Before I could react, Bailey yanked my arm so hard that it felt like it might pop out of the socket.

He said, "Since you have the same blood type as Lucy, you should donate your blood to help with her anemia. Saves me the trouble of ordering blood. You had a part in her losing the baby the last time, so you have to donate."

I had a part? He had ordered Lucy to be beaten half to death to please me. Somehow, that was my fault, too?

While he was pulling me, my already weak body lost balance. I hit the cold, hard tile floor with a loud thud, my casted arm slamming right into it.

"Ah!"

The pain was so sharp it ripped the breath right out of me, and my tears spilled before I could stop them. I curled up on the floor, unable to move for what felt like forever.

"What game are you playing now?"

Bailey's eyes flickered when he saw me crying—half-worried, half-annoyed.

He gave a cold laugh. "Faking it to get my attention, huh? You think I'd fall for that again?"

His assistant finally spoke up, voice low. "Mr. Knight, I think Ms. Palmer's injury is real. Before you left, you accidentally pushed her down the stairs."

Bailey froze, something like guilt flashing across his face. But just as quickly, his tone shifted back to blame.

"I admit I was wrong to cheat. But Lucy has been through a lot, and she's pregnant. If you hadn't kept going after her, would this have happened?"

"Bailey," I said, forcing myself to meet his eyes through the pain. I gave him a bitter smile. "The wedding's off."

The air went dead still as Bailey's face twisted in disbelief.

That was when a soft voice floated from the doorway.

Lucy stepped out slowly, one hand on her stomach. She looked at me on the floor and gasped with a hand over her mouth, as if she'd just walked in on some terrible scene.

"Cynthia, what…"

She glanced at Bailey, then at me, before lowering her head and speaking in a small, trembling voice, "Are you two fighting because of me? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry… I just… I lost my baby back then, and I was so heartbroken that I didn't want to live anymore, so Bailey…"

Her performance was Oscar-worthy, and my stomach churned just watching it.

The second she mentioned the baby, Bailey's expression softened. He stepped forward, shielding her protectively with one arm, patting her back.

Then he turned to me, his voice rising in anger. "Why are you so stubborn? If it weren't for trying to calm you down, I wouldn't have hurt her!

"Lucy lost her baby once, and she lost her will to live. I fought so hard to pull her back from that edge, and now you've pushed her there again. If she died right now, it would be on you. You'd be a murderer!

"This is life and death. Your blood type matches hers. This is our chance to make things right. Once she's stable, I'll marry you."

Before I could respond, he hauled me off the floor and shoved me toward the doctor to draw blood.

The cold needle pierced my skin. Even that tiny movement hurt so much that I couldn't even flinch. I just sat there, numb, watching my blood slide through the tube into the bag.

Lucy rested her hand on her slightly rounded belly, eyes glittering with the pride of someone who'd just won.

When it was over, I was so weak that I couldn't even stand.

Lucy came over holding a cup of steaming water, all smiles as she helped steady me. "Thank you for saving my baby. Here, drink something warm."

She tilted the cup toward me. Then, with a bend of her wrist, the boiling water poured straight onto my chest.

My neck burned red in an instant.

Lucy stumbled backward and fell, the glass cup in her hand hitting the floor with a loud crash.

"Wh-why did you push me, Cynthia? Bailey, the baby… my baby!" she cried, tears streaming down her face.

"What have you done?!" Bailey's eyes blazed like they could burn me alive. He helped Lucy up and, in the next second, stormed toward me.

His hand came down hard across my face.

Smack!

The sound echoed down the hallway.

My cheek flared with heat, swelling right away. I could taste blood at the corner of my mouth, my ears ringing.

"You're so cruel! Lucy's pregnant! She came all this way to bring you water, and you pushed her? How could you be so evil?"

He didn't give me one second to explain. My guilt was already decided.

It felt like a knife had been driven straight through my heart. I lifted my head. "Can't you see she fell on her own?"

Maybe my hopeless expression made him hesitate, because I saw him gulp, and for a moment, a trace of doubt flashed in his eyes.

But then Lucy tugged lightly at his sleeve. "Forget it. Maybe she didn't mean it."

Just like that, his face hardened again. He frowned at me, disappointment dripping from every word.

"Once Lucy has the baby and has something to live for, I'll send her away. Just apologize to her. After she gives birth, she'll still let you raise the baby. We can go back to being happy like before."

I couldn't believe this was the man I'd loved for ten years.

My chest ached like it was being cut into pieces.

I didn't even have the strength to answer. I curled on the floor, breathing hard, every part of me hurting.

Bailey's irritation snapped, and he kicked the table beside us.

"What are you even pretending for? I can't believe the woman I've loved for ten years could be so cruel! If I'd known, I'd rather never have met you!

"Cut the act and take some time to calm down. I don't want the baby's adoptive mother to be some crazy woman.

"The wedding's still on. I'll send someone to pick you up. I'm staying with Lucy until she gives birth."

He scooped Lucy up and started walking away.

Tears blurred my vision.

He used to frown if I so much as cut my finger. Now, my arm was broken, and he didn't even care.

I didn't love this man anymore.

"Sure, the wedding will go on three days from now, but you won't be the one I marry!"

Bailey froze for a second, shocked. He had never seen me so sure of myself.

Lucy, though, smiled like she'd already won. "Even if you're jealous, you shouldn't joke like that. Three days isn't much time. Where are you gonna find a new groom? Unless you plan to pull some random guy off the street and marry him?"

Bailey gave a short, cold laugh, looking at me with even less warmth. "Spare me the drama. After the wedding, as long as you behave, the three of us will live just fine.

"During Lucy's pregnancy, you should help take care of her. She's weak, and she's carrying my baby. You should know your place. Lucy accepts having you around; can't you learn from her?"

I was shaking with anger, almost laughing at how ridiculous it was.

But before I could speak, a cold, sharp voice rang from the end of the hallway.

"Who do you think you are? You wanna have my fiancée cook and clean for free for you two, like some nanny?"