4

Nina got me to the healing center, and Helen insisted on keeping me there for observation.

I called Leon and asked him to bring the pregnancy records from my nightstand.

"Now?" It was loud on his end. "Clara just threw up. The driver will bring them in a bit."

I said, "I'm in the monitoring unit."

The line went quiet for a second. "Put Helen on."

Once Helen told him I was stable for now, he said he'd be right over.

But he never came that night.

In the early hours, Clara posted a photo. Leon was sitting by her bed, holding a glass of water for her.

The caption read, "So lucky you're always here."

I turned off my phone and signed the request to move into the center's residential apartments.

On day ten, Leon finally showed up.

He didn't bring the records. What he handed me was a guest list for the baby's naming ceremony.

"Mom already booked the hall. Take a look and see if there's anyone you want to add."

His name was at the top. Beside it, Clara's name appeared as the ceremony's host.

I found my own name at the very end, with a note beside it that said "Will attend if health allows."

I turned to the second page. The backdrop featured both the Blake family crest and the Ward family crest.

For once, Leon actually explained himself. "Clara runs the foundation. She's the one who booked the hall, and she'll be hosting too."

I looked up. "I told you I don't want her near me again. And I don't want her near my baby."

Leon closed the list.

"She's trying to make up for it. You can't even accept a gesture like that?"

I left the consent line for the mother's signature blank and handed it back to him.

"No."

His face darkened.

"Erin, you can't drag the baby into your fight with her. He's going to grow up in Blackpine. He'll have to see these people eventually."

"I'm taking him to White Bay."

"A few days is fine. I'll bring you back before the birth."

"I'm not coming back."

He looked at the suitcase at the foot of the bed like he was finally sick of hearing that.

"Focus on getting your strength back. We'll talk about this when you've calmed down."

After he left, the hall still sent me a confirmation email.

I wrote back that I did not agree and included my lawyer's contact information.

Ten minutes later, Leon called.

"Clara worked on this for a whole week, and you had the hall send her plan back to her in front of everyone?"

"I just told you I don't accept it." I took a deep breath. "Leon, has a single thing I've said ever actually mattered to you?"

He didn't answer. He just said he'd come to my prenatal checkup and told me not to contact the hall on my own again.

On day 14, my checkup was over, and Leon still hadn't shown up.

Helen printed out the scan for me. The baby's profile was tiny, with one hand pressed against his face.

I sent the picture to my mother. She wrote back right away. The crib in White Bay was ready.

It wasn't until I left the exam room that I saw Leon and Clara.

She was holding a newly bound copy of the ceremony plan.

"She had a follow-up today anyway, so we figured we'd clear up the misunderstanding." Leon reached toward me. "Just take a look. She's already changed it."

I didn't take the plan. "I never agreed to her coming."

"This is a clinic. She needs to see a healer too."

Clara hugged the folder to her chest. "I just wanted to do something for the pup."

I asked a nurse to call Nina for me and turned to head back to the apartments.

Leon followed me a couple of steps, but then the pharmacy called. The private nursing team he'd hired for Clara needed him to sign another authorization.

"Don't fight, you two. I'll be right there."

I pushed through the fire door to the connecting stairwell, and Clara followed me in.

"Do you have to embarrass him like this?"

"Stay away from me."

She blocked the landing and set a small box on the windowsill.

"About that payment, he already knows it didn't come from your phone.

"He said he'd deal with it when my father gets back to the harbor, and not to let the guests find out for now."

I took out my phone and dialed Leon.

But Clara just laughed. "You don't believe me? You think clearing your name matters enough for him to cross the Ward family?"

She leaned down to look at the scan in my hand.

"If you leave on your own, maybe I'll leave your pup alone."

The next second, she grabbed my sleeve.

I stepped back. "Let go! What are you doing? There are cameras here!"

"The camera on this landing has been out of order for three days. Didn't you know?"

Liv roared in my head. Watch out!

I hit the emergency call button on my phone right away and shouted for the staff downstairs.

But Clara flipped open the lid of the box on the windowsill.

Inside was a silver brooch with a sharp point.

She slashed her own arm with it, then tried to shove the brooch into my hand.

I smelled silver and jerked my hand away. The metal hit the floor, and Clara screamed at almost the same moment.

"Stay back! Don't touch me again!"

Then Clara caught the wrist I was using to brace myself against the wall and yanked me toward the edge of the landing.

I tried to grab the railing, but my fingers just slid off the smooth handrail.

The moment I tipped over, I curled my arms around my belly.

I tumbled down the stairs, thudding against the steps.

Leon came around the corner and lunged toward me in horror. "Erin!"

I'd landed hard. The pain was so bad I could barely hear anyone.

Above us, Clara held up her bleeding arm.

"She cut me with a silver pin! I was just trying to stop her—"

Leon looked up and saw the blackened silver burn on her arm. Shock crossed his face.

"Call an ambulance and get the obstetric healer down here!"

At least he was thinking about the pup. He pulled off his coat, tucked it against my side, and kept shouting for help.

I clutched his sleeve. "It wasn't me..."

Leon glanced at Clara, who was still crying, and cut me off. "This isn't the time to argue about who's right. The baby comes first."

Clara said she'd only come to apologize. Leon had someone take her to have the silver burn treated, then took my hand. "Erin, try to stay calm."

I tried to explain again, but a crushing pain gripped my belly. I looked down and saw blood spreading across my pale skirt.

I could feel that the pup had stopped moving.