Chapter 4

The next morning, I was still on the floor outside Sarah' s room. The door opened and David walked out, his hair damp from a shower. He frowned when he saw me huddled there.

"Come to my study," he said, his voice impatient.

I struggled to my feet and followed him, my body screaming in protest. Inside the study, he sat at his large desk and turned on his computer. A familiar voice filled the room.

"Olivia, it' s Mom."

It was Mrs. Sterling, my adoptive mother. Her face on the screen was kind and warm. "Olivia, how are you, dear? Is Anna awake? Your father and I are having visa trouble here in Europe, or we would have been there for my grandson' s first birthday."

Anna. My son' s name. The sound of it was a physical blow. Tears filled my eyes, and a sob caught in my throat. I choked it back down.

David answered for me, his voice calm and smooth. "Mom, don' t worry. The baby is still sleeping. Mother and son are doing well."

Mrs. Sterling smiled, relieved. "That's good to hear." She gave a few more instructions and then ended the call.

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. My hands were clenched into fists. His "mother and son" were not me and Anna. He was talking about Sarah and her daughter, Lily, who now had my son' s heart.

The moment the call ended, David physically recoiled from me, as if I was carrying a disease. I managed a bitter smile. When we first married, he couldn't stand to be away from me. He held me tightly even when he slept. Now, he looked at me like I was a snake.

He grabbed my chin, his fingers digging into my skin, forcing me to look at him. "Feeling sad, are we? This is nothing compared to the harm you caused Sarah and me."

My heart ached with a pain that had nothing to do with my physical injuries. I slowly looked up at him. "David," I whispered, my voice hoarse. "What if I told you I never meant to harm Sarah? That it was all a mistake? Would you believe me?"

His brow furrowed in anger. "Shut up! Who gave you permission to call her by her name?" He yanked my collar, pulling me out of the chair. I fell hard. "If you hadn't interfered, we would have been married years ago! Our child wouldn't have been sick!"

My calf slammed against the sharp leg of the heavy oak desk. I heard a sickening crack, followed by a wave of blinding pain. I cried out, unable to stop myself.

For a second, David' s anger faltered. He instinctively bent down as if to check on me. But then his eyes fixed on my ankle.

"Your ankle bracelet," he said, his voice puzzled. "Why is there a red light flashing?"

My blood ran cold. He knew.

Before he could grab my leg, a sweet, cloying voice came from the doorway.

"David, our daughter is awake and she's looking for her daddy. What are you doing in here?" Sarah leaned against the doorframe, a picture of innocence. "Oh, my. What happened to my sister? Was she too tired from washing that sheet yesterday?"