"Alex, there are three days left until the due date. I made a strawberry cake to celebrate. Will you try some?"
Looking at that lump of red sludge on top, my stomach heaved. I stepped back instinctively.
But Kyle grabbed my arm and stuffed that sludge straight into my mouth.
The instant it touched my tongue, my mind snapped back five years—to save Serena, I'd been strapped to a drop tower for three days and three nights. By the time it ended, the baby inside her had become nothing but red pulp.
After that, I couldn't stand the sight of anything like it...
Now this sticky texture made every hair on my body stand on end. I shook my head violently and flung his arm away.
Kyle used the momentum to stumble backward.
"Ah—Serena, help!"
Serena rushed in and went pale. She shoved me hard to the side.
My wound slammed into the corner of the coffee table. Pain shot through me, and I doubled over, trembling.
But Serena didn't care. She was already helping Kyle up.
"Kyle, are you okay? Does anything hurt?"
His eyes reddened. He curled into her arms, swaying like he might faint any second.
"I... I just wanted him to taste the baby's anniversary cake, but he... he said my child is a bastard who shouldn't be born, then he shoved me..."
"I didn't—"
Before I could finish, the temperature around Serena dropped. She slapped me across the face.
"Alex! Haven't you caused enough trouble? Why do you always have to go against him?!"
"I told you—when the child is born, nothing will change!"
"Pull this again, and you and your crippled dad can get out of the Gilbert family together!"
She used all her strength. I hit the ground, mouth filling with blood.
I laughed.
Laughed until tears came out.
Ten years of love, and in the end, it couldn't compare to his little performance...
And my dad—he became a vegetable saving her. Now he was just trash in her mouth.
Tears fell. My heart went cold.
Only one thought remained:
Take my father and leave this place.
I staggered to my feet, but Kyle let out a sharp scream and buried himself in Serena's arms.
"Serena, I'm so scared!"
"He pushed me this time—what if next time he tries something else to hurt the baby? You have to protect our child..."
Rage flared in Serena's eyes. She grabbed me, her gaze ice-cold.
"Alex. Apologize."
I knew if I didn't, she wouldn't let me go.
So I bent toward Kyle. "I'm sorry."
I straightened to leave, but Serena grabbed my hair and dragged me into the kitchen.
A massive strawberry cake sat on the counter.
Serena looked down at me.
"Eat all of it. Then we're done here."
I looked up in disbelief and roared:
"Serena, are you insane?!"
"Did you forget what happened back then? I can't even look at this stuff anymore—let alone eat it! Are you trying to kill me?!"
Her voice went ice-cold.
"I know. But you hurt Kyle. You should pay."
Then she slammed my face into the cake.
Jam flooded my nostrils.
