Chapter 3
I squeezed my eyes shut, fists clenched under the blanket.
When the room finally went quiet, using every bit of energy I had left, I shoved the blankets off and bolted for the door.
The fluorescent lights stabbed at my eyes. I kept stumbling, falling, and then getting back up. My knees were shredded and bleeding.
Just as I reached the hospital entrance, something sharp hit my neck.
Then, through my hazy consciousness, I felt the cold metal of the operating table.
I tried to struggle, but someone held my arm down and injected me with anesthesia.
When I gradually came to, the sharp smell of antiseptic hit me like a wall.
Cameron was sitting beside the bed, his brow furrowed, looking like he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.
“Sarah,” his voice was rough. “The baby… it had to go.”
I stared at him.
“Mia’s condition…” He swallowed hard, his voice dropping. “She might need more blood. We can have kids later.”
I turned away, tears burning behind my eyes.
All his bullshit excuses. He just didn’t want this baby.
“No later,” I whispered, barely audible. “Never again…”
“What did you say?” He leaned in closer to hear me better.
Suddenly, his phone buzzed. Mia’s voice floated through the speaker. “Cameron? Dylan stepped out. Could you take me for a walk downstairs?”
“Be right back.” Leaving those words, Cameron headed out, his coat stirring up cold air behind him.
I lay there and stared at the ceiling as tears rolled down my cheeks.
The day I got discharged, Cameron said he had a “surprise” for me.
When I pushed open the front door, I was hit with deafening music and flashing lights.
“Mia’s totally over the whole poison thing,” Cameron said, arm around my waist. “She wanted to throw you a party.”
Mia strutted over in her heels right as Cameron got pulled away for drinks.
“I never poisoned you,” I said, meeting her eyes. “What the hell do you want?”
She suddenly grinned, running a finger down my cheek. “Sweetie, you don’t really think you’re really Mrs. Pierce, do you?”
She leaned close to my ear and said, word by word, “That marriage license of yours? Completely fake.”
My blood turned to ice instantly.
I still remembered that day at city hall—Cameron holding me tight, promising no one would ever hurt me again. But it turned out that… Even the certificate was a lie.
“Still confused about where you stand?” Mia’s smile turned cruel.
Suddenly she grabbed my wrist and screamed, “Don’t push me!”
She dragged me down with her into the pool.
As the freezing water closed over my head, I saw both men diving toward Mia.
