He stepped closer, hands visibly shaking now. “Stop pretending, Clara! It’s everywhere—everyone knows! Ethan’s been locked in his room crying for hours, too scared to even show his face at school. He’s humiliated! Who else could’ve done this if not you? We had a deal—if you crossed the line, I’d destroy your career!”
Tears rushed to my eyes. “Damien, I swear I didn’t do it!” I cried out. “Why would I drag a child into something like revenge? I was just as shocked as you were! I would never—never do that!”
“Then explain it!” he shouted back. “You’re the only one who benefits from this mess getting out! You wanted to get back at me!”
He didn’t give me another second. He grabbed my wrist hard and pulled me down the hallway, dragging me into our bedroom before I could even react. The door shut behind me with a sharp click.
“Stay in there,” he said coldly through the door. “I can’t even look at you right now. You’ve destroyed everything.”
His footsteps faded down the hall.
And I slid to the floor.
My whole body was shaking. My chest hurt with every breath I tried to take. From somewhere in the house, I could still hear Ethan crying—soft, broken sobs that made my stomach twist painfully.
Yes, I hated what Damien had done. I hated the lie he built around Ethan. But I never hated the child. I cared for him—like family. Like a brother.
I thought I could let it go eventually… for peace, for survival. I even planned to have someone look into it quietly—someone I trusted—to find out who exposed everything.
But now this…
I placed a trembling hand over my stomach. There was a faint, fragile life there.
“It’s okay,” I whispered through tears. “You’re going to be okay… I promise.”
But even as I said it, it didn’t feel real.
My breathing got heavier. A strange warmth spread through me. I looked down slowly.
Red.
It was spreading through my clothes like ink.
“No… please no,” I gasped, clutching my stomach as panic hit me all at once.
A sharp pain tore through me, so intense I couldn’t even scream properly. My vision blurred. I tried to stand, but my legs gave out immediately, and everything tilted sideways before going completely dark.
When I opened my eyes again, the smell of disinfectant filled my senses.
Cold hospital air. White ceiling. Numb hands.
A doctor stood beside me, his expression heavy, almost reluctant to speak.