I blinked. So it was Scott’s fault. Everything. Jasmine being pushed. Me being kidnapped. All tied to the lies he fed these people. And now I was the collateral damage.
“Call him,” they barked. “Now.”
My fingers were shaking as I dialed.
He answered on the second ring.
“Scott,” I cried. “Help me—please. I’ve been kidnapped, I’m hurt—”
“Oh my god,” he sighed. “Seriously? Nadine? This again?”
“What—what are you talking about?” I whispered, heart plummeting.
“I’m taking care of Jasmine right now,” he snapped. “Don’t start with your attention-seeking stuff. Just get back here. She needs food. You should be helping instead of playing games.”
Then the line cut.
I stared at my phone in disbelief.
The men heard it. “Tch. Worthless,” one said, before slapping me across the face. “It seems it was truly Jasmine, so what are you?”
I felt my lip split.
Me? I guess… nothing.
Still, they didn’t let me go. They started torturing me and I heard they would kill me so that Scott would know his place. I could only cry for help… but none came.
The next thing I remembered was being dumped in front of the hospital like trash.
When I woke again, I was in a bed. The air smelled sterile. The fluorescent lights stung my eyes.
“Don’t move too much,” a nurse said gently. “You lost a lot of blood.”
I blinked slowly, my voice hoarse. “What… happened?”
“You were found unconscious and bruised. Someone called it in anonymously. But…” she hesitated.
“But what?” I asked.
“I’m sorry to inform you… you lost the baby.”
“…What?”
I stared at her, unmoving.
“You were three months pregnant.”
I swallowed hard. “I didn’t even know,” I whispered. “I didn’t know because I’m… I’m always irregular.”
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “Do you want me to call someone for you?”
“My phone,” I muttered.
She handed it over.
It was still working. I stared at the screen. Still no messages. No calls.
I tried calling Scott again. Voicemail.
I stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours.
Then, hungry and weak, I pushed myself up and wandered the halls in my hospital gown. I passed a nurses’ station, then a quiet corridor.
Then I heard a voice I hadn’t heard in three years.
Jasmine.
“…didn’t I tell you to kill her? Why is she still alive?” she hissed.
My heart dropped.
“I’m awake now. So she should be dead. Why is she even in this hospital?” she snapped.
“She was saved,” the man replied. “Some guys showed up. We didn’t expect it. We had to run.”