The sharp scent of disinfectant filled my nose.

I blinked my eyes open slowly, finding myself in a hospital bed.

The doctor looked at me, his face etched with sadness.

"Ms. Harris, I'm sorry, but we were too late. We couldn't save your baby."

I touched my stomach, flat and empty.

A baby had been there? I had lost the baby before I even knew it existed.

Tears spilled over, tracing wet paths down my face.

Charles, was that what loving you cost?

It hurt too much.

I would not let myself love you again.

The doctor had barely left when Charles stormed in with a bunch of cops, his stare like a blade of frost.

"Jennifer, it's time you faced the consequences of your actions!"

I felt numb, but I pushed myself up. "I didn't do it…"

Charles did not care to listen. With a nod, he had the cops move in to cuff me.

Panic and fury surged through me, the pain from my wound nearly knocking me out.

"You can't arrest me! I'm innocent!"

I yelled, my voice raw with the injustice of it all, "Check the street cams, they'll show you!"

Rose, who had been lurking in the background, suddenly looked worried.

She came over, all weak and teary, and clung to Charles.

"Charles, let's not be too hard on Jennifer. If she says sorry to me, I'll let it go."

Charles relaxed a little at that.

He turned to me, "You hear that? Just say you're sorry, and we'll drop it."

It was like a dagger to the heart.

No matter if it was that time three years ago when he was drugged, or even today, Charles just would not believe me.

Right then, my phone buzzed—a text from Mom.

[Jen, I'm on my way to Capital City to bring you home. I won't let my girl be hurt anymore!]

Tears welled up in my eyes. When Mom got there, I could finally leave that place of heartache.

Charles looked annoyed as he saw me crying.

"Why the tears all of a sudden? It's just an apology, isn't it? You messed up, and saying sorry is too much for you?"

I looked at him, feeling like he was a stranger despite our growing up together.

The bond we had as kids, along with the baby we never got to have, was gone.

I met his eyes and let out a laugh.

"Fine," I said.

I climbed out of bed, stood before Rose, and gave a deep bow. "I'm sorry."

She had a victorious smirk in her eyes. She stepped closer as if to help me up, but instead, she leaned in and hissed in my ear.

"Must be tough, losing a child, huh?"

I had made up my mind not to get hung up on that anymore.

However, her words were like salt on an open wound, and tears sprang to my eyes once more.

I could not take it. My hand flew up, aiming for Rose's face.

Slap—

However, my hand never reached her. Charles yanked her back, taking the hit for her.

He shoved me to the ground, furious. "Jennifer, what are you doing?"

"Do you have any idea what she just said?" I retorted.

Charles's voice was stern as he scolded. "No matter what Rose said, you had no right to hit her! You're just mean, always picking on Rose. Say you're sorry, now!"

Charles saw I was not about to apologize and kicked me hard behind the knee.

I hit the floor, pain shooting through me.

He made me apologize to Rose, and I kept bowing, again and again, until she finally nodded.

"You're so spoiled, you know? You'd be in for a rough time out in the real world. I'm just trying to help you."

Right then, a furious voice cut through from outside the room.

"Since when did a daughter of the Shaw family need lessons from you?"