CHAPTER FOUR

I couldn’t find it.

My eyes scanned the velvet-lined drawers again. Then again. But it’s still not there. Not just the ring but most of my jewelry are missing.

My fingers began moving frantically through every compartment. But it wasn’t there.

I didn’t care about the wedding ring or the rest of the missing jewelry but not that bracelet. It’s the only thing my mother left for me.

“Are you looking for something Luna?” A maid ask, noticing my reaction.

“Yes. Some of my jewelry is missing.” I turned to her. “Have you seen it?”

A flicker of hesitation crossed her face and she bit her lip for a while before her eyes darted toward the doorway.

"Actually..." she started cautiously. "I think you should ask Miss Natalie."

I didn't wait to hear the rest before I already stormed out of the door, my footsteps echoing through the hallway.

I had had enough of this.

Just as I reached the staircase, I saw her climbing up. A coffee cup rested comfortably in her hand. She sipped through a straw while humming to herself, looking entirely too pleased.

I stopped at the top of the stairs and waited.

“Where is it?”

Natalie blinked innocently. “Where is what?”

“Don’t play dumb with me.” My voice hardened. “Where is it? I want it back right now.”

She arched a brow, clearly amused.

“But why are you getting so worked up over a few little trinkets?”

“What?”

She shrugged casually. “I mean, it’ll all belong to me soon anyway. So why throw a tantrum over it?”

“I really can’t believe you are this shameless.”

“Oh, you got back your tongue.”

“Yeah I did. Because you're the first prostitute I’ve ever seen who steals from her client’s house.”

Her face immediately darkened.

“What?! Did you just call me a prostitute?”

I folded my arms across my chest. “Yes I did. And now let me share a little secret with you. One that will really be of great help to you.” Since she decided to be a bitch, then why can’t I do the same either?

I slowly pulled out my phone.

“Did you know that Cayden apologized to me?”

Immediately I said that all the confidence on her face faltered.

“He said you were nothing more than a surrogate. That you’re only carrying the child.” I unlocked my phone and turned the screen toward her. “He also said that once the baby is born, I’ll be the one raising it.”

Natalie’s face went completely pale and the coffee cup nearly slipped from her fingers. And for the first time since this nightmare began, I felt something dangerously close to satisfaction.

Now she knew exactly how it felt to have the ground ripped out from under her feet.

“So enjoy it while it lasts, after all, you are merely making use of your hot womb for me.” I smiled and then turned to one of the maids. “Show me where her belongings are. I will go through every one of it.”

But just as the maid wanted to lead me away, Natalie grabbed my arm. I stopped and looked down at her hand wrapped around mine before lifting my gaze to her face.

The triumph from earlier was gone and what remained was something colder. Something dangerous.

“If that’s true,” she said, locking eyes with me, “then why should I do that for you?”

Before I could understand what she meant, she tightened her grip on my wrist and yanked my hand toward her until it touched her chest. Then she threw herself backward.

My eyes widened.

“No!”

I watched in horror as her body tumbled down the staircase. But at the end of the stairs…was Cayden.

*

*

*

“I am very sorry, Alpha. We couldn’t save the baby.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Natalie let out a heart-wrenching wail. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed uncontrollably.

I just stood there, a strange pain shooting through my chest as I watched her cry.

But what I still couldn’t understand was why she would do something so reckless?

Did she truly think nothing would happen to the child? Or had she simply never expected things to go this far?

“She did it!”

Natalie’s scream ripped through my thoughts and I looked up only to see her tear-streaked face twisted with grief as she pointed directly at me.

“It’s all because of her!”

“What are you saying?”

Natalie clung desperately to Cayden’s sleeve. “I had no idea she hated me this much,” she sobbed. “I never thought she would hurt our baby.”

I stared at her. Speechless.

“Wait..are you sure this is not already affecting you?”

“Look at her Darell. She’s trying to tell me I am going insane!”

“What?” I asked in surprise. Then turned to Cayden. “No, I was…”

“I begged you, Ava.” Natalie cried, cutting me off. “I told you I would leave after giving birth to the child. I told you I wouldn’t stand in your way.” Another sob tore from her throat. “But you still couldn’t let us be happy.”

The room fell silent and all eyes turned toward me. Both the doctor, nurse and Liam’s.

Accusing.

Judging.

But none of them hurt as much as Cayden’s. The disappointment in his eyes shattered something inside me.

“Did you really have to be so cruel?” he asked quietly.

“Oh my goddess, you really don’t believe what she’s saying, did you? I didn’t push her! She is the one who…”

“I never knew you had this side to you. How could you do this?”

I shook my head frantically. “No. No, that’s not what happened.” My voice trembled. “You actually think I’m capable of hurting a child? Even if I am mad at her, why would I do that when I know she is with a child? ”

For a brief moment, uncertainty flickered across his face. But Natalie chose that exact second to break into another round of sobs and make more accusing words, and I watched the hesitation vanished instantly.

Cayden looked back at me. And whatever remained between us died.

A bitter laugh escaped me. “You can’t be serious. She is lying!”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“Come on, you are not going to believe what she’s..”

“I don’t even know who you are anymore.” The words hit me square in the chest. “The Ava I knew would never have taken away something she knew I wanted more than anything. But the woman right in front me…” he shook his head with disappointment. “I regret the day I met you, Ava Hills.”

My heart sank.

The word coming out of his mouth hurt more than anything and echoing several times through my mind.

I took a step forward closer to him, looking into his blue eyes,

“Cayden, how can you say that to me? To our bond? Did you really believe what she says? I swear I didn’t push…”

“Get out!”

“What?”

“I said get out right now!” He growled and his eyes flashed red..

I looked at Natalie who was still crying and then him again and with that, I walked out of the door and then headed out of the hospital.

I didn’t even notice the rain pouring down outside. I just kept walking. The cold drops soaked through my clothes and plastered my hair to my skin, but I felt nothing. Only numbness. Only pain. And only his words.

“I regret the day I met you, Ava Hills.”

The sentence played over and over in my head.

He regretted the day he met me. Yet that day had been the best day of my life.

A hollow chuckle escaped my lips.

So what now?

What was I still holding on to?

I stood in the middle of the room, just thinking back at everything. But everything still led back to those words “I regretted the day I met you, Ava Hills.”

So with finality, I made my decision. This marriage… had no salvation. I picked up my phone and then made a phone call.