Chapter 2

They dragged me down the hallway.

A trail of my daughter's blood marked the floor. I cried, pleaded, and begged.

"I'm begging you! She needs an emergency room! Call an ambulance!"

The staff members exchanged uneasy glances.

A young woman spoke up, trying to comfort me softly.

"Ma'am, we've already paged the private medical team. They'll be here any minute."

"It'll be too late!"

I broke down completely.

"She's lost too much blood! Just look at her!"

The next second, the lounge door slammed shut.

"Guard the door. Nobody leaves until Mr. Hayes returns."

Seconds dragged into minutes, each tick of the clock tearing my heart to shreds.

Nina’s body was getting colder. Her tiny hands were icy.

I pounded on the door, my voice hoarse from screaming.

"Call 911! If anything happens to her, you're all accomplices! Brandon won't let you get away with this!"

Finally, the door opened.

The company's private medical team rushed in.

"She's lost so much blood! She needs surgery! Please help her!"

The lead doctor examined Nina's injuries, his brow furrowing deeply.

"Her condition is critical. She needs immediate surgery. We don't have the equipment here. We must transport her to—"

"Call from Mr. Hayes," Jason interrupted, thrusting a phone toward the doctor.

I couldn't hear what was being said on the other end.

I only watched the doctor's expression shift from grave concern to hesitation, and finally to resigned compliance as he hung up.

"Mr. Hayes instructed us to stabilize her with medication first. We wait for his return before making any further moves."

A chilling dread washed over me. Staring at the white pills in the doctor's hand, I shook my head violently.

"No! What is that? She can't take that! She needs a hospital! She needs surgery!"

Expressionless, the doctor stepped closer with the pills.

I couldn't tell if the wetness on my face was my daughter's blood or my own tears. I lunged toward Jason.

"Jason, look at Nina! She's just a little girl! She's bleeding out! Without a hospital, she's going to die! If she dies, Brandon will destroy you, and so will I!"

A flicker of guilt crossed Jason's face.

Then, his phone buzzed again. He listened for just a second, and all hesitation vanished.

"Understood, Mr. Hayes."

He lowered the phone, his voice flat.

"Mr. Hayes wants conservative treatment only."

Immediately, two guards pinned me back down.

I thrashed against them with everything I had, but they held me fast. I was forced to watch as they shoved the pills down my daughter's throat.

"Nina! My baby! You're killing her! You're murdering her! I'll kill you all! I swear I'll kill you!"

Jason frowned and turned to the nurse.

"She's hysterical. Give her a sedative so she doesn't hurt herself or the child."

A cold needle pierced my skin. My limbs went limp, and I sank to the floor, forced into an unnatural stillness.

Tears spilled uncontrollably down my cheeks.

I had been foolish enough to believe that in our arranged marriage, as long as I tried hard enough, I could thaw the ice around Brandon’s heart.

I had respected him, loved him, and harbored a fragile hope that giving him a child would build a real bond between us.

Yet the moment his first love reappeared...

I, his lawful wife, and the daughter I almost died giving birth to were nothing more than disposable pawns, tossed aside to preserve his and Vanessa’s reputation.

Staring at the tiny, blood-soaked figure lying on the couch, my heart shattered into dust.

"Brandon... if anything happens to Nina... I will never forgive you."