Chapter 4

Arianna

My head snapped toward the door. Damian’s eyes locked with mine, dark and intense. I pushed away from the table and ran as fast as I could.

 “Arianna… stop!” Damian’s voice thundered behind me.

I didn’t stop. My feet slapped against the cold floor. I held my stomach with one hand and my dress with the other. I can’t let him catch me after what I’ve heard.

I turned a corner too fast and crashed into a servant. She gasped as her tray fell with a loud clatter.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, but I kept running.

My lungs burned, my chest ached and tears blurred my vision. When I finally reached my room, I slammed the door shut, twisting the lock with trembling hands.

A second later, Damian pounded on the door. “Arianna, open the damn door!”

The door rattled. I pressed my back against it, sobbing.

“No!”

There was a long silence. Then his voice came again, calm and cold. “Open it.”

I shook my head even though he couldn’t see me. “Go away.”

My legs gave out. I slid down to the floor, crying so hard my whole body shook. I was terrified for my baby.

“You were eavesdropping on me.” he said through the door.

I squeezed my eyes shut, more tears spilled. “Yes.”  I whispered.

“Open the door. Let’s talk calmly.”

A broken laugh escaped my lips. “Talk about what?” I choked. “That I’m just your incubator?”

He cursed. “Arianna…”

“Leave me be!” I shouted.

“Damn it!” I heard him curse again, then his footsteps moved away.

I stayed on the floor for a long time, crying until I had no tears left. I couldn’t stay here. This wasn’t a marriage. It was a prison. I had been stupid to think a man like Damian would want anything real with me after clearing my father’s debt.

He will take my baby for repayment. I can’t let him take my baby. I had to leave.

The next morning, I forced myself to act normal. I dried my tears, put on clean clothes. I smiled at the maids, ate breakfast and avoided Damian’s cold eyes. Inside, I felt like I was dying, but I told myself it was only for a little while.

I started planning to leave.

I took small amounts of cash from the card Damian give me so it wouldn’t raise suspicion. I hid the money in an old shoebox under the bed. Then I emailed my old professor from medical school.

Professor Lewis is a brilliant surgeon from Switzerland. A year ago, he had offered me a research internship overseas. At that time I rejected it because I thought of my family and couldn’t just leave my brother behind.

Now, I emailed him. Is your offer still open?

He replied within hours: It would always be open for you

I cried happy tears when I read his message. For the first time in weeks, I felt hopeful. I reached out to a maid’s cousin who owed me a favor, I asked him to make me a new passport with a different name and a one-way ticket for Switzerland.

At the same time, Damian started acting strangely possessive like he could sense something was wrong. He came home earlier, watched me during meals, and followed me with his eyes everywhere. He even placed a guard to follow me and forbade me from leaving the estate alone.

One afternoon, he cornered me in the library. His finger brushed my wrist gently. “I’m sorry, Arianna.” he said softly.

I blinked in shock. “What?”

“I’m sorry for what I did to you on our first night together.” He looked uncomfortable, like the words were hard for him to say. “I was angry.”

I sucked my breath, my heart softened. I stared at him. It was the first time he had ever apologized. But then I remembered his words to Enola.

I only married her for an heir.

I pulled my hand away. “Save your apologies.”  I walked away before he could say more and cried in the bathroom because a small stupid part of me still wanted to believe him.

Three days later, Damian left for on a business trip. I convinced the guards to let me go to the pharmacy alone. I needed prenatal vitamins and also to get some air.

When I returned to the underground parking lot, it was quiet. I stepped out of the car, but heavy footsteps suddenly rushed toward me.

 “Ahhhh!” I screamed as two mean grabbed me. One held my arm, while the other tried to hit my stomach.

“Get off me!” I fought back, kicking and scratching with all the strength. I bit the man’s hand hard.

A fist slammed into my side, and pain exploded in my belly. I fell to the ground, hitting my head on the concrete. Stars burst in my eyes.

“No, not my baby…” I screamed, covering my stomach.

One man pulled out a knife to stab me.

Then a gunshot rang out and everything stopped. The man’s blood splattered on my face and dress. He dropped down, his blood spreading under him. The other man ran.

One of Damian’s guard rushed forward, his gun still smoking. “Mrs. Liam!”

I shook all over.  Warm liquid trickled down my leg. When I looked down and saw blood, I gasped in horror. “My baby…” I whispered.

I woke up in the hospital. My hand flew to my stomach in panic.

The doctor smiled gently. “Your baby is safe. Mrs. Liam. It’s just stress and a little bleeding. The baby is okay.”  I sobbed in relief.

That same night, I returned to the estate and packed only what I needed. The cash, fake passport, some clothes, clothes.

The guard had told me that Damian heard about the incident and was on his way back, but I was done, my baby and I were no longer safe here, and I can’t keep risking our lives.

My hand trembled as I wrote.

Damian.

You got what you wanted, an heir. But you will never have me or my child. Don’t look for us.

Arianna

I left the letter on the bed and took one last look at the room that had been my prison, then I walked out, and shut the door behind me.

It was past midnight when Damian returned to the mansion. “Emily.” Damian called as he stepped inside, but the house was too quiet.

He went straight to the bedroom. The bed was empty. The only thing he saw was a letter.

He tore it open and read it. His face drained of color. “No!

He ripped open the closet, her clothes were gone. In rage, he threw a lamp across the room. Glass shattered everywhere.

His phone rang. He answered it coldly. “What?”

 “Your wife is gone… and she’s carrying your child.”

Damian froze, his hand tightened around the phone. His eyes darkened with rage and fierce obsession.

“Find her!”