Chapter 3

In a split second, Donovan sobered up, a brief flash of panic crossing his face.

"Honey, don't worry. I'll take you right away."

Sweet but venomous, Chloe slid her hand up his thigh.

"You believe every lie she tells," she murmured. "She just peed herself because she's mad. She's only seven months along. Her water can't break yet."

Snickering in disgust, his friends nodded in agreement, muttering about how gross and desperate for attention I was.

Donovan's panic vanished, instantly replaced by furious humiliation. He hurled a throw pillow at my face, throwing it hard enough to make my head snap back.

"Disgusting! You'll do anything to ruin Christmas!"

"I'm in labor! It hurts!" I sobbed, but he only sneered.

"You're a perfect actress. I almost bought it."

Shaking with agony, I curled into a tight ball, my voice dropping to a ragged whisper. "Help me… save the baby… please call an ambulance."

Loud and cruel, Blake laughed right in my face. "Like we're going to waste the paramedics' time on Christmas Eve!"

My heart turned to solid ice. No one in this room was going to help me.

Dragging myself across the carpet, I reached for my purse and finally closed my fingers around my phone. Before I could even dial 911, Donovan ground his heel into my hand, kicking the phone so it skittered across the floor.

"Enough! You are not bothering them for a stunt!"

The sheer pain left me gasping for air. I grabbed his pant leg, my nails digging into the denim.

"This is your baby. Please—just let me call for help."

He kicked my hand away in disgust, then knelt down and squeezed my neck until my vision started to blur.

"Stop acting. I'm going to teach you a lesson."

I was seven months pregnant, begging for my baby's life, and he was only focused on punishing me.