Chapter 3

Charlotte's POV

This time, I didn't answer.

Jaxson's demeanor grew colder as he grabbed my chin and forced me to meet his eyes. A cruel smile formed on his lips.

"Since you're so determined to play the perfect wife, then I'll make sure you get your fill of it."

Jaxson dragged me out and shoved me into the back seat of the car. "Sasha's pregnancy is unstable. You go take care of her. Besides, you have experience with it, don't you?"

My hand started shaking again, and I instinctively touched my stomach. There was a scar there, one I'd gotten while taking a knife meant for Jaxson.

It had happened during the first year of our marriage. Jaxson's career had been taking off, and he'd inevitably made a few enemies.

One of his business rivals had put a hit out on him, and I took the knife for him, not knowing that I was pregnant at the time.

I was three months along by then, and the baby had already started moving.

After losing that first child, every pregnancy that followed ended in miscarriage. Every time, Jaxson held me and cried like a child, swearing that he would treat me right for the rest of his life.

Now, however, he smiled at me and said cruel words like, "You have experience with miscarriages."

In my daze, my phone chimed with a text from my mentor, Peter Bowen.

"Charlotte, your further study application has been approved. Don't worry. I've asked Jake to pick you up."

In that moment, the restless heart inside me finally felt anchored and calmed down.

I didn't stop Jaxson as he ran every red light on the way to the hospital. I even let him drag me into the blood-draw room, where he shouted at the doctor, "She also has Rh-negative blood. Draw hers!"

I remained silent the entire time.

It wasn't until the nurse inserted the needle into my vein that Jaxson suddenly shouted for her to stop.

He bent down and met my eyes, saying, "Charlotte, say something. As long as you say the word, as long as you say no, they won't draw your blood."

Jaxson knew I had been afraid of needles since I was little, and he also knew I fainted at the sight of blood. Yet he still brought me here.

I looked at his familiar face, and for a moment, it overlapped with the aloof young man from the past.

Back then, Jaxson had rescued me from a group of thugs, carried me on his back, and ran all the way to the hospital. When it came time for the injection, he awkwardly covered my eyes and gently whispered, "Don't be scared. It'll stop hurting in a moment."

I said silently to myself, "Consider this repayment for saving my life all those years ago."

After this, we'd owe each other nothing.

Thus, I smiled lightly, looked at him calmly, and softly said, "One."

Jaxson closed his eyes, his breathing growing ragged before he suddenly stood up. "Fine!"

Then, he added ruthlessly, "Charlotte, you brought this on yourself!"

He turned toward the doctor, Carl Fritz, and roared, "Didn't you say you needed blood? Will one bag be enough?"

However, halfway through the bag, I couldn't take it anymore.

Carl shouted for the nurses to stop, but Jaxson snapped angrily, "Fill one bag. Not one ounce less!"

His smile didn't reach his eyes as he continued, "Since my wife is being so generous, the least I can do is give her what she wants."

Carl opened his mouth to say something, but I patted his hand, signaling him to continue.

There was no point. The hospital was funded by the Larkin family. If the doctors had any say in the matter, Mom wouldn't have had her medication withheld from her time and time again, accelerating her decline.

I closed my eyes, feeling the blood slowly drain from my body. My lips turned pale, and my body began to sway.

Meanwhile, explicit, scandalous noises drifted over from the bed beside mine.

Sasha, who was supposed to be resting in bed, squealed and said coyly, "Oh, Jax, you're awful! Charlotte's right beside us!"

The only response was Jaxson's heavy breathing.

With a sharp yank, Carl pulled back the curtain, revealing the two of them lying on the hospital bed, their clothes in disarray.

Jaxson cast a cold glance over the doctors and nurses present, then said, "Get out."

Within seconds, the large hospital room was cleared out, leaving only the three of us.

Jaxson smiled viciously and caressed Sasha's belly right before my eyes. "Charlotte, open your eyes and take a good look. You despise my touch, but there are still women who are willing to have my children.

"Don't think I can't live without you!"

With that, he leaned in and kissed Sasha as if I weren't even there.

Jaxson had also hung Mom's amulet by the window—as if, had I dared close my eyes, the last thing she had left me would be gone forever.

When it was over, Jaxson tossed the bedpan under the bed at me. "Go empty it."

Sasha shyly nestled into his arms. "Oh, my! It's covered in… How could I possibly ask Charlotte to clean it?"

She slowly got out of bed and walked up to me. She took the amulet down from the window, smiling as she toyed with it.

"Wasn't this amulet of yours supposed to protect the wearer? Why did it nearly cause me to miscarry when I wore it?

"I was going to give it back to you, but it must have picked up some bad energy. I'll throw it away for you, Charlotte."

As soon as Sasha was done speaking, she casually tossed the amulet out.

"No!"