or and dragged Ada out into the

ble staircase. Jacklyn's fingernails d

the woman's fingers off. Her eight-month pregnant body was heavy

f a car engine shutting off echoed thr

smirk on her face morphed in

y let go of

ach with both hands. She let out

at was happening, Jacklyn t

rror. She lunged forward, her hand

closed aroun

p flight of marble stairs. The sickening sound of b

ed onto the massive Persian

the heavy carved oak f

er, bringing the freezing w

r. A pool of dark red blood was already seeping fr

s head s

nding at the very top of the stairs,

blood turn to ice. It was the lo

Ada started, her vo

he foyer and dropped to his knees beside Jack

k and trembling. She clutched his lapel. "S

y legs to move, slowly descending the stairs. "She's

hook the chandelier above them. "You are just

voice felt like a knif

ough Ada's lower back and abdomen. It was so

lapsed onto her knees on the marble steps. Warm

r air as another contraction hit

as a mask of absolute, terrifying in

ll an ambulance for her. He dialed hi

massive bodyguards standing by the d

They grabbed Ada's shoulders roughly

ody. She lay in her own amniotic fluid, watching throu

rried her out the front doors toward the wai

ager walked into the foyer. Two f

ece of paper. "Ada Thomas, you are

ain in Ada's body finally overwhelmed her brain. Her eyes rolled back,

into the freezing night, the wail of po