Kayden's POV

"Push!" the doctor exclaimed once more, urgency lacing his voice.

Hazel squeezed my hand tightly, her nails digging into my skin as she pushed, her eyes squeezed shut in determination. Despite the fact that she had been squeezing my hand as if she might break it since we began, I paid it no mind. My thoughts were consumed by Hazel and our baby, their well-being my only concern.

Nearly two hours had passed since they whisked Hazel away to the delivery room, and every minute felt like an eternity. Seeing her in pain tore at my heart, filling me with a sense of helplessness that I struggled to shake off.

"You're doing great, doll," I whispered softly, my hand gently stroking her hair as I leaned in to place a tender kiss on her forehead, hoping to offer even the slightest comfort amidst her agony.

"It's your fault. I hate you, Kayden Matthews!" she snapped furiously, her voice raw with pain as she squeezed my hand in a vice grip. "You bastard! Jerk! I hate you," she added, her sobs echoing in the delivery room.

"Yes, doll. I'm all of them. Just take a deep breath and push," I said tenderly, my fingers gently stroking her hair as the doctor instructed her to push. She obeyed, drawing in a deep breath and pushing again, her nails digging into my skin, a sharp sting of pain shooting through me.

"Please, get her out of me," Hazel pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks, her voice trembling with pain and exhaustion.

"Shh, it's okay, doll. Our daughter will be born soon. Just stay strong," I reassured Hazel gently, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"I can't, Kayden. I'm exhausted. I just want to sleep," she said, tears streaming down her face, her voice choked with emotion.

I gave her a compassionate look, my heart aching at the sight of her struggle. "My Hazel is so strong," I murmured warmly, reaching out to gently brush away her tears. "Just a few more minutes. Please, doll."

"Hazel, take a deep breath now and push hard!" the doctor demanded, the urgency in her voice cutting through the tense atmosphere of the delivery room.

"Come on, doll," I encouraged Hazel with a gentle smile. Hazel nodded, drawing in a deep breath, and pushed, clenching her teeth and squeezing her eyes shut while holding onto my hand tightly.

A few minutes later, the room echoed with the sound of a baby's cry. I glanced at Hazel with love in my eyes, a wide grin spreading across my face as warmth flooded my heart.

I am a father now.

"I love you, Haze," I confessed, my heart swelling with emotion as I pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Here's your daughter," the nurse said softly, handing me my baby girl.

Taking my precious bundle in my arms, I couldn't help but smile my heart swelling with an indescribable mixture of emotions. Despite my efforts, I couldn't suppress the wide grin that spread across my face, nor the tears that welled up in my eyes. Every fiber of my being overflowed with joy, an overwhelming wave of happiness washing over me as I held her close. It was a moment I had longed for, a moment that filled me with an uncontainable sense of love and fulfillment.

"Hey there, sweet girl. I'm your dad," I whispered softly, planting a tender kiss on her head as she cried, her tiny eyes squeezed shut. Meanwhile, Hazel watched us with tears in her eyes, her heart full of emotion.

After gently placing a kiss on my daughter's hand, I carefully handed her to her mother.

"Hi, my little one," Hazel cooed our daughter as she cradled her in her arms, planting a tender kiss on her cheek. I looked at them with affection, a happy smile spreading across my face. My two princesses.

***

I paced back and forth in the hallway, a heavy feeling weighing on my chest, while Hazel breastfed our daughter in the room. Our families were on their way, but I hadn't told them about the birth until Hazel was already in the hospital room. It slipped my mind in the panic and nervousness of the moment.

When the nurse brought our daughter to the room, I longed to stay with them, but Hazel insisted I wait outside. She was still angry with me for not telling her I'd regained my memory.

A few minutes later, the nurse stepped out of the room, nodding at me and saying I could come in. Poor woman! She probably thought Hazel was feeling a bit shy about breastfeeding our baby in front of me for the first time.

As I made my way to the room, our families, along with Celeste and Liam, approached us with smiles of joy, each offering their heartfelt congratulations.

"Why didn't you let us know when Hazel was in labor?" Tristan asked, his annoyance evident.

"I was just so nervous. My mind was all over the place. I'm sorry," I replied, offering them an apologetic look, hoping they'd understand.

"It's okay. What matters most is that Hazel and the baby are fine," my mother said gently, giving my arm a comforting squeeze. Everyone around us nodded in agreement.

"Where are they?" Celeste asked eagerly.

"They're in the room. Come on," I replied, opening the door for them.

As our families and friends filed into the room, I took a deep breath and followed. Hazel's eyes darted away when she saw me, avoiding my gaze. With a heavy sigh, I leaned against the wall, slipping my hand into my pocket, while everyone clustered around Hazel and our newborn. They were captivated by our little princess.

"Aww, she has blue eyes like her father," Mila commended warmly as she cradled my daughter in her arms. I couldn't help but smile, seeing their excitement at meeting our little princess for the first time.

"Kade, why are you standing over there? Come here," my mother urged gently. Hazel shot me a dark look before turning her attention from me to our daughter. With a nod to my mother, I walked over to them, feeling uneasy.

"By the way, what's this little cutie's name?" my mother asked with curiosity sparkling in her eyes as she cradled her granddaughter in her arms.

"Um... We haven't..." I trailed off, nervously rubbing the back of my neck. After my lie to Hazel came to light, I didn't expect her to agree to naming our daughter Daisy, especially since it was my idea, even though she liked the name too.

"Daisy," Hazel replied softly, her voice carrying a tenderness that warmed my heart. I couldn't help but grin broadly at her, a surge of joy flooding through me.

"Aww! Such a sweet name!" my mother exclaimed softly, her touch gentle as she caressed Daisy's tiny hand, the little one's eyes fluttering closed as she drifted off to sleep.

"Let me help you," I offered as Hazel attempted to adjust her pillow.

"No need," she declined curtly, settling back against the soft cushion. I sighed, feeling dejected.

"Did you two argue again?" my mother asked, her eyebrow arching in suspicion.

"Um..." I mumbled, nervously rubbing the back of my neck, stealing a glance at Hazel. She shot me a dirty look before turning her gaze away.

"Nothing serious. Today, I found out that Kayden lied to me again," Hazel remarked bitterly.

"About what?" my father asked, looking perplexed.

I heaved a loud sigh and confessed honestly, "I got my memory back a few days ago."

"What?!" everyone else exclaimed, shocked, except for Hazel and Liam. I only told Liam about it when my memory returned. Even though he didn't like that I chose to pretend I didn't remember what happened last year, he kept my secret. Now, I wish I had listened to him.

"Why didn't you say anything? Do you know how worried we were?" my mother asked angrily, while Joshua shook his head in disbelief, his gaze fixed on me.

"I'm sorry. I was scared that if Hazel found out, things would go back to how they were before the accident. I just needed some time to make sure she forgave me completely. I was going to tell you as soon as I was sure everything was okay between Hazel and me," I replied regretfully, feeling the weight of my actions settle heavily on my shoulders. Hazel shot me a glare and rolled her eyes in response.

"Did you see the doctor? Did he check on you? Are you feeling okay?" my mother asked, her concern evident in her voice.

"Yeah, I went. Everything's fine. No need to worry," I reassured them, offering a small smile. She let out a sigh of relief, her tension easing.

"Are you sure you're telling the truth? Or are you pulling another one over on us? You've become quite the expert liar," Joshua said mockingly. "Ouch!" he yelped, shooting Celeste a glare as she jabbed him with her elbow, her irritation evident.