Chapter 4

Every head in the room swiveled to look at me. I stood frozen, as shocked as everyone else.

"Oh my God!" Clemma shrieked, pointing a trembling finger at the stage.

Erlene let out a weak cry, her eyes rolling back in her head as she slumped over in the wheelchair, a perfect imitation of a fragile flower wilting.

"Erlene!" Carter's face went white with panic. He swept her up into his arms, his expression a storm of fury and terror.

SMACK.

A sharp sting exploded across my cheek. Clemma had lunged at me, her face contorted with rage.

The force of the blow sent me stumbling backward. I caught my balance, the shock of the slap bringing me back to my senses.

"How could you?!" Clemma screamed, her voice shrill. "How could you be so cruel to your dying sister?"

My father, Adler, rushed to her side, his face a mask of disappointment. "Darline, you've gone too far this time!"

The push from my father was unexpected. I lost my footing and fell hard, my knee cracking against the marble floor. A sharp pain shot up my leg.

"It wasn't me," I gasped, trying to push myself up. "I didn't do it."

"Be quiet!" Adler's voice was like a whip. "Have you no shame? No compassion?"

He gestured to two burly security guards. "Take her. Lock her in the cellar until she learns her lesson."

The guards grabbed my arms, hauling me to my feet. I struggled, but they were too strong. They dragged me down a set of stairs and threw me into a small, dark wine cellar. The heavy door slammed shut, the lock clicking with a horrifying finality.

It was pitch black and smelled of damp earth and old wine. "Let me out!" I screamed, pounding on the door until my fists were raw. "Please!"

There was no answer. Just silence.

My strength gave out, and I slid down the door, my body trembling with fear and cold. I was losing my grip, the darkness pressing in on me.

Just as I was about to pass out, the door creaked open. A sliver of light appeared.

And then something wet and foul-smelling splashed over me.

A thick, coppery liquid filled my mouth, and I choked, sputtering and coughing. It was blood. Animal blood.

My vision was blurry, but I could make out a tall figure standing in the doorway. It was Carter.

He stood there, watching me, his face devoid of any emotion. He was looking at me like I was a piece of trash.

He walked toward me, his expensive shoes clicking on the stone floor. He knelt down, pulling a silk handkerchief from his pocket. He wiped my cheek with a gesture that would have seemed gentle if his eyes weren't so full of ice.

"This is for Erlene," he said, his voice a deadly whisper. "She begged me to forgive you, you know. She's too kind. But some things can't be forgiven."

He stood up, looking down at me. "You will stay here and think about what you've done."

"Carter, please," I begged, my voice hoarse. "It wasn't me. I would never-"

"Enough," he cut me off. "You should have thought of the consequences before you acted."

"Please," I whispered, my hand instinctively going to my stomach. "I'm... I'm pregnant."

Suddenly, a violent cramp seized my abdomen. It was a sharp, tearing pain that made me cry out. I looked down. A dark stain was spreading on my dress, between my legs.

"The baby," I gasped, looking up at him with wide, terrified eyes. "Something's wrong. Please, Carter, help me. We have to go to the hospital."

He looked at the blood, then back at my face. A look of pure disgust crossed his features. "Another lie? You're pathetic, Darline. You'll do anything to get out of being punished, won't you?"

He turned his back on me.

"No, Carter, please!" I cried, reaching for him, but my hand just scraped the floor. "Don't leave me! Please!"

He walked out of the cellar without a backward glance. The door slammed shut, plunging me back into darkness.

A guttural sob escaped my lips. I tried to pull myself toward the door, my fingers leaving bloody streaks on the floor.

I collapsed, the pain in my belly overwhelming everything else. A wave of warmth spread between my legs. I knew what was happening. I was losing my baby.

Lying in a pool of my own blood and the foul liquid he had thrown on me, I felt a strange sense of clarity. The last shred of love I had for him died in that dark, cold room.

As my consciousness faded, a grim smile touched my lips. He had taken everything from me. My love, my dignity, and now, my child.

I would never forgive him.