Chapter 5

Dylan froze. Then he blew up like someone had hit a nerve.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Lily is your sister. She’s not even married. How can you spread disgusting rumors about her? What kind of sister says something like that?”

Lily acted like she couldn’t bear the accusation anymore. She collapsed against Dylan’s chest, crying like her heart was breaking.

“Stop, Dylan, please stop. This is my fault. I shouldn’t have come. I’m just causing trouble. I’ll leave, okay? Please don’t fight because of me…”

She said she was leaving, but her body only pressed closer into Dylan’s.

Layla’s eyes filled with quiet mockery. “Enough. If you don’t want to leave, don’t pretend you do.”

She pressed a hand to her lower stomach, then pushed herself upright with the other, leaning against the wall. Her gaze was ice-cold as she looked at the two of them standing there like some fairy-tale couple.

“The one who should leave is me. I won’t get in the way of your romance.”

Only then did Dylan really look at her face. She was paper pale. When he remembered how hard he had shoved her, a flash of guilt crossed his expression. He released Lily and moved toward Layla.

Lily hadn’t expected him to let go so suddenly. She lost her balance and nearly fell.

“Dylan…” she whimpered, but he didn’t even look her way. Her wounded expression froze awkwardly on her face.

“You’re hurt?” Dylan reached toward Layla’s stomach. “Is the baby okay? Why are you being so careless when you’re pregnant?”

Layla let out a short, breathless laugh.

She slapped his hand away. “If someone hadn’t shoved me into a wall, I wouldn’t be hurt. Are you really pretending now?”

A flicker of guilt crossed his face. “I was just upset. If you hadn’t gone after Lily like that, I wouldn’t have reacted. She’s your sister. You two were always close. Why are you suddenly picking fights with her?”

Layla almost said, “Don’t you really know why?”

But the sharp pain twisting in her lower abdomen choked the words right out of her.

“Ah—”

She doubled over, clutching her stomach, instinctively grabbing Dylan’s arm for support. “My stomach…”

“It’s my fault! If I hadn’t come, this wouldn’t have happened. Layla is always healthy, even while pregnant. I must be the reason she keeps having episodes. I’m so sorry. I should just stay away!”

With that, Lily burst into tears and bolted out of the conference room.

“Lily!”

Without a second’s hesitation, Dylan pulled his arm free from Layla’s grasp and ran after her.

Layla’s stomach hurt so badly that sweat dotted her forehead. She forced herself to block Dylan’s path, her voice tight with pain. “My stomach hurts. Take me to the hospital first.”

Dylan exploded.

He yanked his arm out of her grip and tore into her. “Stop faking it! I really misjudged you, Layla Spencer! I thought you were mature and reasonable, but you’re actually making up lies just to compete for attention. Lily was right. Your pregnancy has been perfectly fine. I barely touched you. How could that suddenly cause stomach pain?

“And don’t think carrying a baby gives you some kind of immunity card. I promised your parents I’d take care of Lily. And you, as her sister, keep picking fights with her. Have you no shame?”

He threw the words at her and spun around, sprinting down the hall after Lily without looking back.

Layla suddenly lost her balance. Her knees buckled and she pitched toward the floor.

“Layla!”

Her assistant, Quinn, saw the whole thing and rushed forward, grabbing her just in time.

Layla looked up, ready to thank him, when a sudden wet warmth spread down her legs. Panic flared. She lowered her gaze and saw bright red blood running down her thighs.

Quinn gasped. “Layla, are you okay?”

Layla barely managed, “Call 911,” before her vision blackened and she collapsed completely.

…

On the other side of the building, Dylan had chased Lily into a fire escape.

She had climbed onto the window ledge, her thin body swaying dangerously.

“Lily, don’t do anything stupid!” Dylan shouted, throwing himself forward.

He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down like she was something precious he’d almost lost.

“Dylan!” Lily sobbed in his arms. “Why are you stopping me? Nobody likes me. I shouldn’t exist. I shouldn’t get between you two. I should just disappear!”

Dylan’s chest tightened. Ignoring the burning pain in his hands, he gently wiped her tears. “Don’t talk like that. Who says no one likes you?”

Lily looked up at him with reddened, teary eyes. “Really?”

He kissed her eyelids. “Aren’t I someone? Look at everything I’ve done for you. How could you still doubt me?”

Lily’s lips trembled. “But you pushed me away earlier… for her.”

Dylan let out a helpless laugh. “So that’s what you’re upset about. You really do get worked up easily.”

He tapped the tip of her nose and lifted her into his arms.

“I wasn’t choosing her. I was worried about our baby. Don’t tell me you don’t want something that belongs to both of us?”

Lily blushed scarlet. “But what am I to you? Even if she gives birth to our baby, I still have to stay hidden. She’ll always be your wife.”

“I’ll take care of everything. Stop worrying, okay? Seeing you cry tears me apart.”

Lily nodded against his chest, smiling through her tears.

Once she finally calmed down, Dylan chuckled softly. “Look at you. One tantrum and you throw yourself into danger. My hands got torn up from saving you. How am I supposed to work for the next few days?”

Lily immediately panicked. “Really? Let’s go to the hospital right now!”

She grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the stairs.

A flash of Layla’s pale face crossed Dylan’s mind. He hesitated, gripping Lily’s wrist.

“Maybe we should go back and check on your sister. She really did hit the wall just now. And since we’re going to the hospital anyway, we could go together.”

The moment Lily heard him show even a hint of concern for Layla, her expression darkened, though she quickly lowered her eyes to hide it.

“But she doesn’t like me…” Lily whispered. “Maybe… maybe you should go back and look after her. I can go to the hospital alone and wait for you.”

Seeing her look so pitiful, Dylan immediately forgot Layla existed. “No, forget it. If we go back now, she’ll start another scene. Let her calm down on her own.”

Only then did Lily look satisfied. The two of them got in the car and headed straight for the hospital.

At the same time, inside a hospital room, Layla slowly opened her eyes.

A lingering tightness twisted through her abdomen. She winced, then looked up urgently as the doctor pushed open the door.

“Doctor,” she asked, breath unsteady, “how’s my baby?”