Before I could even react, Caroline suddenly clutched her stomach and let out a low cry.
Hurried footsteps approached from down the hall.
Lance's hands were trembling as he steadied her. "What's wrong?"
"Lance, my stomach hurts so bad..."
The next second, his sharp gaze cut to me, fury rolling beneath the surface.
"If anything happens to Caroline or the baby, I swear you'll pay for it."
He scooped her up in his arms with practiced ease. Before leaving, he didn't forget to order someone to bring me along.
"If anything goes wrong, you'd better be ready to give whatever's needed!"
The car tore through the streets toward the hospital.
I rested my head against the window. Lance's voice filled the car, murmuring one reassurance after another to Caroline.
She clung to his shirt, panic threading through every word. "Lance, do you think the baby's going to be okay?"
He pulled her tighter against him, then reached over and slapped me across the face.
"I warned you to stay away from Caroline. Why did you have to provoke her?"
I lifted my eyelids but said nothing.
There was no point. He wouldn't believe a word I said.
The moment the car stopped, a team of doctors swarmed around us.
I stood outside the crowd, watching it all with hollow eyes.
Caroline turned to glance at me, then looked away quickly, shrinking into herself. "Lance, I'm so scared."
"There's a risk of hemorrhaging during delivery, isn't there? What if the blood bank doesn't have enough?"
Lance gripped her hand and followed her gaze until it landed on me.
A chill ran through me. I sensed what was coming.
"She's the same blood type as Caroline." His voice was flat. "Take her and draw blood."
I stumbled backward, arms flailing, but the next second I was seized and lifted off my feet.
"Let go of me!"
I thrashed with everything I had, but they pinned me into the chair. The needle pierced my arm, and bright red blood began flowing out of my body.
"We've already drawn five hundred cc's, Mr. James. Should we continue?"
Lance spared me a single cold glance. His voice was ice.
"Keep going."
Then he turned and walked away without looking back.
I could feel the life draining out of me, warmth seeping away bit by bit.
A nurse's voice drifted to my ears, soft with pity.
"If they keep drawing at this rate, she could die."
"Poor thing. So young, too."
My whole body began to shake uncontrollably. Then my consciousness plunged into darkness.
The light above the operating room stayed on.
Lance couldn't shake the restlessness clawing at his chest. Something felt off, like something had slipped beyond his control.
He chalked it up to worry over Caroline.
Doctors moved in and out in a steady stream, each pass winding his nerves tighter.
He didn't know how long he stood there before the light finally went dark.
A doctor emerged, carrying a bundled newborn.
"Mother and baby are both fine. It's a boy."
Lance took the infant carefully into his arms, and the breath he'd been holding finally released.
Then, suddenly, he remembered Ruth.
"Go bring Ruth Harding over."
But moments later, one of his men came rushing back, phone in hand, face pale.
"Sir, Miss Harding is gone."
"Her phone was on the floor of the room."
Lance took the phone. At that exact moment, a text notification lit up the screen.
Forced match activated. Your marital status has been updated. Congratulations on your marriage!
