Chapter 4

I was slumped on the floor like a broken doll when my eyes suddenly met those of a man standing outside the door.

It was Emery's secretary, Brady Parrish. His eyes widened in shock when he saw me, though he seemed uncertain that the blood-covered woman in front of him could really be his boss's wife.

I tried to speak, but my throat was too raw to produce more than a broken sound. Before I could say a word, he turned and hurried into Emery's suite.

"Sir, there's a woman outside covered in blood," he reported. "She looks... a lot like Mrs. Copeland."

Emery frowned and casually rubbed his fingertips together, completely convinced that his own conclusion was correct. "That's impossible. My wife is heavily pregnant. There's no way she could have made it all the way here."

Brady lowered his voice, speaking cautiously. "Maybe you should step outside and take a look, sir. If that's really Mrs. Copeland, she and the baby could be in grave danger."

"I said it's impossible." Emery shot him a sharp glare. "If that were really her, she wouldn't be sitting quietly outside. She would have barged in here demanding her share of the family assets by now.

"Besides, a scheming woman like her, someone who only cares about herself, would never let herself get covered in blood."

While the doctor made one final attempt to convince Emery to release some of the equipment, Emery flatly threatened to have him fired.

Defeated and helpless, the doctor turned back to me and apologized, telling me there was nothing he could do. But now that I had escaped the freezer, I refused to give up on my baby's survival, even if the odds were one in a million.

Clutching my belly through another wave of agonizing contractions, I borrowed the doctor's phone and dialed a number I knew by heart.

Once the line went through, I spoke desperately. "Dad, I'll never disobey you again. Please... save me."

Roderick Johnson didn't mince words. He simply asked where I was.

The moment I heard his voice, I burst into tears. The grief, regret, and suffocating despair I'd been holding inside for so long came crashing down all at once.

Less than 15 minutes later, a medical helicopter touched down outside. A team of top specialists rushed out to retrieve me.

They lifted me aboard the helicopter, which had been outfitted as a state-of-the-art mobile operating room, and the surgical team immediately prepared me for an emergency delivery.

Scalpels cut into my lower abdomen. Even with a spinal block dulling the worst of the pain, I could still feel the sharp pressure and tugging as the surgeons worked.

After what felt like an eternity, the lead surgeon finally exhaled. "The baby is out."

But there was no cry. My heart felt as though it had been ripped open, and a cold dread swallowed me whole.

Sobbing, I forced the words out. "Is my baby okay?"

The doctor gently pressed me back onto the gurney, his tone solemn. "Stay calm. Your baby is in critical condition and needs to be flown to the island facility for immediate treatment."

My mind went blank. All I could do was nod numbly.

As the helicopter prepared for takeoff, I called out to Roderick's right-hand man. "When I'm gone, what about Emery? He's going to tear the city apart looking for me."

He patted my hand reassuringly. "Don't worry. Your father has taken care of everything."

...

Back at the hospital, Emery had been standing guard outside the operating room. The moment the doors opened, his first concern was whether Mavis had made it through safely.

Once Mavis had been moved to her VIP suite, Emery picked up the newborn baby, his eyes shining with joy.

"The baby looks just like you," he murmured. "So beautiful."

But as the words left his mouth, he suddenly paused.

A thought crossed his mind. He wondered what his child with me would have looked like. A girl would probably have taken after me. She would have been even more beautiful.

After soothing the newborn to sleep, Emery finally turned to leave.

It was already the next morning. It was time to go to the warehouse, retrieve me from the freezer, and take me to the hospital.

Just then, his secretary appeared in the hallway.

Emery tossed him the car keys. "Drive to the warehouse and take my wife to the hospital."

Brady lowered his head, terrified to meet Emery's eyes. He stood there shaking so badly that his teeth were chattering.

As Emery's patience began to run out, Brady finally managed to force the words past his trembling lips. "Sir, Mrs. Copeland and the baby... are both dead."