Chapter 4

A sudden, searing pain tore through my lower abdomen, followed by a horrible dragging sensation.

I couldn't stay on my feet anymore. I slid down the wall and collapsed onto the floor.

The words spilled out before I could think, panic taking over.

"Our baby. Save our baby."

His breath caught for a moment.

Then came that quiet, mocking laugh, as if he'd already figured out my little scheme.

"Vanessa's pregnant, so now you want to copy her. Is that it?"

"Thought you'd fake a kid and use a fake pregnancy to get your hands on the house?"

"I didn't!"

"All right, stop making a scene."

"I'll finish up here and come straight back. Just be good and go to sleep."

The line went dead.

Each word felt like another sentence handed down, each one bringing me closer to death.

Blood spread beneath me, bright red and terrifyingly fast.

I called him back in a panic.

But the dispatcher said I was in a remote residential development.

Even under the best circumstances, an ambulance would take more than an hour to get there.

The blood wouldn't stop flowing.

Then it hit me. Carter's parents lived close by.

Their household always kept top private physicians on standby.

But when I finally reached his mother, her voice was ice-cold.

"My son knows you better than anyone. He said you'd put on an act and call us. He was right."

"I did just hire two top obstetric specialists, yes. But they're for Vanessa."

"Don't think you can force your way into the Harrington family with filthy little tricks like this. Vanessa is the only daughter-in-law I'll ever accept."

The line went dead again, without a shred of hesitation.

I pressed my hands against the wall and struggled to my feet, then began dragging myself toward the hospital, one agonizing inch at a time.

Every step might buy my baby another second. I had to keep going.

Then two blinding headlights swept over me.

Carter and the other four got out of the car and walked toward me together.

"Well, well. Pretty convincing."

"What'd you use, pig's blood or dog's blood?"

Jordan's words set the whole group laughing.

Vanessa rested a hand on her belly and slipped her arm through Carter's, all sweetness and innocence.

"Lauren, it's the middle of the night and you've got blood smeared all over the place. You're scaring me."

"You should hurry home and clean yourself up. Don't frighten the baby in my belly."

Wesley and Spencer came at me from either side.

Each of them grabbed an arm and began dragging me toward the house.

"Let go of me!"

"I have to get to the hospital right now. I have to save my baby!"

I tried to wrench myself free.

But I was afraid of doing anything that might hurt my baby.

In the end, they dragged me all the way back inside.

Carter took one look at me, and his expression flickered.

His brows knitted together, and he pressed his lips into a thin line.

He looked more annoyed than concerned.

"I'll take you to get cleaned up."

He reached down to pick me up, and I shoved him off.

All I could do was scream at him.

"Carter! The baby!"

"Our baby!"

"If you take me to the hospital now, there's still time. Please, just take me to the hospital, okay?"

"Lauren!"

He bellowed, his patience finally gone, and pressed his fingers hard against his forehead.

"How long are you going to keep up this nonsense!"

"You always take the pill after we're done, don't you?"

"There's no way you could be pregnant!"

My breath caught in my throat. I couldn't draw it in or let it out. The pressure in my chest grew unbearable, and my eyes burned.

Back when I was focused on building my career, I'd said I didn't want a baby yet.

But every time we were out and Carter saw a child, his face would light up, and I could see how badly he wanted one of his own.

So I gave in.

I wanted him to have a baby sooner, too.

I wanted to get married and have a baby this year, to have both of those dreams come true at once.

"Lauren, you put your career first."

"But I'm not like you. I put Carter first."

"Carter knows how much I love him. That's why he was willing to give me the cross necklace your grandmother left you. So I could wear it to keep my baby safe."

Vanessa pulled the necklace from beneath her collar and held it up, swinging it tauntingly in front of me.

"Give it back!"

"That's the only thing my grandmother left me!"

I threw myself at her, desperately trying to snatch it back.

Carter smacked my hand aside.

"It's just a cheap iron necklace!"

"If you like it, I'll buy you another one! Why are you so obsessed with taking hers?"

"That one is mine!"

"Mine!"

I lunged at her again, beyond caring how I looked.

Vanessa easily dodged out of the way, then deliberately crumpled to the floor.

My belly slammed hard into the corner of the table.

Blood gushed between my legs.

Carter froze where he stood.

The paramedics finally arrived. One look at me unconscious on the floor, and one of them rounded on everyone in the room.

"What are you doing here? The baby's completely gone now!"

The living room went dead silent in an instant.

All that was left was the scrape of the stretcher and the hurried movements of the paramedics as they lifted me onto it.

Carter stood rooted to the spot.