She paused, then rested a hand lightly on her belly. “Dominic’s been keeping me in bed every night these days,” she said, her tone deliberately smug. “And now, I’m carrying his baby. Once our child is born, he’ll divorce you for real, and then I’ll be his wife.”
Hazel’s fingernails dug deep into her palms as she let out a cold laugh. “You don’t need to wait for the baby to be born. Dominic and I are already divorced. Congratulations, you’re Mrs. Blake now.”
With that, she grabbed her suitcase and turned to leave.
But Caroline blocked her path, a wicked glint in her eyes. “Oh, so that’s your new trick, huh? Trying to make Dominic feel sorry for you again? Not this time. I’ll make sure he despises you completely, so he’ll love me even more.”
Before Hazel could react, Caroline snatched a vase off the table and smashed it over Hazel’s head.
Blood poured down her forehead, blurring her vision.
Just then, the door burst open, and Dominic rushed in, drawn by the commotion.
Caroline immediately ran into his arms, tears brimming in her eyes. “Dominic, please help me. Hazel hit herself with the vase to frame me! You know I wouldn’t hurt a fly. How could I possibly do something so cruel? I didn’t do anything; you have to believe me.”
Dominic’s expression softened with pity. He pulled her into his arms protectively and murmured, “Silly girl. If I don’t believe you, who would I believe?”
Then his gaze hardened as he turned toward Hazel. “Caroline came here to check on you out of kindness, and this is how you repay her? I’m beyond disappointed. Apologize to her right now.”
Hazel stared at him in disbelief. “After everything we’ve been through, you’d rather believe her than me?”
Dominic frowned impatiently, unwilling to hear another word. “If you won’t apologize, then I’ll make sure Caroline gets justice myself.”
Right after he spoke, the sound of Cooper’s anguished cries came from outside.
Hazel froze. She ran out, heart pounding, and what she saw made her world collapse.
Cooper lay on the ground, hit by a car. His body was twisted, his insides crushed and spilling out onto the pavement.
She stood there, trembling uncontrollably. Dominic had killed the last living piece of her mother.
Something in her broke completely.
She stormed back inside, grabbed a baseball bat, and swung it toward Dominic. Before she could strike, his men grabbed her and knocked her unconscious.