"Ms. Lynn? Ms. Lynn, can you hear me?"
The fluorescent lights seared my eyes. I turned my head with effort and found a nurse changing out my IV drip. The back of my hand was mottled with bruising from the needle marks.
"Am I... actually alive?"
My throat was stripped raw.
"You lost a lot of blood. Thank God your neighbor heard something and called the police. Another hour and it would've been a very different story." The nurse sighed, a flicker of sympathy in her eyes. "Try not to be too hard on yourself. The baby... there'll be other chances."
I let out a short laugh and said nothing. The baby that had never existed had just saved my life.
The door swung open. Ryan walked in carrying a fruit basket, his face set into something meant to look like concern.
"Honey, you're awake. You h
