Chapter 6

The next morning, Sophia was jolted awake by severe abdominal pain.

She opened her eyes. The sheets beneath her were stained red.

She froze completely.

Fear washed over her like a tidal wave.

"The baby..."

She braced herself and crawled off the cot, stumbling toward the door.

In the living room, Damien and Claire were eating breakfast.

Claire wore Damien's white dress shirt, laughing cheerfully.

"Damien, can you take me shopping later? I want to buy..."

Her words cut off when she saw Sophia stumble out of the storage room.

Sophia's pants were soaked with blood.

It ran down her thighs.

Claire screamed.

"Ah!"

Damien shot to his feet.

The coffee cup in his hand fell to the floor and shattered.

"Sophia?!"

Sophia clutched her stomach, her face white as a sheet.

"Hospital... please... take me to the hospital..."

Her voice trembled.

Damien rushed over and swept her into his arms.

The woman in his arms was impossibly light, like a bundle of bones.

Only then did he realize how much weight Sophia had lost.

"Marcus! Get the car! Now!"

Marcus ran in from outside and froze at the sight.

"Damien, the car's right outside!"

Damien carried Sophia out.

Claire chased after him.

"Damien! Where are you going? You promised you'd stay with me!"

Damien's steps faltered.

He looked back at Claire, then down at the blood-soaked Sophia in his arms.

Sophia's consciousness was already fading.

She clung desperately to his collar, her nails digging into the fabric.

"The baby... save the baby..."

Her voice was barely a whisper.

Then her eyes closed.

Her hand went limp and fell to her side.

Damien felt something violently wrench his heart.

He didn't hesitate any longer. He got in the car with Sophia.

"Drive! Now!"

Marcus floored the gas pedal.

The car shot forward like an arrow.

Damien looked down at the woman in his arms and wiped the tears from her face with his thumb.

Only then did he realize his own hands were shaking.

"Sophia, don't fall asleep. Don't sleep, you hear me?"

His voice was hoarse.

But Sophia didn't respond.

She lay in Damien's arms, her face white as paper.

When the car hit a speed bump, it jolted.

Sophia's hand slipped from her body, and something rolled from her palm.

Damien looked down.

It was a ring.

A cheap silver ring with worn-down patterns.

It was the one he'd carelessly thrown in the trash three months ago.

Sophia had secretly retrieved it.

Damien stared at the ring. His Adam's apple bobbed.

He picked up the ring and gripped it tightly in his fist.