gave a firm nod. “Understood. I’ll reach out to our top specialists right away and get things moving.”

Afterward, he called over a nurse, who then led Chandler to the transfusion room. Before proceeding, she tested his blood type. A moment later, she frowned in confusion, “Huh? That’s strange… Your blood type doesn’t match. The baby’s blood type is B.”

Chandler froze. “B?”

The nurse nodded. “Maybe he takes after his mom?”

Hearing that his son had B-type blood, Chandler froze. Then, his expression darkened, his breath growing heavier as he recalled that neither he nor Meryl had B-type blood. His voice was low and firm as he asked again, “Are you sure the baby’s blood type is B?”

The nurse double-checked the records in her hand and confirmed. “Yeah. If you don’t believe me, take a look yourself.”

Chandler took the paper from her. After scanning it, he handed it back without a word. Then, without another glance, he left the transfusion room and walked back to the NICU.

Standing there, he stared at the tiny bundle in the crib, not blinking for what felt like an eternity.

The first time Chandler saw this child, something had already felt off. Now, looking again, he could faintly see traces of Meryl in the baby’s features. But other than resembling her, that was it.

As the doctor prepped the baby for surgery, the movement must have disturbed him. His tiny eyes fluttered open, though he remained calm. The little one didn’t cry or fuss, just curled up silently. But those eyes–there was no mistaking it. They were a perfect reflection of Dalton’s.

The moment Chandler noticed that, his body swayed suddenly, and an urgent thought shot through his mind, “This is my son. How the hell does he look like Dalton?”

The doctor beside Chandler picked up on his sudden change in expression and found it strange. “Mr. Aniston, are you alright?”

Chandler pressed his lips into a tight line, his fingers unconsciously curling inwards. His gaze remained locked on the child, and an icy chill quickly settled in his eyes, dark and unreadable.

Back when Meryl first got pregnant, Dalton had gone around boasting that the baby was his. Chandler had his doubts at the time, but in the end, he chose to trust her.

But now, looking at the child’s face–so eerily similar to Dalton’s—an overwhelming sense of powerlessness crashed over Chandler.

The baby’s blood type didn’t match Chandler’s, and suddenly, he remembered–Dalton had B-type blood. All the signs were pointing in the same direction. The baby in front of him had nothing to do with him.

Chandler wondered, “Could he really be… Meryl and Dalton’s child? How could this be?” The shock hit him so hard that his face turned even paler. He wanted to believe Meryl; he really did. But with the evidence laid out so clearly in front of him, how was he supposed to?

Chandler felt an overwhelming wave of sorrow crash over him, so heavy it made it hard to breathe. His chest tightened, his heart aching like it had been ripped open. He mused, “If this is real… then what should Meryl and I do?”

The doctor, noticing his silence, called out again, “Mr. Aniston? Are you feeling alright? Do you need to sit down?”

Chandler’s face was utterly drained of color. He was standing right there, solid and unmoving, yet to the doctor, it felt like he was on the verge of shattering into pieces.

The doctor figured Chandler was probably torn up over the child’s condition. So, he tried to reassure Chandler, saying, “As a parent myself, I completely understand how you’re feeling. But even if the odds are slim, that doesn’t mean there’s no hope at all. Children are stronger than we give them credit for. As long as the treatment goes well… with a good recovery, the child can still grow up just like any other kid.”

Chandler didn’t say a word. The shock had hit him so hard that he was too grief-stricken to speak. It took him a while before he finally found his voice. “Just get the surgery ready.”

The doctor gave a firm nod. “Of course.”

Chandler turned around, casting one last deep look at the child before stepping out of the hospital room.

Walter had been waiting outside, and the moment Chandler walked out, he could tell something was off. Chandler’s face was pale, and he looked troubled. But Walter had no clue what had just happened. Since the NICU was strictly off-limits to outsiders, he’d been waiting in the corridor the whole time.

Chandler felt like everything around him wasn’t real—like he was trapped in some kind of dream. He pondered, “The baby went straight to the NICU after birth, in a hospital with such strict protocols–there was no way they could’ve messed up. Right? Wait… a mistake?”

He then suddenly asked, “What has Lydia been up to lately?”

Walter hadn’t expected him to bring up Lydia, but he answered honestly, “She’s been recovering in her hospital room this whole time.”

Chandler narrowed his eyes. “Has she left the room at all?”

Walter shook his head. “No.”

Lydia’s fractures had been severe, leaving her bedridden for now. On top of that, she had just given birth–not exactly in any condition to go anywhere else.

Hearing that she had been staying put, Chandler fell silent. To be honest, his mind was a complete mess. He didn’t want to believe any of this. But all the evidence was pointing to one undeniable truth–the child wasn’t his.

Walter saw Chandler finally start walking and hurried to catch up. “Mr. Aniston, where are you headed? Are you going home?”

Chandler’s mind was a mess. “No, I’m going out for a walk. You don’t have to follow me.” He just wanted to be alone for a while.

Watching Chandler disappear from sight, Walter couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about him today. Walter glanced at the newborn ward and wondered, “Could it be because of the baby’s condition?”

Meanwhile, Sandra excitedly picked up her phone and called Lydia. “Lydia, it’s done. Everything went smoothly.”

Afraid of getting caught, Sandra had been extra cautious. No one would have guessed that she had spent a fortune bribing a janitor in the NICU. Disguised as one of the cleaning staff, she had slipped inside and swapped the two babies without anyone noticing.

At that, Lydia’s heart leaped with joy. She was so thrilled she nearly jumped up. “Really? My baby is healthy now?”

“Should be,” Sandra replied.

When making the switch, she had carefully weighed the babies in her arms. Meryl’s child had felt much sturdier than Lydia’s, which meant he was likely the healthy one.

Lately, nothing had been going Lydia’s way, but knowing that the sickly child was now Meryl’s filled her with delight. “Amazing! You’re the best, Mom. You never let me down!”