Chapter 3

Remi frowned, looking torn. "Ariel…"

"Mr. Callahan, I'll disappear with the baby! You won't have to worry about us ever again! You won't have to care even if we die!

"We're not married anyway. When the baby grows up, people will mock him for being illegitimate! I might as well just take him with me and end it all!"

Ella clutched the baby and moved toward the window. Remi grabbed her and held on tight.

"Ella, I won't let you die. I promised Franklin I'd take care of you!" He turned to look at Ariel.

"You're bringing this up now? You're out of your mind! Ella gave me a son! I'm not going to stand here and watch something happen to him! You want a divorce? Fine! I've had enough of this for the past three years anyway!"

Remi rushed out with Ella in his arms. He knocked into Ariel on his way past and didn't even notice.

Heavy with pregnancy, Ariel lost her balance. She stumbled backward and hit the ground hard.

The pain made her vision go dark. She tried to get up but couldn't find the strength.

He'd had enough? She'd had enough too.

The other men saw her fall but didn't move to help. Instead, they blamed her.

"Women and their jealousy."

"The Commander never should have begged her to come back three years ago if it was going to end up like this."

"Do you think he regrets it now? Not that he can do anything about it. She's eight months along. What's he supposed to do, make her get rid of it?"

Everyone followed Ella to the clinic, leaving Ariel alone in the suddenly quiet room.

Her stomach throbbed. She flagged down someone passing by and asked them to find a medic.

At the clinic, Ariel's doctor, Taylor Hayes, examined her and frowned. "Ma'am, you're eight months pregnant. You need to be more careful. How did you end up falling like that?"

Ariel stared at the ceiling without answering. She hadn't been careless. Remi knocked her down.

"Where's Mr. Callahan? Didn't he come with you? He's always been with you for your checkups before."

Taylor spoke gently. "Do you want me to call him for you?"

Ariel didn't stop her. Taylor dialed quickly.

"Hello, Mr. Callahan. Mrs. Callahan just came to the clinic. She fell and the baby—"

"Did she tell you to call me? Ella's baby is being treated right now, and she's still using her pregnancy to make me jealous? Tell her to stop this. If something happens to that child, she'll owe Ella a baby!"

The line went dead. Taylor stood there, confused.

Ariel still said nothing. She slowly climbed off the examination table.

"If I wanted to induce labor now…"

"Mrs. Callahan, I don't know what happened between you and Mr. Callahan, but the baby is eight months along. He'll be born soon. If you induce labor now, it won't just harm your body. You'll be ending an innocent life."

Ariel nodded. "I understand. Thank you."

Taylor was right. The baby was innocent.

This child was hers. From now on, she would have nothing to do with Remi Callahan.

She would file for divorce. She would raise the child on her own.