Chapter 4

I didn't stop walking. I went straight to the hospital.

After finishing all the admission procedures, I lay back on the hospital bed, feeling a persistent, heavy pressure dragging in my lower abdomen.

Early the next morning, I received a message from my lawyer.

[The evidence chain is complete. We are ready to file.]

I had barely exhaled a breath of relief when Samantha called.

"Nora, Daniel is at your mother's art studio! I can't get her work out of there!"

My body swayed violently. I grabbed the wall to steady myself, but a sudden wave of warm fluid gushed out beneath me.

My water had broken.

Right at that moment, Chloe stepped into the hospital room holding a thick document.

"Nora, don't bother waiting," Chloe said, a wide smile spreading across her face. "Daniel has been paying the lease on your mother's studio all along. He has every right to break the lock."

She paused, her smile widening. "All your design drafts and your mother's life work are stored there, aren't they?"

She handed the document over with a sweet smile. "Sign this first."

I flipped open the front page, and the text made my blood run cold.

[The ownership of the firm's Deep Blue project is unconditionally transferred from Nora Underwood to Daniel James.]

[Nora Underwood waives all rights to inquire about future derivative designs or iterations.]

And the final clause.

[In the event of a divorce, Nora Underwood voluntarily forfeits all claims to marital assets and agrees to leave with nothing.]

My hands trembled uncontrollably. "Are you blackmailing me?"

"It's not me." Chloe gestured innocently with her hands and held up her phone.

From the speaker, Daniel's composed voice drifted through. "It's not blackmail, Nora. It's a trade."

"Sign it, and every single one of your mother's paintings will be returned to you untouched."

Warm fluid streamed down my thighs, soaking my hospital gown in a heavy, sticky mess.

"Daniel, when I gave up my career, my only condition was that you protect that studio! And you gave me your word!"

He went quiet for a second before replying with that same chilling calm. "Nora, I loved you. You're the one who became endlessly greedy."

Greedy.

The two years of sacrifices I had made for him were nothing more than greed in his eyes.

Samantha's panicked voice cut through the speaker. "Daniel, tell your people to stop right now! Don't you dare fold those sketches!"

Hearing that, my legs gave out completely. I collapsed to my knees on the floor.

A pen was shoved into my trembling fingers.

Chloe leaned down close.

"Nora, just sign it. Once you sign, you can deliver the baby in peace without worrying about a thing. Think of how easy that would be."

A violent contraction slammed into me, cold sweat instantly drenching my clothes.

I gritted my teeth, forcing out my last shred of strength. "Daniel... I'm going into labor."

He paused, his voice turning irritable. "Stop using the baby to manipulate me. You're only thirty-six weeks along. What labor?"

On the other end of the line, Samantha was breaking down.

Despair swallowed me whole.

I gripped the pen and, with shaking fingers, signed my name.

The moment the ink hit the paper, every drop of strength drained from my body.

Just then, the duty nurse rushed into the room and shrieked, "Why didn’t anyone call for help?! The patient is in premature labor! Quick, get her to the delivery room!

"Have the family go pay the deposit!"

From the phone, Daniel sounded slightly confused. "Premature labor?"

Chloe snatched the phone back instantly. "It's nothing serious, Daniel. You know Nora, she always overdramatizes everything."

She picked up the signed agreement and turned to leave.

I called out to her, my voice barely audible. "I signed the paper. Help me... pay the deposit."

Her footsteps paused. She turned back with a gentle smile. "Sure. But according to the rules, you submit the request first, and I'll process it."

She hit the speaker button again.

Daniel's deep voice echoed through the room: "Listen to Chloe. There's no rush."

Boom—

The world lost all sound.

The only thing echoing in my ears was that cold phrase. “There's no rush.”

That, and one agonizing wave of pain after another.

---

I didn't know how much time had passed before hurried footsteps broke the silence.

Samantha's choked voice cried out, "Nora! Don't be scared! I'm here! I'm right here!"

The surgical lights flared above me, followed by a surge of unbearable agony.

The moment my body went hollow, I plunged into complete darkness.

---

When I opened my eyes, the hospital room was quiet.

Samantha sat by the bed with swollen, red eyes. My lawyer, Dominic Drake, was standing beside her.

Seeing me wake up, Samantha grabbed my hand tightly. "The baby is safe! And we retrieved all of your mother's artwork!"

"I gave the audio recording you sent me straight to the lawyer," she added, her voice cracking with emotion. "It's more than enough to prove the agreement was signed under duress. Legally, it's completely voidable!"

She wiped her tears. "You did amazing!"

Dominic Drake adjusted his glasses. "The petition for divorce, the copyright infringement claim, and the marital asset violation documents are all fully prepared.

"Mrs. James, whenever you're ready to file, it's your call."

I forced out two words through a raspy throat. "Right now.”