Chapter 3

I huddled on the floor, pulling out my phone to dial 911.

The phone rang once before Jenkins, the butler, snatched it away.

I pleaded.

"My stomach hurts... I'm going into labor, please, take me to the hospital..."

A hint of scorn flashed in Jenkins' eyes.

"Madam, using the child to play the victim won't work on me."

He glanced at my phone screen and said.

"Madam, you can stall if you like, I have all the time in the world."

"Ah!"

Willow, in her swimsuit, shrieked, dodging away from me. Her eyes red, she yelled.

"Mrs. Hayes, just because you dislike me doesn't mean you can splash me with your filth! What if you have some nasty disease and infect me?!"

Leo quickly strode up, shielding Willow behind him. Pointing at me, he spoke to Jenkins.

"What's the fifth rule of the Hayes family?"

"Disobedience means confinement."

I shuddered, desperately crawling to his feet, pleading.

"I was wrong, Leo, I was really wrong. I'm willing to be punished, for as long as you want. Please, just let me go to the hospital first... My water broke hours ago, the baby..."

In his mocking eyes, I swallowed all my pleas in despair.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Anya, this is the treatment you deserve for trying so hard to be Mrs. Hayes."

I was dragged away by the bodyguards.

As the confinement room door closed, I couldn't stop screaming and shaking.

That night, being dragged into the dark room by the student's parent and nearly assaulted, had left me with severe claustrophobia.

I pounded on the door, again and again.

The only response was a deathly silence.

Pain and terror overwhelmed me, and I completely passed out.

When I next woke, I was lying in my room.

I struggled to sit up, feeling my belly - it was flat.

A massive wave of fear and despair engulfed me. I rushed out like a madwoman.

Colliding head-on with Leo.

"My baby? Give me my baby back!"

My usual silence and endurance were gone, startling even Leo.

He pushed me away, frowning.

"Look at you, acting like a lunatic! Jenkins..."

I knew he was about to punish me, to lock me up again. I clutched his collar, wildly raining punches on him.

"Leo, I owe you nothing! My child owes you nothing! You pursued me. You promised to marry me. Your mother handed me the wedding gown, pushed me down the aisle, and told me to show you the paternity report! You already destroyed my grandmother. Isn't that enough?"

My hysterical outburst made a flicker of shock and bewilderment appear in his eyes.

But quickly, he pushed me away in disgust.

"Anya, you've been telling these lies for so long, aren't you tired? Why would my mother do something to harm my father like that? You brought all this on yourself, who else can you blame?"

He looked down at me with contempt.

"I'm actually quite disappointed that bastard didn't die. Sure enough, the offspring of a menace like you are always tough."

I understood his meaning. Finally, I released my grip, falling to the ground from his push.

He strode past me. A maid came forward to help me up, whispering.

"Your baby is in the room next door, too weak to cry. You should go see him quickly."

Hearing that, I ignored everything else and rushed into the adjacent storage room.

A tiny bundle, casually placed on the floor.

The premature baby's face was covered in bruises, unable to even whimper.

I threw myself on him, holding him close, tears streaming down my face.

Thank goodness, thank goodness, my precious baby, he's alive.

The maid gently pushed open the door and came in, carefully holding a bowl of nourishing broth.

"Mrs. Hayes' grandmother sent me to look after you. I know you're innocent."

I spun around to look at her.