With a bitter smile, I sent another message.
[The wedding’s in three days. You’ll be the groom. Are you ready?]
Bang! The door slammed open with a deafening crash.
Jack stood in the doorway, his expression stormy, eyes bloodshot and locked on me like a predator.
“Hayley! What did you do to my clothes?”
I froze. “What…?”
“Shut up!”
He charged forward, grabbed my wrist and slammed me hard against the wall.
I had never seen him like this. His breath came in ragged gasps, fury radiating off him in waves.
“I wore the shirt you sent to hold the baby. Within ten minutes, she broke out in a rash and went into respiratory failure! She’s in the ICU now! She’s just a newborn, Hayley. What the hell did you do?!”
“I didn’t do anything!” I cried, struggling as pain shot through my wrist. “Let go of me first—”
Before I could finish, he raised his fist.
I flinched, eyes squeezing shut in terror. A loud thud rang out next to my ear.
When I dared to open my eyes, his fist was embedded in the wall just inches from my face. Blood trickled from his knuckles.
My voice shook. “Jack… were you really going to hit me just now?”
He froze, as if waking from a trance. Then he let go of me abruptly and pulled me into his arms, trembling.
“Hayley… I—I lost control. I’m sorry.”
He clutched me tighter, voice thick with emotion.
“I told you before—I’d never hold anything against you. But this time, you were really wrong. Katy was sobbing, saying she wanted to die with the baby…”
Tears burned down the side of my neck.
“Do it for me, okay?” he whispered. “Go apologize. If you do… we can still get married.”
This man—who had broken ribs during flight training without shedding a single tear—was crying.
So this was his weakness. Not me. It was Katy and the child.
I stared at his shaking shoulders and suddenly smiled.
“Alright,” I said softly. “I’ll go apologize.”
Relief swept over his face. “Let’s go to the hospital now.” He reached for my hand.
I stepped back coldly. “I can walk on my own.”
He nodded, awkwardly. “Okay… just hurry. I’m afraid Katy won’t be able to handle much more…”
When we arrived at the emergency room, Katy suddenly collapsed to her knees and clung to my legs, sobbing uncontrollably.
“Hayley, please… you can take my life, just don’t hurt the baby!”
She shook all over, weeping like a broken woman.
I was so furious, I laughed. Reaching down, I tried to pull her up.
“Enough of this act. I should be the one kneeling, begging Miss Kalr for mercy. I don’t want Jack anymore—you can have him.”
She looked up—just for a second. There it was. A flicker of smug satisfaction.
But it vanished instantly, replaced by faux humility.
“No, that’s not it. Jack will always be yours. I wouldn’t dare covet him. I just want to live quietly with the baby.”
“Get up,” I snapped, my patience gone.
She suddenly grabbed my hand. I yanked it back in disgust. She used the force to throw herself backward, slamming her head against the floor.
“Ahhh!” she screamed, piercing and theatrical.
“Enough!” Jack rushed to her side, helping her up, his glare burning into me like fire.
“Hayley, if you don’t want to apologize, then don’t come here! Katy just gave birth, the baby’s still in critical condition and you’re still tormenting her?!”
I lowered my head, biting back my words. What was the point? He wouldn’t believe me no matter what I said.
After a long silence, he let out a bitter laugh.
“Forget it. What explanation could you even give? All I’ve seen is you hurting Katy and the baby—over and over again.
Just go home, Hayley. You’re only making things worse here.”
“The child’s parents, please come here!” the doctor called sharply.
Without hesitation, Jack turned and rushed toward the emergency room with Katy in tow.
The doctor shot me a disapproving glance.
“Unrelated parties, please don’t cause a disturbance here.”
Yes, they were the child’s parents. And I? I was just an outsider—unwanted, unwelcome.
This was my second trip to the hospital today and both times I’d only humiliated myself.
To everyone watching, I must have looked like a vindictive madwoman.
My legs gave out beneath me and I staggered backward—straight into a warm, steady embrace.
Tom caught me effortlessly, his eyes shining with excitement.
“Hayley, are you really letting me take over?”
