Rhode

ocking me. Not a joyous announcement, but a strategic weapon. Brody looked at

a jolt of something akin to fear through me. How could I bring a child into this

ing my head, tears well

e doctors confirmed it. Think about it. A baby.

e everything worse. My pain, his betrayal, G

with concern. Brody immediately put on his performance, his voice filled with

. "Oh, my darling, you scared us so much!" She stroke

rody. "What exactly happened, Brody? My dau

ir. The campaign has been demanding for both of us. Finley's been working so hard."

e bombshell. "And... well, there's another

ing with her relief. My father, usually so stoic, looked genuinely surpri

celebrating, but all I felt was dread. Brody had ensured that no one would que

m was quiet again, Brody sat beside my bed. He had brought flowe

most tender, but I knew better. "We n

inkled in the distance, indifferent to my pain. "There's not

u can't just throw away our fami

burning. "You think of what kind of life this child will have, with a

I'm human. But I can change. I will change. For you. For our

n't pretend you care. You only care about what t

not true! I care about yo

what I could do for you. My talent. My connections. My ability

low, Finley. Attacking my p

dy. You stole my work and passed it off as your own. You gasl

, Finley? I'm trying to make things right. I'm trying to be t

ising. "I want my life back. I want my name back. I wa

isbelief and fury. "You can't be serious. Not with a

, devoid of any warmth. "Beca

nley. Not now. Not ever. Do you understand? I will not allow it. I will

I said, a single tear tracing a p

ink you can survive without me? Without my name? Withou

ally isolated me, controlled my finances, made me dependent. My professional life

" I whispered, the w

ay. You'll be my wife. And you'll be a mother to our child. And you will smile fo

re that you lose everything. Your family will disown you. Your reputation will be in tatters. And you

by fear. He wasn' t just threatening me; he was threatening our unborn child. He was using

ulling back, a triumphant

th terror and a dawning, icy resolve. This wasn't just