Chapter 4

The next day, I found a cardboard box and began packing up Paul's belongings so I could take them with me.

I had just placed one of his medals inside when Naomi walked over with a glass of water.

She looked me up and down before her eyes stopped on my flat stomach.

Then she asked in a voice that was no longer as sweet and helpless as usual, "Nicole, you're pregnant too, aren't you?"

I ignored her.

She continued to provoke me, "Too bad Aiden married me three years ago. Even if you give birth to that baby, it'll still be a bastard."

I already knew the truth. But hearing her say it still hurt.

"Does your great police officer father know his daughter is a homewrecker?"

The moment she insulted Paul, my anger exploded. "Shut up!"

Naomi smiled in triumph.

Then she poured her entire glass of juice over Paul's certificate.

She even stepped on one of his medals, crushing it beneath her heel. "Oh! My stomach! Nicole, why did you push me?"

Aiden rushed out the moment he heard the noise.

He saw Naomi sitting on the floor, clutching her stomach.

Then he glared at me as if I were his enemy. "Nicole, what the hell is wrong with you?"

Aiden pointed at me furiously. "You used to be a cop! Did you forget everything Paul taught you about justice and knowing right from wrong? And now you're using all of that against a pregnant woman? You're awful!"

His eyes and his words cut deeper than any weapon.

I bit my lip until it hurt. I swallowed the metallic taste of blood and fought with everything I had to keep my dignity intact.

I didn't argue. Instead, I calmly bent down and wiped the juice off Paul's certificate.

Then I carefully wrapped up his medal. "Yeah. I'm awful. So once I'm finished packing, I'll leave. I won't stay here anymore."

My calm reaction made Aiden freeze. For a moment, he looked confused.

Then he frowned impatiently. "I never said I wanted you to leave. Stop making a scene..."

Before he could finish, the huge living room window suddenly shattered.

Several men wearing black masks and carrying machetes stormed inside.

They were remnants of the drug cartel from The Walled City.

I reacted on instinct.

I immediately drew the gun from my waist, rolled across the floor, and positioned myself in front.

Aiden instinctively pulled Naomi toward the door.

The leader quickly glanced at Naomi. Then he ordered his men to surround me.

Aiden used the chance to drag Naomi out of the house. "Nicole, you have real combat experience! Help me hold them off! I'll take Naomi first. She's pregnant, so she can't get hurt!"

He slammed the security door shut from the outside and locked it.

He had personally sealed off my only escape.

And with that, he also destroyed the last bit of love I still had for him.

I stared at the locked door. In that incredibly dangerous moment, I suddenly let out a quiet laugh.

I laughed so hard that tears almost filled my eyes.

Aiden must have forgotten.

Yesterday, I had already fired five empty chambers in our game of Russian roulette.

Now, there was only one bullet left in my gun.

A cartel member suddenly swung a machete at me.

I dodged the blade and raised my gun.

Bang!

The last bullet went straight into the leader's forehead.

Warm blood sprayed across my face. My vision instantly turned red.

I threw away the empty gun and pulled a knife from the dead man's body.

"Come on. This ends today. Your death or mine." I looked coldly at the remaining men and casually wiped the blood from my face.

...

Third-Person POV

Half an hour later, Aiden had settled the terrified Naomi somewhere safe. Then he rushed back with several men from his security company.

He had only one thought in his mind. Nicole couldn't be dead or hurt.

But when he charged into the living room, he froze.

The house was completely silent. Blood covered the floor. Furniture was overturned, and signs of a violent struggle were everywhere.

The cartel members lay dead in pools of blood.

But Nicole was nowhere to be found.

Aiden stumbled through the blood covering the floor.

Then he saw a ring on the table in the middle of the living room.

Beneath it was a pregnancy test report.

Name: Nicole Chadwick

Test Result: Eight weeks pregnant.