Chapter 2
443 Words
I pressed Ivy's cooling body against me.
"Are you insane? Put her down!" Dr. Harris roared, reaching for my arm. "Do you want the young heiress to have no peace even in death?"
I twisted sideways and blocked his hand with my back. "She's not dead! I can still save her!"
"Give her back!" The second heir stepped forward with the others. They formed a semicircle around me, cutting off my escape to the front door.
"Chloe, calm down."
Vivian stepped out from behind the second heir. Eyes red, she reached a hand toward me. "The baby's gone. You're only making this harder for everyone."
As she moved closer, that cloying sweetness hit me like a wall.
"Get her away from me!"
Ivy's voice screamed in my head—weaker than before, but sharper. "That's the smell! Don't let her come any closer!"
I staggered backward, clutching the baby, until my back hit the edge of a tall round table.
"Stay back!"
I lifted my head, pointed at Vivian, and met Sebastian's eyes across the room. "Sir, the baby didn't have a congenital attack. It's her perfume. Ivy stopped breathing because of the smell."
A murmur rippled through the hall, then died just as quickly.
Harris looked at me like I'd just told a joke. "That's ridiculous! I've been practicing medicine for 30 years, and I've never heard of a 'smell' causing an infant to go into respiratory failure!"
The second heir stepped forward and clamped his hand down on my shoulder—hard enough to dislocate it. "Picking Vivian as your scapegoat? Do you really take us all for fools?"
Vivian's outstretched hand froze. Tears streamed down her face as she stumbled back two steps.
"I don't know what she's talking about." Her voice trembled. She turned to Sebastian. "Sir, it's just an ordinary perfume. I've been by your side for 5 years—I've never once thought of harming anyone!"
Sebastian said nothing. His gaze moved between Vivian and me, then settled on the baby in my arms. He took a step forward.
The guards tightened their circle around me.
"Why would I ever hurt the master's own blood...?" Vivian suddenly clutched her lower stomach. Her face went pale as she leaned against a chair. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I... this morning, I got the hospital report."
She looked up. Tears slid down her cheeks. "Sir, I'm pregnant. Six weeks."
Sebastian's mother stared at Vivian's belly in disbelief.
The thick scent still hung in the air. Ivy let out a faint whimper in my head. "Take me away... it hurts..."
I leaned against the round table, my scalp tingling.
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