Chapter 1

Selena POV

"Your uterine wall is dangerously thin, Mrs. Winston. If you insist on going full term, you will bleed out on the delivery table."

Dr. Lawrence's words rang in my ears, completely drowning out the steady beep of the hospital machines.

I sat frozen on the cold exam table. My hands dropped instinctively to cradle my belly.

I was only twenty-seven weeks pregnant. My baby was still so small. I felt a tiny heel press against my palm. A faint flutter of life. He was trying to comfort me, entirely unaware of the death sentence hanging over us.

"But doctor," I whispered. My voice shook violently. "If we do a C-section now, won't it hurt him? His lungs aren't ready."

Dr. Lawrence looked at me over her glasses. I saw a flash of deep pity in her eyes. "I understand your concern, Selena. But you have to weigh the risks. Your life is on the line. You need to discuss this with your husband."

I nodded numbly. I slid off the table and left the office.

The VIP wing of the hospital was dead quiet. The air smelled of sharp antiseptic and lemon floor wax.

I pulled out my phone. The screen lit up: Ellis Winston – Calling...

It rang and rang. Then, voicemail.

A hard knot of anxiety twisted in my chest.

Where was Ellis? He was the Don of the most powerful Mafia family in the state. I knew his world was filled with violence and endless business.

But he promised he would come to the ultrasound today.

I had spent hours picking out the perfect little blue socks, imagining the moment his cold exterior would melt when he finally saw his son's heartbeat on the screen.

For once, I just wanted him to be a father. I just wanted him to care.

I dragged my feet down the long corridor. The weight of my belly made my lower back ache with every step.

I wrapped my beige cardigan tighter around my shoulders.

As I passed the corner suite at the end of the hall, a familiar voice stopped me dead in my tracks.

"You're too good to me, Ellis."

I froze. My breath hitched in my throat. I knew that sweet, sickening voice anywhere.

Jennifer. My half-sister.

She claimed she had leukemia months ago. Only my bone marrow matched hers.

I told her I would gladly help her out, but only after I safely delivered my baby. Dr. Lawrence had warned me that my body couldn't handle the trauma before then.

Why was Ellis in Jennifer's room now?

I crept closer to the heavy wooden door. The blinds covering the small glass window were parted just a fraction. I held my breath and peeked through the gap.

Jennifer was sitting up in her hospital bed. She didn't look like a dying woman. Her hair fell in perfect, bouncy waves. She wore a sheer, lace-trimmed silk nightgown that dipped way too low. Her lips were glossy pink.

Beside her bed stood Ellis. My husband.

He was the ruthless Mafia Don who terrified the entire city. Men bowed to him. Enemies feared his name. Yet here he was, standing quietly by her side.

He wore his custom black suit, but his broad shoulders were relaxed. His attention was fixed entirely on her.

Suddenly, Jennifer's eyes shifted. They locked straight onto the window.

She saw me.

I gasped and stepped back, but it was too late.

A vicious, triumphant smirk spread across Jennifer's perfectly painted lips. She leaned forward, raising her voice just enough. She wanted me to hear this.

"But Ellis," Jennifer said. Her tone dripped with fake concern. "Selena is only twenty-seven weeks pregnant. Look at her when she visits. She always wears those cheap clothes. She doesn't even look strong enough. Are you sure she'll agree to a C-section tomorrow? Just for me?"

Tomorrow?

My blood ran ice cold. The floor dropped out from under me.

"Don't worry," Ellis replied. His voice was perfectly calm. It was that chilling, deadpan tone he used right before ordering a hit.

"I've already scheduled the C-section. The surgical team is on standby. The doctor will extract her bone marrow during the procedure."

Extract my bone marrow. During a forced, premature C-section.

I covered my mouth with both hands to trap my scream. My stomach cramped violently.

He viewed my pregnant body as nothing more than a blood farm to cure my half-sister.

Every gentle touch, every time he rested his hand on my belly at night, it was all a lie. He was just checking on his harvest. He was willing to sacrifice our son's health just to pay off his debt to her.

Through the glass, Jennifer placed a hand delicately over her chest. She played the tragic victim perfectly.

"Oh, poor baby... sacrificing so much for a useless aunt like me. If her bone marrow doesn't cure my leukemia, I suppose Selena's kid might be my only hope in the future. They say infant stem cells work wonders."

"Don't overthink it," Ellis said softly. He remained completely blind to her toxic venom. "It's just a little bone marrow, Jennifer. Everything is prepared. You will live."

Jennifer reached out. She grabbed Ellis's silk tie and pulled him down into a tight hug. She buried her face in his broad chest. Her arms curled around his neck.

Over his shoulder, her sharp eyes stared right into mine through the glass. The smirk returned, colder and more mocking than before.

"I know," Jennifer whispered loudly. "I know you only made her get pregnant so you could use the baby's cord blood and her marrow for me. You are so devoted to me, Ellis. She is just a tool for us."

A wave of pure nausea hit me. My vision blurred with hot tears. I stumbled backward, completely disoriented. I couldn't see where I was going. My shoulder slammed hard into something solid.

"Oh! Watch out, Mrs. Winston!"

Crash.

I collided with Nurse Daisy. A metal tray of surgical instruments slipped from her hands. It hit the floor violently. The noise was deafening, echoing like a gunshot in the silent hallway.

Inside the room, Ellis whipped around.

His deep blue eyes widened in shock. He saw me standing there.

I was trembling, tears streaming down my pale face, clutching my stomach as if trying to shield my baby from him.

I didn't think. I just turned and ran.

"Selena!" Ellis roared. His deep voice tore through the corridor, filled with a sudden, dark panic.

I held my heavy belly and pushed myself as fast as I could. The heavy double doors of the stairwell were just ahead. I shoved them open. The metal hinges whined loudly, protesting the force.

"Selena, stop right there!"

Heavy, rapid footsteps thundered behind me. I could smell the faint trace of his cedar and tobacco cologne cutting through the hospital air.

I barely made it down the first flight of concrete stairs. My lungs burned.

A massive hand clamped down on my shoulder. His grip was like a steel vice, burning through the thin fabric of my cardigan.

He spun me around roughly, pinning me against the cold concrete wall.

"Where do you think you are going?" Ellis demanded. His chest heaved as his dark, furious eyes locked onto mine, completely trapping me in the shadows.