Before he could finish, Cooper cut in with a shriek. "Daddy, that's mine! You had it custom-made for me!"
A flicker of embarrassment crossed Ivan's face, but he composed himself quickly. "Daddy will pick out something even better for you later."
"No!! You can't give away Cooper's things!"
Cooper charged at me and shoved me with all his strength. I wasn't braced for it. My body slammed into the floor, and the box flew from my hands.
"Give it back!"
My pupils contracted to pinpoints. Helpless, I watched Cooper snatch the box and sprint to the end of the corridor. He hurled it into the garbage disposal chute with everything he had.
In that moment, something inside me snapped. I lunged after it—but Ivan seized me, his grip like iron around my arms.
"Enough! It's just a box! Were you going to hit Cooper? That piece of junk belongs in the trash! Now apologize to Cooper and Glenda!"
The commotion drew hospital staff. My attending physician rushed over.
Ivan spotted her and immediately latched onto a new weapon. "Your doctor's here. Are you really going to keep embarrassing yourself?"
"Stella, let me make this clear. I am never coming to another prenatal appointment with you."
"And that's not all. Once you deliver this baby, the child is mine. You will never see him again."
The doctor froze. The words left her mouth before she could stop them. "Prenatal appointments? But Ms. Abbott already had a miscarriage..."
