I put on my sunglasses, grabbed my documents, and walked out the door without a shred of hesitation.

I had barely made it downstairs when Caleb appeared, heading straight toward me.

His brow furrowed. "Where do you think you're going? Come back with me."

I didn't respond. I kept walking toward the exit.

He seized my wrist. "Faye is pregnant. You're coming back to take care of her."

I let out a cold laugh. "Her pregnancy is your problem. Why should I take care of her?"

His grip tightened.

"Your body isn't suited for childbirth. I found someone to carry the baby for you. Once it's born, the child will call you its mother. That baby will be your security for the future. Don't you think you should take care of her?"

I wrenched my hand free. "I don't need that. And I'm not going back. Let go of me!"

He flicked his wrist.

Two bodyguards stepped forward and pinned me in place.

I fought with everything I had, but they dragged me back to the Gilbert residence anyway.

Faye watched me come through the door, a smile stretched across her face that never reached her eyes. "Sophie, thank you so much for coming back to take care of me. Caleb says the herbal foot soak you make is the best for warming the body."

Caleb grabbed his coat. "I'm going out to buy things for the baby. Go make a herbal foot soak for Faye."

He shot a look at the bodyguards before leaving.

I refused to move. The bodyguards grabbed my hands and forced me to do it.

Then they glued my hands to the basin and carried it over to Faye for her foot soak.

Faye reached for the basin, leaning close to my ear. "Thank you, Sophie."

The instant her fingers touched the rim, she suddenly thrust her stomach forward into the basin.

The basin was still glued to my hands. Scalding water splashed across the floor. Faye toppled backward, hitting the ground with a shriek.

The front door swung open at that exact moment. Caleb walked in carrying shopping bags.

He saw Faye on the floor, saw the blood, and dropped everything. He rushed to her side. "Faye!"

He spun toward the bodyguards, roaring, "Call 911!"

Faye clutched her stomach, her voice thin and fragile. "Caleb... I only wanted to carry a baby for Sophie out of kindness. How could she..."

I shook my head. "I didn't do it. She threw herself into the basin."

"Enough!"

Caleb's eyes were bloodshot, every vein in his neck straining.

"Who else could it have been? How can you be this vicious? You won't even spare a child? That was your baby too!"

Sirens wailed in the distance. Caleb scooped Faye into his arms and rushed out.

The door locked behind him, trapping me inside.

I used the hot water to soften the glue until my hands separated from the basin.

I tried to escape, but every window had been sealed shut. I had no phone. Bodyguards stood watch outside.

Before long, the door opened.

Caleb walked in.

His shoulders sagged, his face hollowed out with grief. "The baby's gone."

I took a step back until my spine pressed flat against the wall.

Caleb closed the distance in two strides and gripped my shoulders with both hands.

"Sophie, how long are you going to keep this up? Do you need to destroy everything before you're satisfied?"

I met his gaze, unflinching. "I told you it wasn't me."

He exhaled long and heavy, as if making some enormous concession.

"You're going to the hospital to take care of Faye. You'll stay until she recovers. Until she's carrying our next child."

I lowered my eyes. "Fine."

As long as I got out of here, I would have a chance to run.

At the hospital, Faye scrawled two full pages of ridiculous items for me to buy.

Caleb handed me a thick stack of cash and added with tender concern, "Sweetheart, be careful out there. Get everything and come straight back. Don't make me worry."

Then he nodded to the bodyguard. "Keep my wife safe."

Watching that lovingly devoted act of his made my stomach turn.

I gave a small nod and left.

While shopping, I slipped away long enough to buy a powerful sedative. Later, during a rest break, I crushed it into the bodyguards' water when they weren't looking.

I watched both of them slump over in their chairs, out cold. Then I pulled my hat low over my eyes and slipped into a narrow alley, disappearing into the crowd.

But as I cut through the narrow alley, three hulking figures stepped out to block my path.

The same three men who had kidnapped me five years ago.

My heart seized. I spun to run, only to find the other end of the alley sealed off.

The ringleader licked his lips.

"Well, well. Long time no see, sweetheart."

"Someone paid top dollar for us to take you on another little trip down memory lane..."

I forced myself to stay calm and tried to negotiate.

"I'm the lost heiress of Barber Group. Let me go, and I'll pay you whatever you want."

They exchanged glances, then burst out laughing.

"You're the Barber heiress? And I'm the CEO of Barber Group! Come here, little princess. Let me take real good care of you."

He lunged at me, tearing at my clothes.

I kicked and screamed, thrashing with everything I had. "I really am the Barber heiress! You have no idea what you're—"

Crack!

A vicious slap sent my skull ringing, black spots swimming across my vision.

They closed in.

I shoved against them with both arms pressed to my chest, but two of the men seized me and slammed me against the wall, pinning me there.

The trauma hit all at once.

Tears poured down my face. Pain tore through every nerve. The memories of what they'd done to me five years ago came flooding back in vivid, sickening detail, and I screamed and sobbed until my throat was raw.

"Look at that, she's having one of her episodes. Listen to her scream!"

They laughed, excited, ripping at my clothes while I thrashed.

I tried to scream again, but all that came out was a shredded whisper. "Stop... get off me..."

Their filthy hands crept closer, about to cross the last line.

Bang! !

An SUV came barreling into the narrow alley and plowed straight into the ringleader, launching him off his feet.

"Get your hands off her, you animals!!"

A roar of pure, volcanic fury shattered the air.

A coat settled around my trembling shoulders, carrying the cool, clean scent of cedarwood.

I looked up.

It was him.