Weston didn't come home that night.
The next morning, I was woken by the shrill ring of my phone. It was Assistant Lenon.
"Miss, Weston has erased every trace of his crimes too cleanly. We can't find any evidence against him!"
My tone remained calm. "What do you need me to do?"
"We discovered a personal computer in Mr. Weston's study. It might contain something useful…"
"Alright," I replied after a pause. "Pick me up in a week."
I ended the call and turned toward the study—only to be interrupted by another call, this one even more urgent.
"Denise, help!"
The voice on the other end trembled—it was my biological mother, Vivian.
"Mom? What happened?" My heart skipped a beat as I gripped the phone tightly.
"Your mother owes five million in gambling debts," a man's rough voice interrupted. "Bring the money if you want her alive! And listen carefully—come alone. If you call the cops, I'll send her straight to hell!"
The line went dead.
I didn't have time to think. I immediately sent someone to prepare the cash.
Even though I hadn't grown up with the Holmes—and I knew they only brought me back for their own gain—blood was still blood. I couldn't just stand by.
No matter what she'd done, she was still my mother. Saving her was the least I could do to repay the life she'd given me.
When the money was ready, I drove to the location the kidnappers had given me. It was an unfinished building on the outskirts of town.
By the time I reached the top floor, I was out of breath—clutching the heavy bag of cash and the weight of my pregnancy.
"Denise! You came! I knew my daughter would save me!" My mother's tear-streaked face lit up with relief.
I set the bag down and looked coldly at the kidnappers. "Five million, not a cent short. Now release her."
After checking the money, they untied her. My mother stumbled forward and clung to me—but the next words out of her mouth made my blood run cold.
"I'll have you all arrested! My daughter is the wife of the Holmes Group's president! My son-in-law won't let you off!"
My heart sank instantly.
The last thing I needed was for them to know who I was.
Sure enough, the leader's eyes lit up at the name. He looked me over, his expression twisting with greed.
"Holmes Group's president's wife? No wonder you could hand over five million so easily. I bet Mr. Holmes would pay ten times that for his precious wife and unborn child. How about it, Mrs. Holmes? Let's make it a hundred million this time."
"Bastards! You're all liars—greedy scum!" my mother screamed. "When my son-in-law finds out, he'll—"
Before she could finish, I grabbed her hand and ran for the exit while they were distracted. My people were waiting downstairs—if we could just make it there, we'd be safe.
"Stop them!" the kidnapper shouted. "Those two bitches are trying to run! You're dead!"
Gunfire exploded behind us.
Vivian shrieked and clung to my arm. I was already struggling under the weight of my pregnancy and the adrenaline; my body felt like it could give out at any second.
Then, just as the exit came into view, she stumbled.
"Mom!" I reached for her—but a hard shove slammed into my back.
I lost my balance and tumbled down the stairs.
"No!"
Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around my stomach.
The world spun violently, then stopped with a brutal impact—my abdomen smashed against a jagged concrete slab.
A searing pain tore through me.
I felt the baby inside me kick once, faintly, as if saying a final goodbye.
Warm blood soaked through my clothes, spreading fast. The memories of all those lost pregnancies crashed back like waves.
"No... baby... please... don't leave me again..."
I pressed my hands desperately to my stomach, trying to hold onto what I was already losing. But the blood wouldn't stop. My vision blurred, darkened.
I curled up on the cold ground, sobbing in agony.
"Wife! Are you okay?!"
Weston's voice broke through the ringing in my ears. He ran toward me, his face drained of color. When he saw the blood, he pulled me into his arms, shouting, panicked, "Hold on! You'll be fine! I swear you'll be fine!"
I wanted to answer—but the world faded to black before I could speak.
