"Don't talk nonsense," he said firmly. "I told you I'd take care of you both. I won't go back on my word."

His cold gaze fell on me. "Linda, are you really so desperate to keep me that you'd frame a child?"

His grip tightened around my wrist—so hard I heard my bones creak. But the worse pain was in my belly.

The little life connected to my blood was slipping away. I thought of last night's dream—

Instinctively, I clutched at James's sleeve, my voice weak and trembling. "Help me... my stomach hurts so much..."

But James's face remained cold. "Stop pretending. In my past life, you gave birth to our son just fine. Nothing's going to happen this time either."

The pain was so intense I couldn't form words. Perhaps my expression was too agonized to ignore—James seemed half-convinced and moved to help me up.

But Delia grabbed his arm. "James, let me take a look. I've been through childbirth before. I have experience."

She pushed Charlie into James's arms. He seemed about to say something, but the boy's whimpering cut him off. James cradled the child carefully, patting his back as he drifted toward the window, murmuring soft reassurances.

Delia approached me and slowly pulled back the covers. Her eyes widened in what looked like surprise.

Bright red blood was seeping from between my legs, soaking through my nightgown.

She smiled. "Oh my, there's nothing wrong at all! Linda, you're being so dramatic."

James's expression turned icy.

"Linda, I knew you were faking it!"

Delia gave him a coy smile. "Wives are meant to be pampered, aren't they? If she's this delicate, you'll just have to spoil her a little more."

"If she can't handle this much pain, imagine what childbirth will be like. You'd better book her an epidural in advance."

Then her face shifted to something pitiful. "Though I heard epidurals and C-sections can affect the baby. For Charlie's sake, I just gritted my teeth and pushed through."

James scoffed. "She's not getting an epidural. My son will be well-behaved. She'll deliver naturally without any of that."

Pride dripped from every word. A flash of jealousy flickered through Delia's eyes.

By then, my consciousness was fading. In the last moment before everything went dark, I saw Delia pulling him toward the door.

Despair, endless and absolute, crashed over me.

When I woke again, the sharp smell of disinfectant filled my nostrils.