Chapter 3

As I reached the door, Rose suddenly stuck out her foot to trip me, her shoe pinning down the hem of my dress.

I was already shaky, and her move made me lose my balance and fall forward.

Ethan reached out to steady her, but didn't bother to help me.

I clutched my belly as I slammed into the doorframe. The pain was so intense I couldn't get up for a long while.

Rose shrieked, "I didn't mean to! Laura, stop trying to set me up!"

Ethan pulled her behind him. "That's enough, Laura. Are you done making a scene yet?"

I looked up at him.

The light was shining from behind him, so I couldn't make out his face, only his hand, shielding Rose's waist.

That move was so familiar.

Whenever it rained, he used to protect me like that when we crossed the street.

I steadied myself against the doorframe as I stood up. "I need to get to the hospital."

"The driver will take you," he said.

"What about you?" I asked.

Rose let out a little cough. "Ethan, I'm feeling dizzy."

Ethan said, "I'll stay with Rose."

I nodded. "Okay."

He probably thought I'd cry, yell, or beg him.

But I walked right past him.

As I passed Rose, she leaned in and whispered so only I could hear, "Laura, do you know why Ethan can't bring himself to punish me?"

I stopped.

She smiled sweetly. "Because he owes me his life.

"And as for the baby you're carrying, you'd better make sure it behaves."

I turned to look at her.

She stumbled right into Ethan's arms, acting all fragile. "Please, don't hit me!"

Ethan seized my wrist. "Laura, don't you dare touch her."

I looked at his hand.

He once told me this hand was there to protect me from everything.

Now, it was gripping my wrist so hard it was turning blue, to keep me from touching Rose.

"Let go," I said.

But Ethan's grip stayed firm, he wouldn't let go.

Suddenly, the sound of tires crunching over gravel echoed from outside.

A black van pulled up at the entrance of the north building.

The door swung open, and a man in a gray suit stepped out.

He looked to be in his fifties, carrying a medical bag and hurrying inside. The Lambert Family's head butler saw him and his face changed instantly, he rushed over to greet him.

"Dr. Stone, what brings you here?" the butler asked.

The man ignored him, looked right past everyone, and locked eyes with me.

He called out, "Laura."

Ethan finally eased his grip on my wrist.

Rose frowned. "Who is that?"

Dr. Stone walked up to me, and when he saw my leg, his face fell.

"Who did this?" he demanded.

I didn't answer.

He turned to Ethan. "Mr. Lambert, Ms. Sinclair is pregnant, and you let her get hurt like this, now you're keeping her from seeing a doctor?"

Ethan's face darkened. "Dr. Stone, this is a family matter."

Dr. Stone slammed his medical bag to the floor. "I've been looking after Grandpa Lambert for twenty years now, and you call this a family matter? While your father's still bedridden, you dare to mistreat your pregnant wife like this?"

Rose muttered under her breath, "Even a doctor thinks he can butt into the Lambert Family's business."

Dr. Stone turned to her. "Miss, if you think you can get ahead by hurting people, your blessings will turn sour sooner or later."

Her face went pale. "Ethan, he's being mean to me."

Ethan was about to say something when my phone rang.