She clutched her belly as if in pain, her face pale as she gasped, “Ridley, hurry and go save Agnes! I’m fine… really.”
The words had barely left her lips before she groaned again, her voice trembling with feigned agony. Beneath her, blood began to seep out, dark and startling against the floor.
Ridley froze for a fraction of a second, and then he turned to look at me. His gaze was filled with hesitation, pain, and pity.
“Agnes… Lynzee is carrying a child. You understand, don’t you? A life is at stake. Let me save them first, then I’ll make it up to you.”
Without waiting for my answer, he spun around and ran straight toward Lynzee.
As soon as he pulled her to safety, she—hidden from his view—shot me a triumphant glance, her lips curling ever so slightly.
Soon, the strength drained from my fingers, and my grip slipped.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself lying in a hospital bed.
Almost by reflex, my hands went to my belly—but before I could process anything, Ridley’s voice broke through, low and heavy with accusation.
“Agnes, why did you get involved with Thiago? Why did you plan this kidnapping? Didn’t I tell you I could explain everything?”
My eyes flew wide, disbelief flooding through me.
“I didn’t!” I cried. “How could I possibly work with Thiago? I’ve never even met him in private!”
My voice rose until it was almost a scream.
Ridley’s brows furrowed deeply, his gaze hard with disappointment.
Without another word, he flung a stack of photographs into my face.
“The evidence is right here, and you still want to deny it?!” he snapped. “Because of this kidnapping, Lynzee is still in surgery! If anything happens to the child she’s carrying, I will never forgive you!”
He didn’t give me a chance to explain. Turning on his heel, he strode toward the operating room.
My hands shook as I gathered the scattered photographs.
They were all the same—angled shots and clumsy edits with obvious Photoshop marks.
Even I could see they were fake. But Ridley, blinded by his concern for Lynzee’s surgery, hadn’t noticed a thing.
Not only had he believed them, he had used them to condemn me!
At that moment, the last fragile shred of feeling I still held for him crumbled into dust.
I rose slowly from the bed, intending to leave.
But just as I reached the door, Ridley returned.
Without a word, he seized my wrist and dragged me toward Lynzee’s room. I struggled, but his grip only tightened.