Chapter 3

I stumbled back half a step. "I never even touched you!"

"Shut up!"

Leonard had already scooped Xandra into his arms. She lay limp against his chest, a barely perceptible hint of triumph hidden in her tearful voice. "My stomach hurts so badly. What if I lose the baby?"

"The ambulance will be here any minute!"

Leonard whipped around, his icy gaze cutting into me. "If anything happens to Ms. Sullivan, can you take responsibility for it?"

My heart shattered.

My voice trembled as I asked, "Leonard, you really believe her over me?"

Leonard acted as though he hadn't heard me.

"Willa, she's a Sullivan. She's someone you can't afford to cross. You actually dared to hurt Xandra in God's house? Do you have a death wish?"

Blood dripped onto Leonard's hands. He panicked and rushed toward the church doors with Xandra in his arms.

I tried to follow them, but a priest stepped in front of me.

"You violated the rules of this church. You'll have to face the consequences."

A pair of scissors appeared inches from my face. I cautiously backed away a few steps, only to be grabbed by another priest behind me.

They dragged me away, intending to cut off my hair. I screamed for Leonard to save me.

"Let go of me, Leonard..."

Hearing the commotion, Leonard started to turn around, but Xandra grabbed his arm. "My baby... My stomach hurts so badly."

"Xandra!"

Leonard ignored my cries for help, got into the car, and drove away.

In that moment, I lost all hope.

The priest beside me let out a sinister laugh. "Serves you right. You should've known better than to cross the wrong person."

The men stripped off their priestly robes and pulled off their bald caps.

"Ms. Sutton, don't blame us. We're just doing what we were paid to do!"

I stumbled backward in shock.

They weren't priests at all!

I panicked and ran around frantically. My first instinct was to call the police, but Leonard suddenly called me.

"Willa, why did you lose your mind and push Xandra? Didn't she already explain that we're nothing more than employer and employee?"

"Leonard, please help me! I'm trapped in the church! They're trying to hurt me!"

I screamed, kicking away the filthy hands groping me as I desperately begged for help.

"Please, Leonard, help me! I'm pregnant. I'm pregnant."

Leonard let out a cold laugh. "Willa, are you trying to use your pregnancy as an excuse to avoid responsibility?

"You disgust me."

He hung up.

Desperate, I tried to call the police, but someone knocked my phone out of my hand.

"Stop struggling. Ms. Sullivan rented out the entire church. Everyone inside and outside is on her side. You're not getting away."

I struggled against them, then fell to my knees and begged. "I'm pregnant. Please, I'm begging you. Let me go."

But no matter how desperately I pleaded, they refused to let me go.

A sharp cramp tore through my stomach, and I felt the life inside me slowly slipping away.

I lay numb on the cold floor, and the abuse continued until dawn.

I dragged my reeking body out of the church, and a message from Xandra appeared on my phone.

"Did they have their fun with you? What a shame they didn't kill you.

"Oh, right. My baby and I are perfectly fine, by the way."

I managed a bitter smile before collapsing onto the asphalt, dazed and barely aware of my surroundings.

The residents near the church spotted me and frowned in disgust.

"Was that woman the one making all that noise at the church last night? What a disgusting slut."

"I heard she pushed the Sullivan family's eldest daughter yesterday and caused her to miscarry. I guess what goes around comes around. She got what she deserved."

The insults rained down on me, but I barely registered them.

After struggling to my feet, a car drove past me, and the force of it sent me tumbling back onto the road.

Leonard got out of the car and stared at me in disbelief.

"Willy?"