My head cracked against the corner of a nearby table. Pain bloomed first, then came the warm trickle of blood sliding down my forehead.

I looked up to find Maureen nestled smugly in Denys's arms, her eyes locked on mine with undisguised triumph. In that instant, I knew—she was faking it. Every single bit of it.

I couldn't afford to care about the throbbing in my skull. I dropped to my knees and grabbed the hem of Denys's trousers, my fingers white-knuckled around the fabric.

"Denys, she's pretending. That medication—my daughter needs it. You have to let me give it to her."

He paused at my words, turning his head just slightly toward me. But Maureen was faster. By the time his gaze reached her, her face had already twisted into a mask of agony.

"Denys, I'm not lying to you. You know I would never—"

She didn't finish. Blood spilled from her lips, cutting off her words mid-sentence. Denys kicked me aside without a second glance and swept her into his arms, taking the stairs two at a time.

Over his shoulder, he threw back a single command: "She doesn't leave this house until Maureen is confirmed stable."

The words had barely landed before hands seized my arms, dragging me backward.

"Denys! You can't do this—I have to get back to Denise—"

I thrashed against them, screaming his name until my throat burned raw. It made no difference. They threw me into the room next to Maureen's and slammed the door shut.

"Denys, let me out! Denise needs me!" I hurled myself against the door, pounding until my palms stung. "I'll come whenever you call—I won't interfere with anything involving Maureen. Just let me go!"

The wood didn't budge. No one answered.

With trembling hands, I fumbled for my phone—only to find the screen black. Dead battery. Of course. When it rained, it poured.

Begging Denys was pointless. I had to find my own way out.

I scanned the room. The window caught my eye immediately. If Denys wouldn't release me, I'd release myself.

Footsteps thundered past in the hallway—the family doctor arriving, most likely. Everyone's attention would be on Maureen.

I crossed to the window and peered down. Second floor. Not ideal, but not impossible. I tested the frame. It slid open easily. No security bars.

I didn't let myself think. I dragged a chair over, climbed onto the sill, and jumped.

The moment I hit the ground, white-hot pain shot through my left ankle. I heard something crack—a sound that would haunt me later. But there was no time for pain. I scrambled to my feet and tried to run.

I collapsed immediately.

My ankle screamed with every micro-movement, the agony sharp enough to steal my breath. I tried again. And again. Each attempt ended the same way—face-first in the dirt.

But I was out of time. The jump had been loud. People had noticed.

"Did she just—Alberta jumped from the second floor! Has she completely lost her mind?"

The voices drifted down from above. If they'd heard, so had Denys.

I looked up.

There he was, framed in Maureen's window, staring down at me. His brow furrowed, jaw tight. Then he ripped the curtain aside with barely contained fury and vanished from view.

He was coming.

I forced myself upright, biting back a scream as I hobbled toward the front gate. Every step was glass and fire, but I kept moving. I had to.

A taxi appeared at the end of the street—a small miracle. I threw my hand up, waving frantically. The car slowed, pulled over.

I was wrenching the door open when Denys's shadow fell across the entrance behind me.

"Central City Hospital," I gasped at the driver. "Please—hurry."

I glanced back. Denys was already closing the distance, his long strides eating up the ground between us. Before the car could pull away, his hand shot out and grabbed the door handle.

I'd locked it from the inside. He yanked hard. It didn't give.

His face darkened to something murderous. His palm slammed against the window, and his voice tore through the glass like a blade.

"Alberta. If you leave, I'll have the hospital cut off your daughter's medication."

The threat landed exactly where he'd aimed it—right in the center of my chest.

But I held his gaze and didn't flinch.

Denys Simmons was cruel. But I refused to believe he was that cruel.

"Drive," I told the cabbie, my eyes still locked on Denys's rage-contorted face. "Please. This man is a monster."

The driver finally listened to me this time. The instant he floored the gas and the car shot forward, I caught a glimpse of Denys nearly getting clipped by the vehicle.

He chased after us for a few furious steps before stopping at the curb, yanking out his phone in frustration.

His figure grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared from my sight entirely. Only then did I let out a long, heavy breath.

The moment we reached the hospital, I forgot all about the pain in my foot and rushed toward Denise's ward. I was terrified Denys would actually have her medication cut off.

What I didn't expect was to see him already waiting at the elevator doors the second I stepped out.

His hands were tucked in his pockets, those cold eyes fixed on me—like a demon freshly returned from hell.

The instant I saw him, I spun around to run, but before I could take a single step, I crashed hard to the ground.

Denys's foot came down right on the back of my hand. It felt like my bones were being crushed.

He bent down slightly, looking at me with the posture of a victor. "And where exactly do you think you're running to?"

I bit back the pain screaming from my hand and foot, trying to struggle free, but I had nothing left.

Before I could even speak, I heard the sound of wheels rolling toward us. A moment later, Denise's attending physician stood respectfully before Denys.

"Mr. Simmons, I've brought Denise Mason over..."

The second those words registered, I wrenched my hand free like a woman possessed and grabbed the hem of his trousers, teeth clenched so hard my jaw ached. "Denys Simmons, what the hell do you want?"

"Explain what happened five years ago. Or your daughter's medication stops today." His words floated out, light as air. I watched as they began to wheel Denise away.

"No!" The scream tore from my throat, raw and desperate.

Denys turned to leave. I threw my arms around his legs. "Denys Simmons, look at Denise. Just look at her—look at who she resembles!"

Shock flickered across his face. He glanced down at me, then actually turned to look. I heard him call out, "Wait."