I knew that fighting back head-on would only put me and my unborn child in danger.
Swallowing my nausea, I lowered my eyes and spoke, my voice raw.
"Let me think about it overnight."
Derek released his grip with a satisfied look and patted my cheek like he was doing me a favor.
"See? That's more like it. If you'd been this obedient from the start, you could've spared yourself all that pain."
He turned to Chloe. "Babe, take Brandon to the bath. You two are sleeping in the master bedroom tonight."
I watched the three of them disappear into the bathroom—a perfect little family—then immediately turned and headed for the study.
I had to leave. Now.
I needed to drive to my father's house tonight and make him halt construction on the Southside development project immediately. Even if it meant paying breach-of-contract penalties, I couldn't let Derek's scheme succeed.
I dug through the safe and grabbed my passport, my ID, and what little cash remained, stuffing everything haphazardly into my bag.
The moment I stepped out of the study, I saw Chloe leaning against the hallway railing, wearing my silk nightgown.
She was holding a glass of red wine.
"Well, well. Running away in the middle of the night, Audrey?"
"You think you can actually escape? Derek's been setting this up for six years. You really think that useless father of yours can turn things around?"
I didn't want to engage with her. I walked straight toward the staircase.
But Chloe suddenly stuck her foot out, blocking my path.
"Don't be in such a rush. Let's chat." She lowered her voice, her smile twisted. "Did you know that every time Derek slept with you these past six years, he'd call me right after?"
"He said you were like a dead fish in bed—completely boring. Said touching you made him sick."
I took a deep breath and stared at her coldly.
"Move."
"And if I don't?" Chloe raised an eyebrow.
Without hesitation, I lifted my foot and stomped down hard on her slipper.
"Ah!" Chloe yelped in pain and instinctively stepped back.
In that split second, her eyes darted, and she dropped the wine glass.
Then she threw herself straight down the staircase.
She let out a piercing shriek.
"Derek! Help! Audrey pushed me!"
The bathroom door flew open. Derek burst out wrapped in a towel.
When he saw Chloe at the bottom of the stairs, moaning in pain, his eyes went bloodshot. He took the steps three at a time.
Chloe's forehead had split open. Blood streamed down her face, staining my silk nightgown crimson.
"Chloe! Are you okay?" Derek scooped her up, his voice breaking with concern.
Chloe collapsed against his chest, pointing up at me on the staircase, tears streaming prettily down her face.
"Derek... I was just trying to talk Audrey out of leaving, and she... she pushed me..."
Derek jerked his head up, his glare murderous.
"Audrey, you're dead!"
He shoved me hard.
The back of my skull cracked against something solid, and my vision went black.
Then a searing pain tore through my abdomen.
"Ahhh—!" I screamed and doubled over, curling into myself.
A rush of warmth flooded down my inner thighs, soaking through my pants in an instant.
"Derek... the baby... my baby..." I clutched my stomach and reached toward him in desperation.
But Derek stepped back in disgust, a cold sneer on his face.
"What a performance. A vicious woman like you doesn't deserve to talk about children."
He grabbed my collar and dragged me toward the front door.
It was a winter night in Westfield, and the rain was coming down in sheets.
Derek threw open the door and hurled me out into the storm without a shred of mercy.
"Since you want to leave so badly, then don't ever come back!"
The door slammed shut in my face.
Rain hammered against my skin. The blood pooling beneath me spread rapidly through the rainwater, an angry red staining the front steps.
My consciousness faded. All I could hear was the howling wind and the relentless rain.
The next morning.
The rain had stopped.
Derek yawned and woke up in the master bed, Chloe still curled softly in his arms.
Last night's violence had left him feeling a rush of satisfaction like nothing before.
He got dressed and headed for the study to find an important document.
Passing through the hallway, he spotted a crumpled ball of paper on the carpet.
It must have fallen from Audrey's bag when she was struggling last night.
Derek frowned, walked over, picked it up, and unfolded it carelessly.
When he saw what was written on it, the carelessness drained from his face in an instant.
**Westfield General Hospital — Ultrasound Diagnostic Report**
**Patient: Audrey Harrington**
**Diagnosis: Intrauterine early pregnancy, twin viable fetuses, 8 weeks gestational age.**
Tw... twins?
Derek's mind went blank, as if a bomb had gone off inside his skull.
He stared at the ultrasound report, his hands trembling uncontrollably.
Audrey was pregnant?
With his children? Twins?!
"No... that's impossible... this can't be..."
Derek bolted downstairs like a man possessed and wrenched open the front door.
The steps outside were empty. All that remained was a pale, rain-washed stain of blood.
