Chapter 3
928 Words
In that split second of life or death, Miles lunged toward Rowan.
The first shot missed, the bullet slamming straight into their wedding photo hanging on the wall.
Boom—
The photo frame crashed to the floor and shattered.
Amid Zara's shrill scream, Miles seized Rowan by the wrist.
"Drop the gun!" Miles barked sharply.
Rowan said nothing. Instead, she sank her teeth hard into his arm, drawing a sharp flinch of pain from Miles.
In that tiny window of opportunity, Rowan fired a second shot.
The bullet narrowly missed Zara.
"Miles, save me!" Zara shrieked in terror. Dropping her frail act from before, she scrambled to her feet and hid behind the sofa.
Rowan curled her lips into a cold smirk, but the next second, a searing, bone-splitting pain erupted from her wrist, forcing a muffled groan out of her.
She turned her head sharply, only to see that Miles had brutally broken her right wrist.
Her fingers went limp, and the handgun clattered to the floor. In an instant, Miles snatched it up and pressed the barrel directly against her forehead.
"Are you going to kill me?" Rowan stared straight into his eyes.
"I won't kill you, but you will apologize to Zara." Miles's gaze was cold, calm, and utterly nonnegotiable.
Rowan had once loved this unyielding side of him more than anything. Now, it filled her with nothing but hatred.
"Do it! Kill me if you dare! Otherwise, I'll never let either of you get away with this!"
Rowan's stubborn, defiant gaze made Miles's eyes flicker with faint turmoil.
"Miles, shoot her! Are you just going to stand there and watch me die?!" Zara trembled behind him, her voice shrill with panic.
Bang—
A bullet pierced straight through Rowan's shoulder.
A pained cry escaped her. In the same heartbeat, a violent cramp twisted her abdomen, far more agonizing than the gunshot wound.
The baby.
Her baby!
Panic and dread flooded her chest, overwhelming everything else, followed by a burning, all-consuming hatred for Miles and Zara.
She curled inward in agony, shot one last broken glance at Miles, and then blacked out completely.
The second he pulled the trigger, Miles's body moved on instinct, reaching out to catch Rowan as she crumpled to the ground.
But the moment his eyes locked on her tear-filled, hate-stricken gaze, his hand froze mid-air.
Slowly, he retracted his arm.
Zara stepped out from behind him, her voice thick with feigned tears. "Miles…"
She trailed off, hesitant, but Miles's expression hardened with resolve. "Tell the driver to bring the car around."
*****
Rowan drifted in and out of agonizing consciousness. When she finally woke again, she found herself strapped tightly to an operating table with thick ropes.
Before her stood a doctor in a white coat and three nurses, their uniforms emblazoned with the words Westshire Psychiatric Hospital.
Miles stood beside her, his expression a twisted mix of cold cruelty and faint, hollow remorse.
"You'll stay here for a few days to calm down. Once Zara fully takes over the company, I'll come get you.
"I'll have the hospital file a psychiatric diagnosis with the court. That way, you won't go to prison.
"Be good, and we can go back to living a peaceful life together… eventually."
"I didn't kill anyone! I don't need to evade punishment! Let me go!" Rowan thrashed wildly, overcome with panic.
Her limbs were firmly secured by leather restraints. The bandaged wound on her shoulder tore open anew with her struggles.
Sharp, stabbing pains pulsed continuously through her abdomen with every movement she made.
She froze, staring down at her lap. A streak of bright red bloomed across the white fabric of her dress.
A terrifying thought crept into her mind.
Her baby!
Just then, Miles's phone rang.
It was Zara.
"Miles, there's an emergency board meeting. The shareholders are demanding I hand over the company's confidential files… can you come back and help me?"
"I'm on my way right now," Miles replied, his eyes still fixed on Rowan.
Rowan's heart shattered completely.
She had loved Miles with everything she had, hidden nothing from him, bared every part of her heart. And now, all that love had turned into weapons used against her.
After hanging up, Miles turned to leave.
Staring at his retreating back, Rowan cried out involuntarily, "Miles!"
Miles paused and glanced back at her. After a brief hesitation, he said, "Listen to the doctors and get better. Stop acting like a lunatic and hurting people."
Lunatic.
The word carved itself deep into Rowan's heart.
Her mouth felt glued shut. She wanted to tell him she was pregnant. But after everything that had happened… would he even believe her?
She had originally planned to keep the baby and never tell Miles. But now, the situation left her no choice but to speak.
"I'm pregnant."
Miles's pupils shrank sharply. "What did you say?"
But he recovered his composure almost instantly, his tone cold and dismissive. "Don't try to make up excuses to trick me into letting you leave. Sending you here is for your own good."
He turned to the doctor. "Please take good care of her."
With that, he turned and left without a single hesitation.
The operating room door slammed shut. The doctor picked up a syringe and advanced slowly toward Rowan, who stared at him in pure terror.
"Ms. Dye, are you really pregnant?"
The doctor's gaze drifted down to her abdomen, his tone flat and unfeeling. "In that case, we'll perform an abortion first, then proceed with your psychiatric treatment."
- Writer
