Chapter 3
My feet moved on their own, heading straight for the kitchen.
The second my hand brushed the apron, it jolted me awake. Furious, I yanked it off and tossed it to the floor.
"I'm not your maid!" I shouted.
"You're keeping me here against my will. I'm calling the cops!" I yelled.
David set his cup down with a scowl, clearly fed up.
"You used to do this every day. Now you're pretending you're above it all?" he sneered.
"Vivian's been the one raising your kid all this time. Shouldn't you be the one taking care of her now?"
I was shaking with anger, about to make a run for the door, when my eyes suddenly caught sight of a newspaper on the table.
On the business section, there was a photo of Lucas Harrison attending a charity gala.
I grabbed the newspaper, my hands trembling with excitement.
"That's my husband!" I shouted, my voice trembling with excitement.
"If you don't believe me, call him right now!" I insisted.
Vivian glanced at the photo and let out a gentle, sarcastic chuckle.
"Charlotte, if you're going to lie, at least pick someone believable," she scoffed.
"Mr. Harrison is notorious for avoiding women. Why would he ever marry you?"
"Besides, the Reed Estate is working on a deal with the Harrison Family right now. David's never even heard about him getting married, so how could you be Mrs. Harrison?"
I was desperate to explain, but a heavy ache suddenly pulled at my belly.
It was like my baby was warning me: I had to get out of here.
The moment the coast was clear, I made a run for it.
Vivian suddenly lunged at me, locking her arms around my waist and refusing to let go.
"Charlotte, you can't leave," she pleaded, her voice trembling.
"If you go, Emily will be heartbroken."
"Let go of me!" I shouted, struggling desperately.
She pushed down hard on my stomach on purpose, making the pain unbearable.
The pain was so intense, I just bit her hand.
Vivian screamed and let go, collapsing to the floor.
"David, it hurts so much," Vivian cried out in pain, her voice shaking.
David stormed over and slapped me hard across the face.
"Charlotte, are you out of your mind?" he shouted.
I staggered back, my ears ringing with a sharp, piercing buzz.
Before I could even steady myself, Emily swung a heavy music box at me.
"Bad woman! Don't you dare bully Mrs. Summers!" she yelled.
The music box smashed right into the wound on my forehead.
The pain was so intense that my vision went black, and I lost my footing, crashing down the stairs.
My belly slammed hard against the floor, the impact sending a fresh wave of agony through me.
Hot blood quickly soaked through my skirt, staining it red.
I was completely panicked, crawling desperately toward David.
"Please, save my baby," I begged, my voice quivering.
"Please, take me to the hospital," I pleaded, my voice shaking with fear.
David stared at the blood, and for the first time, the fury on his face finally shattered.
He rushed over and swept me up into his arms.
"Doctor!" he yelled.
"Get the car ready, now!" he roared.
The pain was so overwhelming that I passed out right there in his arms.
When I came to, I could hear hushed voices outside the hospital room.
The doctor's voice was grave.
"She really is pregnant," he said.
"She's got a lot of old injuries. She's been subjected to severe abuse for a long time. Her amnesia isn't fake; her body is just trying to protect her."
David was silent for a moment, his voice rough and strained.
"She was doing just fine at home, so how could she have been abused?" he shot back, sounding defensive.
"The baby can't stay," he said, cold as ice.
"I'm not letting her give birth to another man's child," he added, his voice like ice.
I jerked awake and ripped the IV out of my hand.
"No!" I shouted, my voice trembling with fear.
"David, you have no right to do anything to my baby!" I yelled, my voice trembling with rage.
He stormed into the room and pinned me down, his grip iron-tight.
"You're Emily's mother," David said, his voice cold and unyielding.
"Once your memory comes back, you'll see this baby shouldn't even be here," he added, his tone icy.
I fought back with everything I had, tears streaming down my face as I begged him.
"I don't even know you! I just want my baby!" I cried, my voice cracking with desperation.
A flicker of pain crossed David's face.
He leaned down and pulled me into his arms, his voice suddenly so gentle it felt almost absurd.
"Charlotte, don't be scared," he said, his voice gentle.
"When you remember everything, we'll have another baby together," he added, his tone almost tender.
Even as the nurse injected the drug into my IV, I thrashed and fought with everything I had, panic clawing at my chest as I refused to give in.
The icy liquid slid into my veins, and little by little, all my strength drained away.
The last thing I saw before everything went dark was Vivian standing in the doorway.
She was holding the hand I bit, a smug, satisfied grin on her face.
When I woke up again, I was back at the Reed Estate.
My stomach throbbed with an aching emptiness.
I instinctively reached for my belly, but all I felt was a thick bandage.
My baby was gone.
They really took my baby from me.
I broke down, sobbing and screaming, desperate to get out of bed, but the nurses held me down, refusing to let me move.
David stood by the bed, looking completely worn out.
"The doctor said you were so traumatized that you forgot all about us," he said, his voice tired.
"I've already contacted your old doctor," he added.
"Once you start treatment again, you'll remember me and Emily soon enough," he said, his tone firm.
I shook my head in terror.
"I don't want any treatment!" I shouted, my voice trembling with fear.
"I want to see Lucas!" I cried, desperation in my voice.
David's face turned stormy.
"You're still hung up on that guy?" he snapped.
He turned and barked out an order.
"Take her to the underground treatment room," he said, his voice cold and commanding.
The moment the basement door slammed shut, I started shaking uncontrollably.