ia's

d's shoes echoed in the room, but I stood f

e wavered, but the fire in my chest refused to

nd his lips curled into a cruel

r drain from my voice. "I'm not going to live like this anymore.

eways, my hand flying to my stinging skin. Before I could recover, another blow landed, th

ing but my voice was

mbling with rage. His hands were no longer restrained. Blow

His strength far outweighed mine, and his fury was unrelenting. I felt a sharp p

s consu

om flooded my vision. My body felt like it was on fire, every mu

omach froze me in place. I groaned softly, m

a calm voice sai

w a middle-aged doctor in a white coat standing at the f

feeling?" he

ly above a whisper. "I feel pain

e. "You were brought here by your neighbor. They heard noises from your house and

came rushing back-the shouting, the blows,

whispered, more

ne shifted, becoming more clinical. "You w

bitter laugh escaping m

elia, I need to tell you something import

through my mind. Pregnant? I stared at him, my he

" I cr

njuries, it's a miracle the pregnancy wasn't lost. But you need to be very careful. Any

doctor's words felt surreal, lik

ossible," I stamme

od last month, brushing it off as stress from my marriage. I remembered the single,

ni

,

Richard and I had never consummated our marriage. I had spent weeks dodging his advances with

carrying Da

know this is a lot to process. But you need to focus on your recovery-for yo

y voice echoed in my mind: "If you do anything

slowly. "No on

ou here for a few days to monitor your condition

e. Who would support me? Daniel had left me. My mo

What would Richard do if h

y. I couldn't go b

re woul

ing me a small smile as she checked the machines bes

nt. With Dan

ker of hope sparked. This child was mine. My link to the love I'd once k

I needed

let Richard k

ing in, demanding answers. But it was the neighbor who had called for help-a kind older wom

intruding," she

small shak

, her voice breaking slightly.

es as gratitude sw

ou," I w

, Amelia. You can get through this. But you can't

a chord, and I kn

ud: How would I escape Richard's control, protec

hing was clear-this wasn't the