Roxanne’s face twisted, panic slipping through her act. Isabella, why are you doing this? I know you hate me, but you’re the reason David ran to me! You cheated on him. You slept with other men! Now go ahead and tell the world what a disgusting sister you are, after seeing how perfect my life is with David and how you eagerly wanted to ruin it!”
Then she stumbled forward, arms reaching, and her flat belly slammed against the table. She bent over, white skirt turning red almost instantly.
“My babies!” she gasped.
David moved faster than I could, shoving me aside and scooping her up. “If anything happens to Roxanne and her children, you will pay,” he spat, and then he stormed out, bodyguards filling the room behind him.
Two of them grabbed me and pulled me toward the car. I didn’t resist. My legs were heavy, my body numb.
Roxanne’s crying bounced off the walls of the hospital corridor. “My babies! Please, David, don’t let anything happen! I can’t be alone if something goes wrong! The twins… it’s my fault. I just want to stay with them!”
The hallway finally went quiet. Then the door opened and David stepped out. His face was cold, sharper than ice, and I froze.
“Isabella,” he said, voice flat.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry.
“I didn’t think you had it in you to be this cruel,” he continued. “Get outside. Kneel. Say you’re sorry for what could have happened to Roxanne’s babies. Only then will you get your punishment.”
Before I could even think, two of his men grabbed me, dragging me forward. I hit the stone outside, knees scraping and freezing against the ground.
I lifted my head a little. The first snow of the year was falling, quiet and soft, landing on my hair, my shoulders.
The snow came down harder, blinding. I could barely keep my eyes open. Then everything went black. The last thing I heard was someone shouting.
“Mr. Vanderbilt, she passed out!”
David didn’t even look over. “Wake her up. She’s not done kneeling.”
I jolted when ice water was thrown on my face. It stole the air from my lungs. I gasped and coughed until my chest burned.
Inside the ward, Roxanne was clinging to David, crying like the world had ended.
“The babies… they’re gone,” she whispered. “I lost them.”
David held her, his hand gentle in her hair, “It’s okay. We can have more. I won’t let this be for nothing.”