Chapter 3

SLOANE

Pain.

It came all at once as I felt my body rolling down the stairs.

Sharp, sudden, and merciless.

My body hit something hard, the impact knocking the air out of my lungs as a cry tore from my throat. My head spun violently, the world tilting and twisting as I winced, feeling hot liquid streak down my head.

My bones felt like they had been broken to pieces, and my vision suddenly became blurry.

My baby.

The thought slammed into me like lightning.

My hands moved instinctively, wrapping around my stomach as panic clawed its way up my throat.

“No…” My voice came out broken, barely there. “No, no, no…please, please I…” I tried to get my words out, but it felt impossible.

All I could see from my hazy vision was the slight grin on Nika's face. It looked triumphant, like she had achieved everything she wanted.

God. If you just save my baby…

“My goodness, there's been an accident here. Someone call the doctor!” I heard someone say as my eyes began shutting on their own accord.

“Is she breathing?” Everything sounded far away, like I was sinking under water, being dragged somewhere I couldn’t fight.

“Move," a firmer male voice ordered, and I felt strong hands grip my shoulders.

“Get a stretcher now! She's bleeding." His voice sounded dominant, perhaps a doctor, so even if I couldn't see him or attempt to open my eyes, I groped for his shirt.

Catching it in between my fingers, I begged:

“Please…please save…save my baby.” Tears rolled out of my eyes as I felt my body leave the ground onto something softer, and then I felt absolutely nothing.

~

“Easy." I flinched at the voice, my fingers tightening around the sheets as I woke up with a start.

"You took a bad fall,” a nurse said quietly, her voice almost comforting, "but you're alright.”

"My baby?” I whispered, my hands landing on my stomach.

I can't lose this baby. I just can't. Tears almost welled up in my eyes as I waited for her response.

"Your body is in a really fragile state right now, but your baby is stable for now." The tears slipped out of my eyes as vain happiness clouded my vision.

I didn't lose my baby. The child was still growing in me. My lips trembled as the doctor began scribbling something onto a blank sheet.

“Doctor? I need something from you, please." He slowly raised his head and stared directly at me, his brows lifted in a questioning manner.

“I need a pregnancy certificate," I stated.

This child was the only proof I had to save whatever little of my marriage was left.

Suddenly, this was a fight, and letting Sloane win it was even more humiliating than not being able to conceive for the past four years.

"You already know you're pregnant, ma'am. For what purpose do you need a pregnancy certificate?” he asked.

"To prove my child exists.” He was silent for a moment before nodding slowly.

"You can book an appointment with obstetrics. They'll—”

"No! No, please. I don't have that much time to book an appointment. Doctor, please, I…really need this."

Not just to reassure Killian, but to reassure myself as well.

“Alright. Just give me a moment."

He agreed? That easily? I thought doctors were supposed to be difficult, especially with things that didn't follow the right protocol or procedure.

Hope surged through me as he stepped out, and I leaned back on the bed.

In a few minutes, the doctor walked in through the door holding a pregnancy certificate in his hands.

Wow.

My hands trembled as he stretched out his hands for me to receive it. Once it was in my hands, I clutched it tightly.

This was my only hope now. My only proof. I trailed my fingers over the outlined words, my hands lingering on the stamp and the words written in bold font.

Pregnancy confirmed.

“Also, there's a man out there who seemed to have heard that you had an accident on the stairs. Says he's your husband?" I jerked up almost too fast, pain exploding through my body.

Killian?

He was here? 

Now that was the husband I remembered, the one who would have never let me get hurt in anyway, the man who almost worshipped the ground I walked on.

" Yes. Yes, that's my husband. Please let him come see me." He stared at me with an inexplicable expression on his face before nodding and exiting the room, the nurse following immediately.

“You couldn't get my attention through the fake pregnancy, so you decide to roll off the stairs to get yourself pity? Are you out of your mind, Sloane?” Killian called out the minute he was inside the room, Nika trailing behind.

I glared at her, a murderous intent almost enveloping me.

If I told Killian that Nika pushed me, he would never believe me.

He would think I only wanted to smear her.

"You're just in time,” I stated, trying my best to sound more confident than I felt as I presented the pregnancy certificate.

"What is this? What are you playing at now?” He frowned, his brows furrowing, and I bit down the curse that was rising in my chest.

"My pregnancy certificate, Killian. You believed I was lying, right? This is confirmation that my stomach houses your baby! Our baby! Directly obtained from this hospital; you can verify it. After all, we're still here." I half-yelled, flinging the certificate to him, and he caught it before it flew to the ground.

“Oh…” His hand froze mid-air as he held the certificate. His eyes widened, the color draining from his face.

His lips parted, then pressed together, and for a moment, he said nothing. Not a word. Not a sound.

He actually looked dumbfounded.

Killian’s jaw clenched, his fingers curling around the paper like it was about to bite him.

“How… how is this possible?” He looked up at me, and I just remained poker-faced.

Nika looked like she was about to kill someone, anyone in her path.

"I tried to tell you, but you always assumed the worst of me. So now you're aware…about the divorce…” I said quietly, and Killian took a step closer to the bed.

"I…didn't know. It's so sudden and… but…we absolutely can't divorce now if you're carrying my child. That is my—” He trailed off when Nika immediately intercepted.

"Miss Sloane, it really is unexpected. And very sudden. Lian, maybe we should get a paternity test, just to be sure?”

Killian’s eyes flicked from the certificate to me, disbelief still etched across his features.

And in that silence, I realized… this was my only chance.

"Paternity test? Fine. We can do a paternity test.”