Chapter 4

Hearing this, Chloe frowned and spoke with a trace of concern. "Mr. Sterling, the sun is so intense today. What if you get heatstroke? I can have Melissa bring the documents out to you."

"It's fine. I'll be passing by the office anyway."

"Understood, Mr. Sterling. I'll have Melissa bring them down to the underground parking garage."

"Alright."

A wave of sheer hopelessness washed over me.

The others around me kept showering Chloe with praise, going on about how thoughtful she was to ensure Mr. Sterling wouldn't face even the slightest discomfort.

Chloe wore a smug, self-satisfied expression, acting as if she were Mr. Sterling's actual wife. "Of course. When you truly love someone, you think of everything."

Suddenly, she turned her harsh gaze on me. "But anyone who dares to covet my man will be dealt with permanently."

My face throbbed with swelling, and my torn, form-fitting clothes barely covered me. Large patches of my skin were exposed, and my once slightly rounded belly had completely deflated.

Deep down, I knew I wasn't getting out of here today.

I rested a trembling hand on my stomach and wept silently, consumed by a hollow, agonizing grief for my unborn child.

I glared fiercely at every person in the room, burning their faces into my memory. I swore I would get revenge for my baby. Especially on Chloe. I would make sure she paid in blood for what she had taken from me.

"What kind of look is that?" Chloe slapped me hard across the face. "You really just don't know when to give up, do you?"

Her expression darkened into something twisted. "Are those large breasts of yours even real? How about I let a little air out?"

She advanced on me, step by step, gripping a utility knife.

She looked like an absolute demon, ready to carve my life away.

I let out a piercing scream as she drove the blade into my chest. Warm blood immediately began to ooze from the wound.

The pain was so blindingly intense that I nearly blacked out, entirely drained of strength.

Right at that moment, Arthur's voice drifted in from outside the door.

"Chloe, where are my documents?"

Chloe's hands jerked in a sudden panic, and the knife clattered to the floor.

She exchanged a wide-eyed glance with the other secretaries, quickly smoothed out her clothes, and stepped out into the hall.

"Mr. Sterling, how are you here so soon?"

"The documents."

"I have them right here. Let me grab them for you."

A heavy silence fell over the room.

I tried to scream for help, using every last ounce of my fading strength to force my mouth open, but no sound came out.

The surrounding secretaries kept their eyes locked on me, watching my every move.

With the door pulled shut, Arthur had no way of seeing me.

I had to do something—anything—to get his attention.

The conference room was bare, holding only a large table and a few scattered chairs.

Seizing a brief moment when the women were distracted, I lunged desperately and grabbed the leg of a nearby chair, straining to knock it over.

But my body was too weak. All I managed to do was bump the chair lightly against the table.

One of the secretaries shot a nervous glance at the door, then let out a breath of relief when nothing happened.

A second later, the knife was violently yanked from my chest.

The woman clamped a hand over my mouth and drove the blade straight through my hand, pinning it to the floor.

My agonizing screams were entirely muffled against her palm, never reaching the hallway.

In that agonizing moment, an immense, suffocating hatred washed over me.

I hated that Arthur was standing just on the other side of that door, completely oblivious to my suffering.

I hated that the very secretary he employed had just murdered our child.

"Mr. Sterling, here are the documents you asked for."

"Alright."

"Do you need me to come with you?"

"No need."

The sound of his steady footsteps began to fade down the hall.

Suddenly, the footsteps paused, and his voice sounded closer, as if he had turned back. "By the way, where is that woman you mentioned earlier today?"

Chloe's voice carried a brief note of panic before she quickly smoothed it over. "Why are you suddenly asking about her, Mr. Sterling? I've already dealt with the situation."

"It's nothing. I've just felt a bit on edge today, so I thought I'd ask. If she's already gone, forget it."

With that, he turned to leave once more.

I screamed wildly in my mind, but the suffocating weight of hopelessness only grew heavier.

Just then, Arthur's footsteps stopped entirely. He must have pointed at the lunchbox I had brought with me, because his next words cut through the silence. "Where did this lunchbox come from?"

Arthur's deep voice carried a faint, uncertain tremor.