Chapter 5 – The Escape
The hospital corridors felt endless—sterile, bright, suffocating. Fluorescent lights hummed overhead, but all I could hear was my heartbeat hammering in my ears. My vision blurred with tears, but my resolve had hardened into steel.
I had to leave this place.
These walls smelled of betrayal.
I steadied myself against the cold wall, breathing through the weight of my nine-month belly. The pup shifted anxiously, echoing my urgency.
I moved quickly, almost stumbling, heading for the elevator.
But a figure stepped into my path.
Amy—Carson’s loyal secretary—leaned against the doorframe with arms crossed and a smug smile twisting her lips.
“Leaving so soon, Mrs. Stormclaw?” she drawled. “Running away won’t fix anything. Or maybe… you’re finally realizing you’ve lost.”
Her condescension ignited my fury.
All these years, she stood in the shadows, whispering rumors, feeding lies, relishing my downfall.
I lifted my chin. “Move.”
Amy arched a brow. “Or what? You’ll claw at me with those fragile little hands? You can’t even protect your—”
She didn’t finish.
With a burst of strength I didn’t know I still possessed, I shoved her aside. She staggered, shocked.
I didn’t stop to watch her recover.
I pushed through the stairwell door and descended, gripping the railing as the echo of my footsteps thundered through the empty space. Every step felt like reclaiming a piece of myself.
When I burst through the exit, the cold night air slapped my cheeks, mixing with my hot tears. I doubled over for a moment, breathing through the sharp ache in my belly.