Chapter 5

"If you're really that angry, then hit me."

She grabbed my hand and tried to force my hand against her cheek.

When I pulled free, she threw herself backward and slammed her lower back into the corner of the wall.

Spencer rushed to pull her into his arms, his face a mask of shock and concern.

"Vivian..."

He looked back at me, his eyes frigid with fury.

"Chloe, Vivian has done more than anyone could ask of her. If you've got a grievance, bring it to me!"

I stared at the two of them, too stunned to speak.

Three minutes after Spencer swept Vivian out of the room, a text came in.

"If you don't go look at your parents' ashes now, there won't be anything left to see."

My legs gave out, and I slowly crumpled to the floor.

Ignoring the nurse trying to stop me, I stumbled out of the hospital.

But by the time I reached the old house, the excavator had reduced the yard to a wreck.

Shards of the ceramic urns lay scattered everywhere. I dropped to my knees and clawed through the dirt, but I couldn't find a single trace of their ashes.

Vivian texted again. "Do you like the gift I gave you?"

I clutched my head and broke down sobbing, my whole world crumbling around me.

I raced back to the hospital in a blind rage and slapped Vivian across the face.

She'd only been taunting me, trying to get a rise out of me.

But the moment she saw Spencer in the corridor, her expression changed.

She slapped me hard across the face.

Then she lunged at me, clawing and grabbing at me as she screamed for me to leave her baby alone.

"Please don't hurt my baby. He's my whole life. I can't lose him..."

My belly slammed against the corner of the bed frame over and over, and white spots exploded across my vision.

Then I felt a warm trickle run down the inside of my thigh.

The color drained from my face.

Spencer rushed in without even sparing me a glance.

He gathered the trembling, frightened Vivian into his arms.

He shot me a look of pure fury.

"Chloe, how dare you!"

Vivian tilted her head and gave me a smug, taunting smile.

I was shaking so badly I could barely stand. My vision darkened, and then everything went black.

It wasn't until I was lying in an ICU bed that I faintly heard the doctor call Spencer.

"Mr. Prescott, your wife's condition is critical. Please come to the hospital immediately."

"I'm at the hospital."

The nurse froze. "Then please get to the emergency department on the fifth floor right away."

Spencer was silent on the other end of the line.

Vivian, her voice thick with tears, said, "Spencer, go see Chloe. The doctor said my shock might affect the baby, but Chloe matters more."

"Just lie down and rest. Don't move."

Spencer turned back to the nurse. "Just follow your usual procedures. Whatever paperwork you need, send it over and I'll sign it remotely."

The nurse's voice turned urgent. "Mr. Prescott, some things have to be discussed in person."

Spencer's voice went cold. "She had enough strength to hit someone a little while ago, and now she's critical? Is this how your hospital drums up panic?"

The nurse ended the call in anger.

Ten minutes later, my bleeding became much heavier.

In a brief moment of clarity, the doctor placed a critical-condition consent form in front of me.

I signed it with a trembling hand, and my phone screen lit up.

"Chloe, stop making a scene."

"You know I can't bear to hurt you. Don't throw away more than twelve years together."

The phone slipped from my hand.

Before I lost consciousness, I thought of that summer years ago, when a shy young boy held me in his arms and promised he would never let me down.

Twelve years. That's all it had taken for love to turn into nothing.

Two hours later, Spencer finally made his way up to the fifth floor.

"Is Chloe still making a scene?"

The nurse looked at him.

"Mr. Prescott, Ms. Hayes suffered another severe hemorrhage following her abortion. We've already issued a critical-condition notice once."