1. A Death Sentence

Trigger warning: violence against pregnant woman

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“So, Reagan Knight, what will it be? Are you going to fold and give us what we have demanded, or should we send you your pregnant wife’s dead body to your house?” A hoarse, deep, and throaty voice spoke next to her. 

He was right next to her, like a dark, evil, looming threat that she could not see or escape from. 

Tears trickled down Joanne’s cheeks. 

She didn’t know where she was. 

She couldn’t see anything through the dusty black bag thrown over her head. 

She was gagged and bound, the overused ropes digging into her swollen belly. 

She did not know who these people were. She just knew that their enmity was with Reagan, her ruthless billionaire husband, who had ill-wishers probably in every single street. 

She did not care about those things right now.

She just wanted out. 

Joanne did not want Reagan to fall into danger because of her. No matter how he treated her, her wretched heart still loved him, cared for him. 

But tonight, she had to think of her child. 

She needed to get out of there alive.

She didn’t care what Reagan had to do to make sure of that. 

But apparently, he did not care.

Her blood ran cold at the humorless laugh at the other end of the phone. “Sure, go ahead. Do you know my address, or should I just give it to you now?” 

Joanne heard the sudden scraping of a chair right next to her. “Do you think we are kidding, pretty boy? Your wife is right here next to me. And she and your bastard are going to die if you do not agree with our demands.” 

She flinched. 

“That’s what I said. Go ahead. Kill her. You think she matters to me more than my own life? Or my company?” Reagan was as ruthless as ever. 

A choked sob escaped her on hearing those cruel words. 

Joanne knew that Reagan hated her. This marriage was purely business. And the only reason she was with child was because the business merger depended on an heir. 

But she was carrying a baby girl. And the entirety of her family as well as his had lost all interest in the child as soon as they learnt it was a girl. They deemed the baby unfit to be an heir.

As for Reagan, he had not cared in the first place. She was a business transaction to him. Likewise, her little one was also just a bare necessity.

But Joanne cared. She knew how it felt to be disregarded just because she was a girl. She knew how it felt to be trapped in a family where she was always belittled and undermined. She knew how it felt to be married to someone who would never love her. To be stuck in a life where there was no scope for paternal or marital affection. 

But she had her little girl now. And she had promised her little one that she would make sure that her baby would receive all the love in the world that she had been unfortunate to be denied. 

But that promise and all those hopes she had for her child hung on a breaking thread right now. Their lives were in peril, and only Reagan could save them now.

And he did not seem too keen on it.

The kidnapper was getting more agitated. “You think I won’t do it?” 

He took the black bag off her head. 

Joanne trembled at the sight of the monstrosity of a man in front of her - he was more scars than skin. And he was more beast than human.

She screamed through the gag as he grabbed and pulled at her hair. He ripped the gag off her mouth. “Tell him, bitch! Tell him how scared you are! Beg your husband to save you and your kid before I rip that bastard out of your womb!” 

She opened her mouth to talk, but could only scream when the man stepped down on her toes.

“Hear that, pretty boy? Is this how this cunt screams for you in bed?” 

There was silence on the other end. 

“What? Scared now? So what is it gonna be?” 

The silence continued for a moment. “You really think-” He started, but stopped abruptly. 

“Reagan, who are you talking to? Everyone’s waiting for us at the restaurant.”

Joanne’s heart dropped at that voice. 

Serena Cole. 

His first love. 

The very woman who broke his heart and left him five years ago. The very woman who made him the ice-cold, heartless asshole he was. The very woman he was still obsessed with, despite it all.

“I will be there in a minute.” Reagan sounded bored, his cold voice lacking even a fraction of the fear Joanne felt in her bones. 

The next words drilled through the fog of her dread. “I hope I get the body as promised. Looking forward to it.” 

The hang-up beep sounded like her death sentence. Her death sentence for loving a man she shouldn’t have loved. For marrying a man knowing he could never love or respect her. 

She was the fool who did this to herself and her kid. 

She was to blame for her situation. 

But her unborn child had to pay the price for her mother’s stupidity. That was just not fair. 

“He thinks I won’t do it?” The man turned to her, his eyes blazing. “Well, I have to prove him wrong now.” 

He kicked her right in her belly. She screamed as the chair toppled backward and pain like no other spread through her abdomen. She fell with a gasp, her every breath felt impossible. 

“I am going to make an example out of you.” 

Her vision blurred from pain and tears but she could still hear the distinct loading of a gun. 

Joanne saw the black circle in front of her. She couldn’t even find the breath to beg for her life as the pain was just too much to bear.

The first shot was fired. 

She had hoped for a quick end despite desperately wanting to live. 

But it wasn’t. 

He had shot her unborn child first.

“AHHHHHH!!!” Joanne screamed from pain, grief, and betrayal. “NOOOO!!” 

“Shh, Momma. Don’t worry. You are next.” 

He held the gun to her head, and this time he held his aim.

He pulled the trigger. 

She heard the piercing shot, which abruptly cut off in the middle.

And then it was complete darkness. 

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