I set the bag down and looked coldly at the kidnappers. "Five million, not a cent short. Now release her."

After checking the money, they untied her. My mother stumbled forward and clung to me—but the next words out of her mouth made my blood run cold.

"I'll have you all arrested! My daughter is the wife of the Holmes Group's president! My son-in-law won't let you off!"

My heart sank instantly.

The last thing I needed was for them to know who I was.

Sure enough, the leader's eyes lit up at the name. He looked me over, his expression twisting with greed.

"Holmes Group's president's wife? No wonder you could hand over five million so easily. I bet Mr. Holmes would pay ten times that for his precious wife and unborn child. How about it, Mrs. Holmes? Let's make it a hundred million this time."

"Bastards! You're all liars—greedy scum!" my mother screamed. "When my son-in-law finds out, he'll—"

Before she could finish, I grabbed her hand and ran for the exit while they were distracted. My people were waiting downstairs—if we could just make it there, we'd be safe.

"Stop them!" the kidnapper shouted. "Those two bitches are trying to run! You're dead!"

Gunfire exploded behind us.

Vivian shrieked and clung to my arm. I was already struggling under the weight of my pregnancy and the adrenaline; my body felt like it could give out at any second.

Then, just as the exit came into view, she stumbled.

"Mom!" I reached for her—but a hard shove slammed into my back.

I lost my balance and tumbled down the stairs.

"No!"

Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around my stomach.

The world spun violently, then stopped with a brutal impact—my abdomen smashed against a jagged concrete slab.

A searing pain tore through me.

I felt the baby inside me kick once, faintly, as if saying a final goodbye.

Warm blood soaked through my clothes, spreading fast. The memories of all those lost pregnancies crashed back like waves.

"No... baby... please... don't leave me again..."

I pressed my hands desperately to my stomach, trying to hold onto what I was already losing. But the blood wouldn't stop. My vision blurred, darkened.

I curled up on the cold ground, sobbing in agony.

"Wife! Are you okay?!"

Weston's voice broke through the ringing in my ears. He ran toward me, his face drained of color. When he saw the blood, he pulled me into his arms, shouting, panicked, "Hold on! You'll be fine! I swear you'll be fine!"