Chapter 2: Please, Look at Me

Brielle’s POV

I kept walking. Gideon would not come after me. The suitcase wheels caught on the rug and jerked my arm. I glanced over my shoulder once, but Gideon remained where I had left him.

Lucy’s heels clicked behind me. She followed me to the top of the stairs, her coat still perfect and her hands folded in front of her.

“Brielle, stop. You don’t have to walk out like this,” Lucy said, stepping in front of me.

“You’ve interfered in my marriage for months, Lucy. Stop pretending otherwise.”

“Then you should have stayed out of it.”

Gideon's footsteps came from the bedroom. He stopped behind me.

“That’s enough, Brielle.”

I didn't turn around. “Of course you'd say that.”

“Leave Lucy out of this. The problem is between you and me.”

I finally faced him. “Then why is she always here whenever we have a problem? Why do you listen to her every time, even when you won't give me the chance to explain myself?”

Lucy lowered her eyes. “Gideon, please. I don't want you two fighting because of me.”

He moved past me and stood beside her. “You don't have to explain yourself to her.”

I stared at him. Even now, he was more concerned about making sure Lucy felt comfortable than understanding why his wife was leaving.

Lucy reached towards my arm. “Brielle, please. You're upset, and I don't want you doing something you'll regret.”

I pulled away. “Don't touch me.”

Her hand froze. “I'm only trying to stop this from getting worse.”

“The only thing I regret is allowing you to get this close to my marriage.”

Gideon's expression hardened. “Watch your tone!”

“Or what? You'll throw me out faster? You're already doing that.”

Lucy raised both hands. “Please, stop. I never wanted your marriage to fail, and I don't want you leaving here thinking I caused all this.”

I gave a bitter laugh. “You don't have to convince me of anything.”

I moved around her towards the stairs, but she followed.

“You're twisting everything I say,” she insisted. “I came here because Gideon asked for those papers. I had no idea you were planning to leave.”

“Hmph.”

Gideon caught her elbow. “Lucy, you don't have to explain yourself to her.”

“I want to,” she said, looking at me. “I would never do anything to hurt him.”

I turned on the first step. “You've already done enough.”

Lucy shifted closer, her expression changing as she reached for my shoulder.

“Brielle, stop. You're going to hurt yourself if you keep moving like this.”

I jerked away. “I said don't touch me!”

Her hand landed harder than it should have. The push struck my upper arm with clear force and sent me sideways. My foot missed the edge of the step, and the suitcase handle tore free from my grip.

I tried to grab the railing, but my fingers scraped the wood without finding anything solid.

I tumbled down several steps. My shoulder slammed into one edge, my side hit another, and the side of my head struck the wall. Pain exploded behind my eyes. I landed awkwardly on the lower landing, my wrist twisting beneath me as I tried to catch myself.

A sharp, deep pain shot through my lower abdomen.

Lucy came down too, landing lighter, almost controlled, before pressing a hand to her forehead.

“Oh...oh no. The stairs. I got dizzy. Brielle, are you all right?”

I couldn't answer immediately. My vision swam, and warm blood ran down the side of my face from the cut on my head. My right wrist wouldn't take any weight. The pain in my lower belly tightened, then tightened again. I pressed my good hand over my stomach without thinking.

Gideon's voice cut through the haze. “Lucy!”

He was already moving past me, dropping to his knees beside her.

“I'm fine,” Lucy whispered. “I just felt lightheaded. I reached for her, and we both fell.”

“Don't talk or move. I've got you.”

I forced the words out. “Gideon…”

He didn't look down. He stood with Lucy against his chest, one arm around her back and the other under her knees.

“Gideon, wait. My head and my wrist hurts...please, look at me!”

He kept walking.

“Gideon, at least look at me!” I tried to sit up, but the movement sent pain through my head. “I'm bleeding. Don't leave me here!”

He didn't turn. Lucy's cream coat brushed the banister as he carried her away.

“You can't leave me here,” I called after him, my voice growing thinner. “Gideon!”

The front door opened downstairs, then closed.

The house went quiet except for my breathing and the soft drip of blood from my head onto the wood.

The pain in my abdomen clenched again, sharper this time. I felt wetness between my legs that had nothing to do with the blood running down my face. My stomach dropped. I pressed harder against it and tried to breathe through the next wave.

I stayed on the landing. Every time I tried to move, my wrist screamed and my head spun harder. The suitcase had landed somewhere below me, one wheel still spinning slowly.

Footsteps came from the kitchen hallway. “Mrs. Shaw?”

Martha appeared at the bottom of the stairs and froze.

“Oh my lord, Miss Brielle!”

She climbed quickly, holding her skirts in one hand, and dropped to her knees beside me. Her eyes moved from the blood on my face to my wrist and then to the hand pressed against my stomach.

“Don't move or try to get up.” She pulled a clean cloth from her apron pocket and pressed it gently against my temple. “Arthur! Arthur, get up here now!”

Arthur Collins appeared, his face tightening at the sight of me. “What happened?”

“Call an ambulance, tell them she has fallen down the stairs and needs help immediately.”

Arthur nodded and hurried away with his phone.

Martha kept the cloth in place, her other hand hovering near my shoulder. “Where is Mr. Shaw?”

I swallowed. The taste of blood sat at the back of my throat.

“He left with Lucy.”

The next cramp hit hard. I sucked in a breath and pressed my hand tighter against my belly.

“Martha, something's wrong. When I fell, there was bleeding, but not from my head. The pain keeps coming.”

Her eyes dropped briefly to my lap. Her face changed, but she didn't panic.

“All right, we're getting you help right now. Don't try to sit up again; just stay with me.”

Arthur returned a moment later, still holding his phone. “They've sent an ambulance, they're on their way.”

Martha nodded. “Good. Tell them she's pregnant too. They need to know.”

I caught her wrist with my good hand. “Please…”

“Miss Brielle, you need to tell them everything so they can help you.”

I shook my head slightly, then winced as the movement made my head hurt.

Outside, the sound of an approaching siren grew louder. Martha kept talking to me, asking me to stay awake while Arthur waited to guide the paramedics inside.

When they arrived, they examined me before carefully placing me on a stretcher. Martha stayed beside me as they secured it and carried me out.

The night air touched my face. I stared up at the dark sky while they loaded me into the ambulance. Martha climbed in beside me, and Arthur followed behind us.

As the ambulance pulled away, I kept my good hand pressed against my stomach.

Martha's voice stayed low. “You're going straight to the hospital. The doctors will check everything, so just keep breathing.”

I turned my head towards her. The movement made the world tilt again. Blood still seeped through the cloth under her fingers. The other bleeding hadn't stopped, and the cramps kept rolling through me in slow, hard waves.

“Martha, what if something's wrong with them? What if the fall...”

“Don't finish that thought right now, we're almost there. Hold on.”

I swallowed hard. My voice came out barely above a whisper. “Please… don't let him know.”

Martha leaned closer. “Don't let who know what, Miss Brielle?”

“Gideon. About the babies, about any of this. He can't find out... Promise me.”

She held my gaze for a second, then gave a short nod. “I promise, he won't hear it from me.”

I closed my eyes.

The ambulance turned onto the main road.

The last thing I felt was the steady pressure of Martha's hand against my head, the deep ache in my abdomen, and the quiet certainty that the man who had just carried another woman out the door could never know what I was trying to protect.