The Billionaire's Forsaken Wife

Chapter ten

ROOSEVELT’S POV

The cold night air hit my face, but I struggled to breathe.

The pain in my stomach felt like a hot knife twisting inside me. I grabbed the rough brick wall of the building, my fingers scraping against the stomach as I shut my eyes tight.

Please, no, I begged silently. Not my baby. Please.

I felt a warm drop of blood slide down my leg. I looked down. The dark crimson silk of my dress concealed the blood well. No one could see it. This was my only stroke of luck.

I needed to get to my car. I took a step away from the wall, but my knee buckled. The dark ground rushed up to meet me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the hard fall.

But I never hit the ground.

Two strong arms caught me from behind. A large, warm hand gripped my waist, pulling me against a hard, broad chest.

"I have you," a deep, calm voice said.

I opened my eyes, gasping for air. I looked up.

The man holding me had sharp features and piercing gray eyes. His jaw was tight with worry. He wore a dark, expensive suit that smelled of mint. I recognized his face from business magazines.

Maverick Sterling.

"My car..." I gasped. Another wave of pain hit me, and I doubled over, gripping his arm tightly. My nails dug into his suit jacket. "A doctor... please."

Maverick looked at my pale face, he noticed the cold sweat on my forehead. He didn’t ask any foolish questions.

"There are cameras at the front," Maverick said quickly, glancing toward the bright lights of the Gala. "If I call an ambulance, the press will swarm you."

"No press," I sobbed, shaking my head fervently. I pressed my hand against my flat stomach. "Please. My husband... he can’t know, no one can know."

Maverick’s gray eyes softened with understanding.

Without a word, Maverick lifted me into his arms. He carried me easily, as if I weighed nothing.

He rushed me to a sleek black car waiting in the shadows of the alley. A driver in a black suit quickly jumped out and opened the back door.

" Evans," Maverick instructed his driver as he gently set me on the soft leather seat. "The private clinic. Drive fast."

Maverick slid into the seat beside me. The car sped away into the quiet night.

In the back seat, the pain worsened. I curled into a tight ball, turning away from Maverick. I bit my bottom lip hard enough to bleed to keep from screaming. I wrapped my arms around my stomach, trying to protect my baby.

I felt a warm, heavy coat drape over my shivering shoulders. Maverick covered me. He didn’t try to touch me or push me to talk. He just sat quietly in the dark car, offering protection.

The private clinic was very quiet.

A female doctor with kind eyes quickly led me into a private room. Maverick stayed in the waiting area. As soon as the heavy door closed, I clutched the doctor's white coat.

"My baby," I cried, tears streaming down my face. "I am bleeding, you have to save my baby!"

"Lie back, Mrs. King. Let me check," the doctor said quickly.

The next twenty minutes felt like a blur. Cold gel. Bright lights. The low hum of an ultrasound machine. I stared at the white ceiling, praying with all my heart. If Zyran broke my heart, I could survive, but losing this child would destroy me.

Suddenly, a fast, rhythmic sound filled the quiet room.

A heartbeat.

I let out a loud sob, covering my face with my shaking hands.

"The baby is safe," the doctor whispered. She handed me a tissue. She smiled, but her eyes were serious. "The bleeding has stopped. It was a severe stress reaction, your body went into shock."

"Is the baby really okay?" I asked, wiping my wet cheeks.

"Yes," the doctor nodded. "But Mrs. King, I must warn you. You are hanging by a thread. If you experience another emotional shock like tonight, I cannot promise your baby will survive, you need complete peace."

"I understand," I whispered. I gently touched my stomach. "I will protect it."

"The gentleman outside," the doctor asked softly, "He is very worried. What should I tell him?"

"Nothing about the baby," I said immediately. My voice was firm. "Tell him I had a ruptured stress cyst. Tell him it is a female issue. Please, he cannot know."

The doctor nodded. "Your secret is safe with me."

A few minutes later, I sat up in the hospital bed. The red dress was cleaned up. I looked tired, but the terrible panic had faded.

The door opened slowly. Maverick walked in.

He looked relieved to see me sitting up. He approached slowly, stopping a few feet away to keep a respectful distance.

"The doctor said you had a ruptured cyst from severe stress," Maverick said gently. His gray eyes focused on my face.

"Yes," I lied, looking down at my hands. "I'm sorry for ruining your night, Mr. Sterling and thank you... for saving my life."

"Maverick," he corrected me, his voice smooth. "And you didn't ruin my night. I'm just glad I was there to catch you."

He reached into his suit jacket, pulling out a sleek black business card with gold lettering. He placed it gently on the small table next to my bed.

"I don’t relate with you well, just Zyran," Maverick said quietly. "I don’t know what kind of stress you are facing or why you are so afraid of your husband finding out you are in a hospital. It’s none of my business."

I looked at the card, then back up at him.

"But," Maverick continued, his voice steady and serious, "I recognize a trap when I see one. If you ever need a safe way out of whatever situation is hurting you, call that number. I will help you. No questions asked."

He gave me a polite nod, turned around, and walked out of the room. The heavy door clicked shut behind him.

I was completely alone.

I let out a long breath and picked up my purse from the edge of the bed. I pulled out my phone and pressed the power button.

The screen lit up.

My heart skipped a beat. There were twenty missed calls. All from Zyran.

A text message popped up on the screen.

Zyran: "Roosevelt, where are you? I am looking everywhere for you. Please answer, I need you."

A warm tear slid down my cheek. He was searching for me, he didn’t forget me, he loved me. He was likely tearing the Gala apart right now trying to find his wife.

I quickly wiped my eyes and began typing a reply. I wanted to tell him I was safe. I wanted to go home to my husband.

But before I could hit send, my phone buzzed again.

It was a message from Mina

I opened it. It was a video.

My blood ran cold. It was security camera footage from the dark alley outside the Gala. It clearly showed me in my red dress and Maverick Sterling scooping me up into his arms and putting me into the back of his dark car.

Underneath the video was a text message.

“You left in such a hurry, Roosevelt. You dropped your earring in the hallway, so I asked the security guards to check the cameras to make sure you got to your car safely.”

Another message appeared a moment later.

“Zyran has been so worried about you. He is sitting right next to me in the car now. I am about to show him exactly whose arms his 'obedient' wife ran into tonight. Let’s see if he still wants to look for you.”