Chapter 3
1175 Words
The cold November wind bit at Annie’s cheeks as she walked out of the clinic, her mind spinning. Dr. Albert’s words echoed in her ears like a haunting melody: “How about you give birth to this child and sell it to her?” The absurdity of it all sent shivers down her spine. Her steps quickened as she pulled her coat tighter, the dim streetlights casting eerie shadows that danced across the pavement.
She didn’t trust the doctor—nor did she trust herself to navigate this nightmare. But Catherina? That name lingered like poison in her thoughts.
---
The following day, Annie sat in the living room, the familiar scent of her mother’s lavender spray doing little to soothe her nerves. She stared at the untouched cup of coffee in front of her, her thoughts a tangled mess. Mirabel bustled in, a gleam of satisfaction on her face.
“Annie, have you spoken to Dean Jacobs yet? He told me he’s willing to write you a glowing recommendation for graduate school. This is an incredible opportunity!”
Annie’s heart sank. She couldn’t muster the energy to care. “Not yet, Mom,” she mumbled.
Mirabel paused, her brows furrowing. “Annie, you’re not yourself lately. You’ve been distracted, and now this nonsense from last night. What’s going on with you? Do you want to let go of this great opportunity?”
“Nothing!” Annie snapped, standing abruptly. “Can’t you just stop pressuring me all the time? Maybe I’m not as perfect as you want me to be!”
Mirabel looked taken aback. “Where is this coming from? You’ve always been so focused—so driven. Don’t throw it all away now.”
Annie turned away, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. If only her mother knew.
---
Later that evening, Annie sat at her desk, her phone buzzing incessantly. Finally, she picked it up and saw an unknown number. Her stomach churned as she answered.
“Hello?”
“Miss Annie,” a sharp, icy voice greeted her. “I believe we have unfinished business.”
It was her. Catherina.
Annie’s pulse quickened. “What do you want?”
“To make things simple,” Catherina replied coolly. “You’re carrying something that belongs to me. And I intend to have it—without any complications.”
“I’m not selling my baby to you!” Annie snapped, anger breaking through her fear.
Catherina’s laugh was sharp and humorless. “Oh, my dear, you misunderstand. You don’t have a choice. Do you really think you’re in a position to bargain? A college student with no means to raise a child?”
“I’ll find a way!” Annie shot back.
“Will you?” Catherina said smoothly. “What about your mother? How do you think she’ll feel when I tell her about your... condition? About how her perfect little daughter threw away her future?”
Annie’s blood ran cold. “You wouldn’t.”
“Oh, but I would,” Catherina replied, her tone like a dagger. “Unless you cooperate, I’ll ensure your mother knows everything. And you know how much she values her pride, don’t you? Imagine the shame.”
Annie’s voice trembled. “What do you want from me?”
“Good girl,” Catherina purred. “You’ll leave the city. I’ve arranged everything—a ‘scholarship’ to a university abroad. Your mother will think it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. And while you’re there, you’ll carry out the pregnancy quietly. When the time comes, the baby will be mine.”
“And if I refuse?”
“Then I’ll ruin you,” Catherina said, her voice dripping with malice. “And your precious mother along with you.”
Annie’s hand tightened around the phone, her knuckles white. “You’re a monster.”
“No, darling,” Catherina said with a chilling finality. “I’m a survivor. You’d do well to learn the difference.”
---
Weeks passed in a blur. Annie found herself swept up in Catherina’s meticulously orchestrated plan. Mirabel beamed with pride, telling everyone about Annie’s “scholarship” to a prestigious European university. The truth was far uglier: Annie was being exiled, silenced, and manipulated into surrendering her child.
The night before her flight, Annie sat in her room, staring at her packed suitcase. Her phone buzzed again—it was Dr. Albert.
“I need to see you,” he said urgently.
Annie frowned. “I’m leaving tomorrow. There’s nothing left to say.”
“You don’t understand,” he insisted. “Catherina... She's dangerous. You can't go—”
The line went dead.
---
Annie’s hands trembled as she approached the clinic once more. The streets were eerily silent, the darkness pressing in around her. When she entered, the faint smell of antiseptic greeted her, nobody was around at that time.
“Dr. Albert?” she called softly.
No response. She made her way to his office, her footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. The door was ajar. She pushed it open and froze.
Dr. Albert lay slumped over his desk, blood pooling beneath him.
“Doctor!” Annie gasped, rushing to his side.
To her shock, his eyes fluttered open, weak but alive. “Annie...” he rasped.
“Who did this to you?” she demanded, panic rising in her chest.
“Listen,” he whispered. “She... she didn’t want me talking. You’re in danger... Leave while you still can...”
Before Annie could respond, a shadow moved in the doorway.
“Going somewhere, Annie?”
Annie’s heart stopped as she turned to see a man in a dark suit, his expression cold and unfeeling.
“Catherina sends her regards,” he said, stepping forward.
Annie’s mind raced. She had to get out. She backed away slowly, her eyes darting to the window.
“Don’t make this harder than it needs to be, do whatever she asks of you and do not tell anyone about what you saw today” the man warned.
But Annie had already made up her mind. With a burst of adrenaline, she grabbed a heavy bookend from the desk and hurled it at the man, giving herself just enough time to scramble out the door.
---
The clinic became a labyrinth of corridors and locked doors as Annie ran, her breath coming in sharp, panicked gasps. The man’s footsteps echoed behind her, relentless and unyielding.
Finally, she spotted an emergency exit. She pushed through it, the cold night air hitting her like a wall. She didn’t stop running until she was several blocks away, her lungs burning and her heart pounding.
---
“Is he dead?” Annie murmured to herself as she stopped for a while because she was tired of running “Should I tell the police about what just happened?” She asked herself but then she thought about Catherina and how she threatened her, the last thing she wanted was her mother to know that she was pregnant.
- Writer
