Chapter 3

I was pregnant.

When the constant nausea and missed period coincided, I knew there was no escaping it.

My blood ran cold.

I slapped myself hard, wanting to cry but finding no tears left.

Despite taking cold showers and forcing myself to vomit up the prenatal vitamins, I couldn't prevent the pregnancy.

I stared at my still-flat stomach in the mirror, remembering how Alexander and I used to dream about having a baby someday.

His greatest wish was to give me, an orphan, a real family of my own.

But now... the life growing inside me wasn't a blessing. It was the product of a heinous crime.

"Alexander, if you knew I was carrying your brother's child, would you hate me?"

"No... you're too good. You'd never blame me..."

I crouched in the bathroom, shivering despite the rising temperatures outside.

I couldn't keep it.

I submerged my face in the sink, letting the water wash away my tears.

No matter what it took, I had to get rid of this baby.

"Hiding in the bathroom again? What are you plotting now?" Lucas suddenly pushed open the door, eyeing me suspiciously. "I'm warning you, don't try anything stupid. You'll never escape."

His hand caressed my back, making my skin crawl.

A crazy idea flashed through my mind. Fighting back nausea, I turned and draped my arms around his neck, forcing a smile.

"What could I possibly be plotting? Why don't you find out for yourself?"

Lucas was stunned for only a moment before chuckling. He swept me up and carried me to the bedroom.

He stripped off my clothes efficiently and entered me without any preparation.

I batted my eyelashes seductively, my delicate arms encircling his neck.

But even as I forced myself to play along, I couldn't truly give myself to someone I despised.

I closed my eyes, desperately pretending the man above me was Alexander.

This was all just a nightmare. He had never left me.

Tears slid down my cheeks. Lucas, misinterpreting my reaction, seemed pleased. "Finally come around, have you?"

"Realizing how good I am to you?"

I suppressed the urge to strangle him, the discomfort in my body reaching its peak.

"Harder, please?" I whispered.

Encouraged, Lucas increased his efforts.

Suddenly, I felt a warm liquid flowing from within me...

"What the hell? You're on your period and you still seduced me?" Lucas noticed something was wrong and shoved me away.

There was a lot of blood. As my body relaxed, it gushed out steadily. I smiled at him serenely.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. This isn't menstrual blood."

"It's your child's life."

I laughed grimly as darkness engulfed me.

...

Outside the emergency room, Lucas berated Margaret. "You senile old hag! How could you not know she was pregnant?"

Margaret defended herself, "I was planning to take her for a checkup in a few days. But she said she had her period, so I didn't think..."

"No excuses. The child must be saved at all costs. If not, I won't let either of you off the hook."

The light in the emergency room went out, and the doctor emerged. "We made it just in time. The mother and child are safe, but you must be very careful from now on. No more intercourse."

I was still unconscious, but I vaguely heard the doctor's words.

Why? Even after all that, the baby was still alive?

It clung to me like a malignant tumor, impossible to remove.

Endless despair consumed me. The physical pain paled in comparison to the anguish in my heart.

No, I couldn't give up hope.

While the mother and son were away, I caught the eye of the nurse who came to give me an injection. "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom. Could you please take me there?"

She nodded and helped me into a wheelchair.

The hospital corridor bustled with patients and visitors. No one paid me any attention.

The main entrance was so close. My heart raced with anticipation.

Just a little further...

"Where do you think you're going?"

Lucas stood guard at the door. Tall and imposing in his crisp suit, he radiated an aura of authority.

As the nurse began to explain that she was taking me to the bathroom, I suddenly stood up, shoving the wheelchair away. I ran frantically towards another exit.

The searing pain made me stumble, and Lucas quickly caught up to me.

He bent down, his gold-rimmed glasses glinting. His hands gripped me tightly as he smirked, "Did you really think you could escape?"

I couldn't.

Despair washed over me. Was I doomed to spend the rest of my life with this monster?

Never.

I bit down hard on Lucas's fingers. He yelped in pain and loosened his grip.

Seizing the opportunity, I used my remaining strength to climb onto the window ledge of the corridor. Without hesitation, I jumped.