Chapter 2

Natalie Montgomery's POV

A thousand things I wanted to say crowded my throat, but suddenly, I didn't have the strength to say any of them.

Ethan stared at me coldly. "Apologize to Vanessa."

It wasn't a request.

My eyes burned with unshed tears, but I refused to look away. "And if I refuse?"

My defiance only made his expression darken.

"Natalie!" His voice sharpened. "I know I'm the one who hurt you. I know you have every right to hate me. But the baby hasn't done anything wrong.

"Vanessa has always had health problems. We never thought she'd be able to get pregnant, and now that she finally is, you can't even leave her alone? You're about to become a mother yourself. How can you have so little compassion for another pregnant woman?"

Every single word Ethan said struck exactly where it could hurt me most.

There had been a time when he'd held me just as tightly. After one of his enemies came after us and I lost our baby, he'd cradled me in his arms while I cried. "Natalie, this happened because of me. I swear, if we ever get another chance to have a child, I'll protect you both with my life."

I'd believed him.

And now I could only watch as he carefully shielded Vanessa and the baby she was carrying, while never once asking me if I was alright.

He didn't show the slightest concern for our unborn child or me.

Something inside me finally went cold.

A violent cramp suddenly seized my lower abdomen, and a pained gasp escaped me as my legs nearly gave out.

I grabbed the back of the couch and barely managed to steady myself.

Ethan didn't even look my way.

Instead, he murmured soothingly to Vanessa as she whimpered against his chest. Then he swept her into his arms. "Hey, don't be scared. I'm taking you to the hospital right now. We'll make sure you and the baby are okay."

Ethan shoved past me and headed for the door. He didn't spare me so much as a glance. All he left behind were six words that cut straight through me. "Natalie, I'm so disappointed in you."

Vanessa looked back just before they disappeared through the doorway. The helpless, frightened expression she'd worn for Ethan was gone. In its place was a smug, triumphant smile only meant for me.

Another wave of pain tore through my abdomen.

This time, my legs gave out completely, and I crumpled to the floor.

I felt something warm trickle down the inside of my thigh. Within moments, blood had soaked through the pale fabric of my lounge pants.

The cramping grew worse, each wave more painful than the last.

With no one else to turn to, I fumbled for my phone and called Ethan with shaking hands. It rang and rang before he finally picked up.

"What is it? I'm busy." He sounded impatient.

"Ethan…" I struggled to get the words out. "My stomach… It really hurts… Can you please… come back?"

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line. "You're pregnant, Natalie. Cramps happen, especially when you're this worked up. If you're really that worried, call a cab and get checked out. I'm not a doctor. What exactly do you expect me to do?"

Before I could answer, he hung up.

The call ended, and I stared at the screen as the room seemed to tilt around me.

Suddenly, I found myself remembering all those nights when Ethan had held me close. He would gently trace his fingers over the scars on my skin before pressing a kiss to each one.

"Natalie." He'd bury his face against me and hold me a little tighter. "I swear I'll spend the rest of my life making you happy. There'll never be anyone else for me. Just you."

I could still hear those promises as clearly as if he'd made them only yesterday.

But the man who'd made them was gone. His heart belonged to someone else now.

Another vicious cramp tore through my abdomen, and I felt another warm trickle of blood run down my thigh.

In the end, I called an ambulance myself. Now I lay alone in a hospital bed, each contraction hitting harder than the last.

A nurse hurried to my bedside. "Where's your husband? You're showing signs of preterm labor, and we need someone to sign the consent forms."

Fighting through the crushing pain in my abdomen, I gathered what little strength I had left and called Ethan one more time.

But it wasn't Ethan who answered.

It was his assistant, Mason Stark.

He said awkwardly, "Mrs. Thamson, Ethan asked me to let you know that Ms. Coleman isn't doing well. He's staying at the hospital with her tonight. He also asked that you stop calling him."