Chapter 7

Gia could not remember how the commotion ended. Maybe she had fainted from weakness, because she was in her bedroom when she woke up again, and the room was dark.

She forced herself up to eat something, but before she could recover, the door was kicked open.

Lucas strode in, his chest heaving violently, his eyes on her carrying a trace of hatred.

"What did you say to Cecelia?!" he hissed.

The scene felt painfully familiar. The suffocating, nauseating feeling surged back at once. Her face turned pale, and she stumbled back a step.

However, Lucas gave her no space to escape. He seized her wrist in a crushing grip, his voice roaring with fury.

"Why would she cut her wrists and try to kill herself?! She almost… She almost…" he said.

Gia forced herself to stay calm. She drew in a deep breath. "What does that have to do with me?"

"Gia! Do you even have a heart?" he asked.

Pain shot through her wrist, a cold bead of sweat sliding down her temple.

Lucas shook her hard and yelled, "Why can't you accept Cecelia? She felt like a burden because of you, and that's why she tried to kill herself! What more do you want from her? She's only a helpless young girl!"

Her vision went dark. She wanted to struggle and wanted to scream, but she could not say anything.

She wanted to snap back at him. 'A helpless young girl? Do you mean the girl who is carrying your child?!'

Somehow, she found it in her to scream, though hoarsely, "What does it have to do with me if she wants to die?"

The slap came out of nowhere.

Gia was knocked to the ground, her ears buzzing.

Her face was burning with pain, and she looked like she was in disbelief. She could not believe that Lucas hit her. They had been together for decades, and he had not even spoken harshly to her in her past life.

Lucas stared at his hands, he was also in shock. "Gia, I…" he trailed off.

He clutched his head in pain. His voice broke as he said, "What you've done is no different from murder! I was so angry…"

His bloodshot eyes glistened.

Gritting his teeth, he dragged Gia out without giving her a choice. He hauled her downstairs, all the way to the basement.

"If anything happens to Cecelia, I'll never forgive you," he said.

With that, he shoved her inside, and the heavy door slammed shut. Darkness and dampness closed in, and Gia began to shake.

"No… Don't…" begged Gia.

She staggered to the door, pounding on it and screaming until her voice cracked. However, there was only silence from outside the door.

Ever since years ago, when thugs had cornered her in a dark alley that night, she had carried a crippling fear of darkness. 'Lucas knew that. He knew…' thought Gia.

She did not know how long she cried and screamed until she had no strength left. Her consciousness faded as she curled up on the floor.

She did not know how much time had passed before someone dragged her away. Pain jolted her awake, and she found herself tied to a chair.

She forced her eyes open through hazy vision, and she saw Lucas standing in front of her with a knife in his hand.

He looked deranged as he muttered to himself, "Cecelia's still in emergency care. The doctor said it doesn't look good…"

A shiver ran through Gia. Her voice cracked as she asked, "What are you trying to do?"

His face looked twisted with pain and guilt. Suddenly, he lunged forward. His voice was choking with tears as he said, "Gia, my mom said there's a remedy. If I use the blood of the person Cecelia's been closest to, I can call her soul back…"

Her eyes widened in horror. "Lucas Isles! Are you insane?!" she shrieked.

'He's a research scientist! How could he believe in such superstition?!' she thought.

However, the blade was pressed against her arm. He said, "I have no choice… I don't. The baby's stuck in delivery, and we're about to lose them both… I'll bleed with you! Cecelia and the baby can't die!"

Gia had no time to react–a sharp pain ripped through her arm.

Blood flowed and dripped into a bowl.

Lucas slashed his own wrist, letting their blood mingle. "It'll be over soon…" he murmured. "It's not enough. I need more…"

Her face turned deathly pale as her blood continued to ooze out, her head spinning as it prolonged.

"You… You've gone insane. You're truly insane…" she muttered.

Her breathing grew labored. She felt her life drained away, despair and bitter irony consumed her.

'Is it all because of this? For a superstition? Would he bleed me dry just to save Cecelia?' she thought.

She used the last of her strength to whisper, "Lucas… I hate you…"

Then, the darkness swallowed her whole.