n Kell

ly had come within minutes, a simple, unequivocal, "On my way. Don't move." But I couldn't

ding before the fireplace. I was feeding our wedding album to the flames, page by

d, trying to snatch the book from my hands, but

I felt. I tossed the entire ruined album

pulling his hand back, the skin on his fingertips red and blistering. He stared at m

ed, cradling his burned hand. "Whatever it is

while whispering promises of love. The hate was a physical thing, a cold, heavy weight

om the fire, from him. I walked towards the bathr

cious than any I'd felt before. I braced myself against the marble vanity, nausea ri

y hand trembled a

with malice. She was filming herself, and behind her, I could see the unmistakable sterile

egnant. Ve

pathy. "Such a shame. Seems like you just can't hold on to anything, can you, Emerson? Not your company,

gh me, a dizzying rush as my strength seemed to drain away onto the cold marble floor. I collapsed, the world tilting into d

side my hospital room door. The pain was gon

e alive," one nurse was saying. "But Mr. Ca

he ER himself. She just had a little fall, but he demanded every top specia

y's minor fall was his top priority. My life-threatening hemorrhage was a secondary concern. He had probably paused on his way

t never the raw, primal fear of loss. Because he was never losing anything he trul

aming in protest. I ripped the IV from my arm,

quiet, sterile hallway of the VIP wing. I followed the sound of h

red i

he slices falling perfectly onto a plate. He was feeding them to her, piece by piece, like she was

his voice the one he used to reserve for m

wing she was home. It just puts me on edge. Maybe... maybe for the baby's sake, she shouldn't b

st quarters of my own home. My home. The home he had bo

the door, my hand flying to my mouth to s

napped up.

ething else-guilt. He rushed towards me, but I was already turning

not what you think!

so profound it threatened to tear me apart. I burst through

his hand clamping down on my

," I hissed,

"Cydney is... she agreed to be a surrogate for us. After all your

ence, that I could only stare at him. A surrogate. He was calling his mistress

he words dripping with venom

or me to believe the fantasy he was weaving. "

from the hallway above us. Cydney's voic

d. For a split second, he was torn, his gaze f

in that second, I saw hi

y oxygen tanks, had broken loose from an orderly on the floor below. It

ime to think.

arroll made his choice. He didn't push me

ont of Cydney, who had appeared at the top

to face the con

al impact. A searing pain shot through me, an ech