Chapter 2

Alice’s POV

The nurse pushed me down onto the hospital bed.

“Make sure she delivers the baby fast. We don’t have much time before Adam arrives,” My father instructed the nurses and walked out of the room with my stepmother following him behind. 

Lily patted my shoulder and smirked. “Hang in there, sister. You have a very important task today.” 

I shook my head, “No, stop! Please don’t do this! I will do anything else but please don’t force my birth!” I cried, tears streaming down my eyes. 

But my pleas went into deaf ears as Lily left the room. 

“Hold still, will you?” The nurse gritted her teeth and slapped me across the face in anger. I glared at her but she didn’t pay any attention to it. 

She picked up the syringe filled with oxytocin, the drug that would force my baby to come early.

"No!" I screamed, shoving her hand away as hard as I could. The nurse stumbled backward, shocked by my sudden move. 

I threw myself off the bed, my huge belly making me gasp in pain but I didn’t let it stop me. I guess my family thought because of my pregnancy I wouldn’t be able to escape. 

But they thought wrong. 

“Hey! Stop!” the nurse yelled.  

Before the nurse could get me, I slipped out of the service corridor. I ran as fast as I could, my belly weighing so heavy that each step hurt. I managed to burst through the back door of the hospital and into the night, my left bare foot touching the ground while my other foot was stuffed in the hospital slippers.  

The cold wind hit my face as I stumbled behind some bushes near the road and crouched down, gasping for breath. My heart was beating so fast I thought it might explode.

“Ah!” I gasped as I felt my baby move rapidly inside my belly. A small smile made its way to my lips as it felt like my child was assuring me that both of us were alive. 

I had to find a way to save my child. I pulled out my phone with shaking hands and dialed my fiance, Jace, who was also the father of my child. He was the only one who would help me protect our child from those monsters. 

Jace answered after a few rings. "Alice?" His low and deep voice instantly made the knots in my chest loosen.  Tears filled my eyes.

"Jace," I choked out. "My father is trying to take our baby away. I'm at the back door of the hospital. Can you come get me? Please. I'm scared…"

"What happened?" His voice changed to a more serious tone. "Alright, stay right where you are. I'm coming."

I heard rustling sounds from the phone, like he was grabbing his coat. "I'm nearby with Serena," he informed. "We'll both come get you. Just wait there. Don't move."

Oh, right. 

Serena was my best friend. We'd known each other since middle school. She'd been there for every anniversary of my mother's death. She held me while I cried about my stepmother’s bullying and was the only one who celebrated every birthday with me.

Jace knew Serena since they’d met many times at diners and would sit at the same table at every party. They had become good friends. 

They were my only source of hope. 

"Okay," I nodded, my shoulders relaxing a little. "I'll wait here."

"Good girl," Jace said softly. "Don't go anywhere."

He hung up.

I sat down on the steps by the road, hugging my phone to my chest. For the first time tonight, I felt like maybe everything would be okay. The wind didn't feel so cold anymore. The baby didn’t move this time, like it was relaxing too. 

We were going to be safe.

Minutes later, I saw headlights. A car was coming from the left side of the road. I stood up quickly, stumbling a little. I grabbed the railing next to me for support and walked toward the light.

The car stopped and the passenger door opened. Serena stepped out. Seeing her familiar face that I’d seen for eleven years made me feel overwhelmed with relief and I broke down into tears. 

“Serena!” I called out to her.

She walked over and pulled me into her arms. I buried my face in her shoulder and cried. My whole body shook with sobs. The baby kicked inside me again like it was trying to tell me to stop crying. 

“Hush, it’s okay,” Serena cooed and I hugged her tighter. 

I heard the driver's door open and lifted my head from Serena’s shoulder to find Jace standing in front of the headlights, his hands in his pockets. He smiled at me.

I was supposed to feel relieved to see him but something felt off. I knew my fiance well enough and I had never felt anything strange with him. Yet I felt unnerved by how dark his eyes seemed at the moment and the way his lips curled into a smirk. 

Before I processed it, Serena’s hand tightened on my arm. I hissed as I felt her squeeze my wrist painfully. 

"Serena?" I asked, looking at her in confusion. 

She let go of me and stepped back. When I looked at her face, I was confused. Instead of the warm look in her gaze that she usually gave me, there was an unfamiliar cold glint in her black eyes. 

Jace walked over slowly. He stopped next to Serena. Then, right in front of me, he put his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

My eyes widened at the gesture. 

As if that wasn’t enough, he lowered his head and kissed her.  I stood there, frozen. It felt like I was hit by a thunderbolt. 

They pulled apart. Jace looked at me with that unfamiliar smile. “Alice,” he spoke casually. “Meet my girlfriend…” the edge of his lips curled in a smirk. “Serena. Your beloved best friend.” 

My head was spinning. I felt a mix of pain and betrayal, not knowing which one I felt more strongly. 

No. No, this couldn't be real.

"I... I don't understand," I whispered. “When were the two of you…” 

"Three years," Selina tilted her head and smiled at me. "We were together for three years. How come you didn’t notice? "