Chapter 4

Sierra’s frantic shrieks instantly drowned out my voice:

"No! No! Nathan, you have to believe me!"

"She’s lying! Chloe is making things up just so you'll pick her! I don't know these men! Nathan, we’ve worked side by side for three years. You know who I am!"

Nathan hesitated, caught in a panic.

In the chaos, his gloved hand reached out and gripped mine tightly.

My heart leapt into my throat. For one fleeting, desperate second, I thought that between life and death, he had finally chosen me.

Then, in the very next breath, his wire cutters came down.

*Snip.*

The sharp click echoed through the air. The wire he had severed was the one wrapped around Sierra's chest.

He hauled the trembling assistant to her feet and shoved her toward the perimeter:

"Sierra, run! Get out of here!"

"If the timer blows, at least you'll survive!"

Sierra stumbled backward, scrambling frantically past the yellow tape to safety.

I stared at Nathan in sheer, paralyzed disbelief.

Unable to look me in the eye, he turned his head away, staring fixatedly at the wires left on my chest.

"You... you didn't believe me?" I whispered.

Nathan ground his teeth, his voice harsh and defensive without looking up.

"I’ve known Sierra for three years. Do you have any idea how many tough cases she pulled me through? How much PR crap she handled for me?"

"Sierra is not capable of something like this!"

A broken, bitter laugh escaped my lips. Tears tracked hot down my cheeks.

"Nathan... we’ve been married for five years."

"You really think I would lie about this?"

Nathan fell silent.

His silence was my answer.

The physical agony in my body had reached the point of numbness.

I could feel something warm and thick trickling down my inner thighs, slowly soaking through my jeans and staining the cold dirt beneath me.

Nathan glanced up, his expression full of disappointment.

"Chloe, I won't hold it against you for falsely accusing Sierra. When death is staring you in the face, anyone would say anything to survive."

"But once I get you out of this vest, I expect you to give her a proper apology."

I didn't answer. I didn't even have the strength to part my lips.

Nathan took my silence as an admission of guilt.

He let out a heavy sigh, his tone softening into what he probably thought was generous compromise:

"Don't be scared. Those two scumbags didn't know how to wire a proper circuit. I can get you out of this."

"Just drop the divorce talk after this, okay? I’ll make more time for you at home. Deal?"

I only managed a ghastly, hollow smile.

I stopped looking at him. My gaze drifted up to the gray, dusty rafters above, letting my mind go completely blank.

Until my spine gave out, and my limp body began to tilt sideways.

Nathan thought I was throwing another tantrum. He barked sharply:

"Chloe, stop messing around!"

"I'm about to cut the final lead. Why are you squirming?!"

He reached an arm around my waist to haul me upright.

*Click.*

The wire severed. The timer died. The hazard was cleared, and the bomb squad rushed forward to haul the explosive device away.

Seeing me slumped lifelessly against the floor, Nathan let out an irritated sigh and bent down to scoop me into his arms.

The moment his hand slid beneath my hips, he froze completely.

The texture was wrong.

He pulled his hand back instinctively, looking down at his palm—

His fingers were drenched in thick, dark crimson blood.

It was dripping steadily through his knuckles.

I weakly forced my heavy eyelids open, just in time to see the color drain completely from his face.

In the next second, paramedics shoved their way through the cordon, snatching my limp body from his arms as someone screamed in panic:

"She's miscarrying! It's a massive hemorrhage!"

"BP is plummeting, she's going into shock! Get the gurney! We need an emergency trauma team NOW!"