Chapter 4

Chloe's POV

The two figures on the surveillance screen didn't stop.

Ryan frowned. "Wendy, you're only three months along, and the pregnancy isn't stable yet. Don't push it."

"I want to!"

Ryan looked at her for a moment, then his hand reached out.

"Then... I'll be gentle. If you feel any discomfort, tell me immediately, okay?"

A woman's muffled gasps drifted from the feed.

Unclenching the fists I had held tight for so long, I decisively closed the surveillance app.

I uploaded the recording to an encrypted cloud drive and made sure the file was saved securely.

Then I turned off the lights and went to sleep.

The next day was the weekend.

From early morning, Wendy pestered Ryan to take her shopping and insisted on dragging me along.

I was about to refuse when Ryan spoke first.

"Come along, Chloe. Walking around more is good for the baby."

I nearly laughed out of sheer anger.

Over the past two months since the supposed pregnancy was detected, he had insisted on accompanying me even if I just went out to the yard to pick up a delivery, let alone allowing me to leave the house by myself.

He was terrified that I might slip out one day and discover the truth that I wasn't pregnant at all.

Now, with a single sentence from Wendy, all his vigilance evaporated.

The two of them practically forced me into the car.

Wendy sat in the passenger seat giving directions, and the car pulled up directly in front of a high-end maternity and baby boutique.

After getting out, Ryan held Wendy's arm, treating her with utmost care the entire way.

Once inside, I finally understood why Wendy had insisted on bringing me.

She wanted to buy baby supplies right in front of my face just to spite me.

"Ryan, I love this bear onesie! The baby will look adorable in it!"

"All right, wrap it up."

"This bottle! It's pink with little stars on it!"

"Wrap that up, too."

"I want this rocking chair as well—it has a bow on it."

Just yesterday, Ryan had read in a parenting book that the tilt angle on that type of rocker was wrong and could damage an infant's spine, meaning it shouldn't be purchased.

"Wrap it up," Ryan said.

From the moment I walked in, I had been sitting on the lounge sofa playing on my phone, making no attempt to join them.

The shop assistant recognized Ryan and flattered him with a smile as she packaged the items. "Mr. Hayes is so good to Mrs. Hayes, sparing no expense on anything."

I saw Ryan choke, correcting her stiffly, "This is my sister."

The assistant looked at Wendy, then at me on the sofa, her expression growing utterly complicated as she lowered her head and resumed packing.

The three of us walked out of the store and headed toward the parking lot.

Suddenly, a young boy dashed out from around the corner, sprinting wildly and on a direct collision course with us.

Quick on his feet, Ryan grabbed Wendy and pulled her aside, nimbly dodging out of the way.

Unable to react in time, I took the full brunt of the boy's impact and crashed hard onto the ground.

My elbow immediately scraped against the pavement, oozing blood.

Ryan rushed over to help me up.

"Chloe, are you all right? I didn't see you standing right there, I..."

Trembling from the pain, I glanced at him and spoke with deliberate implication.

"I'm fine. As long as the baby is okay, right?"

A flicker of guilt flashed across Ryan's face, though he quickly masked it and helped me into the car.

A light rain began to fall on the drive back.

Halfway home, a truck ran a red light from the side and slammed into the passenger door.

Wendy lost consciousness on the spot in the front passenger seat.

Sitting in the back, I was thrown violently, blood pouring from a cut on my head.

The moment the car stopped, Ryan pulled Wendy into his arms, yelling in sheer panic, "Wendy! Wendy, how are you? Don't scare me!"

He dialed a number in a frenzy, and within five minutes, a helicopter landed on the open ground by the intersection.

Without wasting a single second, Ryan carried Wendy aboard, never once turning his head to look into the backseat.

The helicopter soon vanished into the clouds.

A sharp, stinging pain pricked at my chest like countless needles.

Closing my eyes, I told myself: What is there to be sad about? What is there to be surprised by? He isn't worth it. Never grieve over him again.

Just as I was about to dial emergency services, an ambulance roared up and screeched to a halt beside the car.

Felix was the first to jump out, sprinting straight toward me.

My heart gave a faint flutter.

Could it be that Ryan had left instructions before departing, telling Felix to come pick me up?

Felix rushed to the side of the car, stunned when he saw my blood-covered face.

"Ma'am," he began with difficulty, "Miss Hayes urgently needs a blood transfusion. She has a rare blood type, and yours is the only match. Mr. Hayes told me to bring you to the hospital to give blood for her."

So he hadn't come to save me after all. He had come to harvest my blood to save the woman Ryan loved.

Ryan had never cared whether I was hurt in the slightest.

Suppressing every shred of emotion, I pointed at my injuries.

"Felix, I'm pregnant. Between my injuries and the pregnancy, do you really think I can donate blood?"

A troubled expression crossed Felix's face.

"Ma'am, these are Mr. Hayes's orders, and my hands are tied. Mr. Hayes said... said he would ensure the safety of both you and the child."

I laughed coldly inside.

Ryan knew perfectly well that I wasn't pregnant at all, so what safety of the child was there to speak of?

I knew I couldn't escape today.

A crowd of onlookers had already gathered along the roadside.

Glancing at the bystanders, tears slipped down my cheeks as I deliberately raised my voice.

"I was in a car crash, I've lost so much blood, and I'm pregnant! Ryan is actually forcing me to give blood to his stepsister—is he trying to kill both me and my baby?"