Chapter 5

"Serena!" Evan gasped.

I, too, was startled. Instinctively, I blurted out, "It wasn't me… I had only shaken her off… She deliberately fell down…"

"Selena Holloway!" Evan snarled, his eyes blazing with anger.

I had never seen him look at me that way before. His gaze was filled with fury, disbelief, and hatred.

He scooped Serena up and said icily, "You've seriously crossed the line, Selena. From now on, unless I say otherwise, you are not allowed to take a single step out of your bedroom!"

He then looked over his shoulder at the housekeepers on the floor. "All of you will keep an eye on her. If she acts up again, go straight to Gale. Don't worry about her status. Deal with her according to the rules. Is that clear?"

"Y-Yes, Mr. Blackwell," the housekeepers responded in unison.

After he left, the housekeepers turned around and looked at me with disdain.

"Ms. Harroway was right. Life will be easier if we stick with her."

"Why break our backs when we can follow someone who can give us a better future?"

"What are you waiting for, Mrs. Blackwell? Get back to your bedroom!"

The housekeepers shoved me toward my bedroom. Instinctively, I pushed them away, but one of them let out a derisive chuckle. "Are you sure you want to fight us? Careful, or we'll tell Mr. Larson. I'm sure you know what will happen then."

Of course, I knew. If I were lucky, I'd walk away with a beating. If not, I'd end up in the dungeon and be put through hell.

For the sake of the baby in my belly, I held myself back and walked into my room obediently.

The door slammed shut behind me. Looking at the empty room, all the frustration I had bottled up broke loose. Clutching my face, I burst into tears.

Evan's anxious demeanor as he carried Serena away flashed through my mind again, as did the disappointed, impatient tone he used on me. I hadn't done anything… Why didn't he believe me?

My face was flushed, and I was struggling to breathe between sobs when a stabbing pain suddenly gripped my stomach. I curled up on the floor, sweat beading across my forehead. "Help! My stomach hurts… Go get a doctor…"

My weak cries filled the room, but no one responded.

Desperate, I dragged my aching body inch by inch to the door and pounded on it. "Open the door! Get me a doctor! I'm experiencing cramps…"

"You were only locked up for a few minutes, and you already want out? Cramps? I can't believe you'd come up with such an absurd lie!" The housekeeper scoffed. "You had better behave, or I'll toss your dinner straight into the trash later!"

I begged them for a while more, but they simply ignored me. Left with no other option, I called Evan.

He picked up almost immediately, but his voice was thick with annoyance. "What do you want?"

I let out a shaky breath, but the pain kept cutting my words apart. "It… Hurts… My stomach hurts…"

"Selena, are you seriously copying Serena right now, pretending to be in pain just to get my attention?"

"No… It's not like that… I really can't take it anymore…"

He was silent for a moment before spitting out, "I'm done believing you, Selena. You're on your own now."

"I'm not lying, Evan. I'm pregnant—"

The call was disconnected. Everything I wanted to tell him was stuck in my throat, making it hard to breathe.

Tears trickled down my cheeks wordlessly. At that moment, I realized I no longer loved Evan. I would never expect anything from him again.

After who knows how long, a housekeeper pushed the door open. She took a look at me, who was lying motionless on the floor, and sneered, "You sure are a good actress."

Right after saying that, she kicked me hard. "Get up. If you don't, I'll pour your dinner down your face!"

However, I kept my eyes shut, and I was completely unresponsive. The housekeeper frowned and crouched down to check on me.

Just then, her hand landed on a pool of blood beneath me, and she froze. "M-Mrs. Blackwell… Mrs. Blackwell, wake up!"

Her whole body trembled as she pulled out her phone to call Evan. Her voice was shaking violently as she said, "This is bad, Mr. Blackwell. Mrs. Blackwell fainted! And she's bleeding a lot… You need to hurry back right now!"