REKINDLING HER LOVE

CHAPTER 3

"How can you still ask me such a question?" My father's voice was filled with rage. "If you hadn't used the company funds to help Dominic, leaving us with insufficient money for the project, I wouldn't be accused of embezzlement.

"Right now, I'm about to be arrested, I might even be executed. You've ruined us all, and for what? A man? You are just bad luck!"

My father's words pierced me deeply. "Please, Dad, just calm down," I begged while my mind was racing. "I'll take responsibility. I'll surrender myself to the police."

I hung up the call and zipped my luggage with my trembling hands. I couldn't let my father take the fall for my mistakes. I had to make things right.

As I grabbed the suitcase and turned towards the door, Dominic appeared, blocking my path.

"What on earth do you think you are doing?" he demanded, his icy gaze falling upon me.

My heart pounded in my chest, a chaotic rhythm of fear and determination. "Didn't I tell you? I am moving out. I'll tell your grandmother that we are getting a divorce."

Dominic's eyes darkened as he took a step closer, and I instinctively stepped back, trying my best to maintain my composure. "You want a divorce?" He hissed.

"This is my house. You think you can just come and go as you please? I'll teach you a lesson!" His words dripped with venom as his threats left me visibly shaking. He turned abruptly and stormed out of the room.

I heard the sharp click of the lock, and panic surged through me as I rushed to the door, pounding on it with all my might. "Dominic, please! Let me out! You can't do this!"

But there was no response, only the deafening silence of the house that had become my prison. I slumped against the door, my body shaking with sobs.

The door did not open until the next day, when Dominic came in. I was almost unconscious; I hadn't eaten or drunk water all day, and I was pregnant. Dominic rushed to my side, his face filled with concern. I couldn't tell if it was real or fake.

“Hey! Wake up,” Dominic said as he tapped my cheek. Slowly, I opened my eyes, feeling the weight of exhaustion and pain pressing down on me. My throat was dry, and all I could whisper was, “I want a divorce.”

Dominic’s face twisted with fury. His eyes darkened, and his jaw clenched tightly. Without a word, he pulled out his phone, glanced at a message, and shoved it back into his pocket. “You want a divorce?” he repeated in a cold voice.

Before I could respond, he roughly lifted my weak body and placed me into his car. He drove off.

When the car stopped, my eyes widened in horror as I looked through the window and saw my father being paraded like a common criminal.

A crowd had gathered, protesters hurling insults and objects at him, reporters shoving microphones and cameras in his face.

“No! Dad!” I screamed, my voice breaking as Dominic yanked me out of the car.

“Please, Dominic, save my father,” I begged, tears streaming down my face. “I took those company funds for you.” My voice trembled as I spoke.

Dominic’s grip tightened painfully. “Keep quiet! Did I ask you to take the money for me?” His words were like a slap on my face.

"If you want me to save your father, then kneel down and beg me," Dominic demanded.

My heart clenched as his words sank in. It felt as if the weight of the whole world was pressing down on my shoulders.

Slowly, I lowered myself to my knees. The sky above seemed to mirror my despair, with dark clouds gathering and releasing a torrent of rain.

As the downpour soaked through my clothes, one of Dominic's men hurried forward, opening an umbrella to shield Dominic from the rain, while I remained exposed to the relentless downpour.

Water streamed down my face, mingling with my tears, but I kept my eyes fixed on Dominic, hoping for a hint of mercy.

"Kneel for the entire day," he continued, his tone devoid of any empathy, "and I will think about rescuing your dad." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me, a pregnant woman, kneeling in the rain.

A few minutes later, as I knelt there in the pouring rain, I looked up just in time to see a car drift off the road, heading straight towards me. I had no time to react. The impact sent me flying into the air, and I landed on the pavement. Pain exploded through my body, and everything went black.

I regained consciousness the next morning in the hospital. Slowly, I opened my eyes, and Dominic was there, his figure slumped in the chair beside my bed. For a fleeting moment, I wondered if he had stayed by my side all night. But I quickly dismissed the thought; there was no way this man, who had caused me so much pain, could suddenly care.

As soon as my eyes fluttered open, Dominic leaned forward and took my hand, his face etched with concern. "You're awake," he said softly, his voice unusually gentle.

My first instinct was to check on my baby. My trembling hand moved to my abdomen, and relief washed over me when I felt the faint flutter of life within. With the little strength I had, I looked into Dominic's eyes and whispered, "Dominic, I want a divorce."

In an instant, his grip on my hand tightened before he shoved it away. The fake concern melted from his face, replaced by his familiar, icy glare. "You want a divorce?" he repeated, his voice now very cold. "Fine. I'll give you a divorce!"

Those words, though spoken with venom, brought a rush of joy to my heart.

As I was about to enter the court to finalize the divorce, my phone rang. "Hello, Mrs. Claire, I am calling from Blackstone prison. Your father was killed in the prison by some prisoners early this morning."

The news shook me like a bomb, detonating in my chest. It became painfully clear that Dominic was definitely behind this, and this gave me more determination as I severed my remaining ties with Dominic.

As I was leaving the court, Georgia's car pulled in front of me.

Georgia stepped out of her car, a smug smile plastered across her face as she approached me. "Oh, Claire," she cooed, her voice dripping with mock sympathy.

"Now your baby is going to grow up without a father," she continued. I was about to reply when a black van screeched to a halt in front of us. Before I could react, the side door slid open, and two masked men jumped out, grabbing both Georgia and me and blindfolding us.

"What are you doing?" Georgia struggled against her captor's grip. "Let me go! Do you know who I am?"

I tried to fight, but I was too weak.

Minutes later, they opened our blindfolds, revealing a dimly lit room with bare concrete walls.

Then one of them pulled out a camera. "Mr. Dominic, we've got your women. Our father was killed at your site, and your compensation of 10 million won't cut it. We want 3 billion, or they won't make it out alive."

Dominic surely received the message because within moments he arrived, flanked by a team of heavily armed operatives. The captors, now realizing they messed with the wrong person, tightened their grip on us, knives trembling against our throats.

"Shoot him!" Dominic ordered coldly as he pointed towards the brother holding Georgia hostage. Without hesitation, the operatives shot him down, and Georgia scrambled to safety in Dominic's arms.

"And her?" the operatives questioned, gesturing towards me.

"Leave her, let's go. I don't care if she lives or dies!"

With that, he turned around with his men.

"Please, Dominic!" I cried out, terror gripping my heart as the captor holding me lashed out in fury, delivering two brutal stabs to my abdomen.

I saw my life fading away as I drowned in my own blood. Everything came flashing before me. That day, apart from the life inside me, I also died.