Chapter Three

Max's eyes shifted between Marie and Lena, his face distorted with wrath and astonishment. He rose up, his muscles stiff with wrath, and scowled at Marie.

"Why did you push her?" He hissed in a deep murmur. "You understand how fragile pregnancy is. "How could you be so reckless?"

Marie's heart hammered in her chest, and her words stuck in her throat. "Max, please, you must listen to me," she begged, tears streaming down her cheek. "It wasn't me, it was…"

"Enough!" Max cut in. "I saw it with my own eyes, you pushed her!"

Lena carefully slid her hands to the blud bag between her thighs, releasing more blud.

"Max, it hurts so much," she wailed, faking tears.

"Don't be afraid, Lena; I am here," he added, still staring intently at Marie. "No one can hurt you."

"Max…" Marie stammered.

Max's rage spread like wildfire, searing everything in its path. His hands shook with barely restrained wrath as he made a menacing stride towards Marie.

"Lena has always been weak, and now she finally has this baby, and you dared to push her," he said.

"Max, please, you must believe me," Marie pleaded, her hands stretching out to him. But her comments fell on deaf ears.

Max pulled Marie aside in one fast sweep, his power propelled by hatred. She staggered backward, and landed so hard on the hard floor. A sharp pain shot through her lower abdomen.

"My belly!" She exclaimed.

"It was just a little push, and you start acting?" Max replied, disregarding her anguish.

Marie was unable to speak another word. She tried but couldn't, keeping her attention set on Max as he picked up Lena and carried her away, his protective hug covering her from danger.

Marie was left alone, with the sour taste of injustice still on her lips. She climbed to her feet, the ache in her arm forgotten, and tears flowed down her cheeks.

How could he trust Lena above her?

As Marie struggled with the crushing weight of betrayal, her body began to betray her. A piercing agony, like a thousand needles, stabbed her abdomen once again, and she slumped over, holding at her stomach. A unexpected flood of warmth between her legs warned her that her own baby was in danger.

She slumped to the floor, her breathing weak and ragged, blood staining her skirt, the truth of the situation coming on her like a black cloud as she felt her heart shatter. No. No, please.

Marie held her stomach in the deserted compound's calm, her head racing with terror and despair. She'd lost everything: her husband, her pride, and potentially her kid.

"Please, not my baby," she pleaded, her voice raspy with pain. "Please, don't take my baby."

But as the minutes passed, her strength dwindled, the anguish growing more intense and brutal, until she could only shut her eyes and yield to the darkness that threatened to engulf her.

**********

Marie awoke to the fragrance of antiseptic and a slight breath of bleach, the overhead lights blurring her vision. The sound of heart monitors and the murmur of conversations surrounded her like a dream.

"Where…" she muttered, her voice parched as sandpaper.

A soothing touch landed on her arm, and she turned to see Doctor Gates' worried expression. "You are in the hospital, Marie. Your husband brought you here as soon as he received a call from his gatekeeper."

He probably hadn't abandoned all of his compassion after all. Marie thought to herself. Her heart just skipped a beat.

"My baby." She grabbed the doctor. "Dr. Gates, how's my baby?" She questioned anxiously, her voice tinged with anxiety.

"Your baby is fine, but you should be careful the next time; you might not be so lucky," Dr. Gates said with a warm grin at the corners of his lips.

Marie nodded.

"I'll let you rest now," Doctor Gates replied, adjusting the stethoscope around his neck and turning to depart.

Marie sighed with relief as she saw the Doctor close the door behind him. Before she could blink, Max rushed through the door, his look hostile.

Max raced for Marie, pulling her off the bed with a firm grasp. "You'll pay for your sins," he hissed, his eyes filled with rage.

"Max, please, you're hurting me!" Marie sobbed, fighting against his grip. "Let me go, what is it you want from me?"

"Lena's life hangs in the balance because of you," he said with a sneer. "If you hadn't pushed her, would she be heavily bleeding and fighting for her life in the ER right now?" He yelled, "Do you even have a conscience, Marie?"

Marie's eyes burned with rage, and her jaw clinched in a vise-like grasp. "Even if she dies, what does that have to do with me?" She hissed, her voice full of defiance.

"Marie!" Max roared. "If it wasn't for you pushing her, would she have miscarried and be bleeding heavily now??" He said, "You're still as venomous as you were back then!"

"I have already said I didn't do anything back then!" Tears of frustration burned her eyes, but she refused to let them flow. "And now she is intentionally framing me by appearing to collapse. She is even faking her pregnancy! "Why don't you believe me?"

"Believe you?" Max spit, his voice full of disdain. "Why should I believe a woman who shamelessly climbed into my bed, betrayed my trust, and hired a murderer to kill Lena out of jealousy?"

He shoved her away in one fast, savage movement, his power propelled by his wrath. She staggered backward, losing her equilibrium and falling onto the bed behind her, her eyes wide with surprise. "Now Lena is in the ER, fighting for her life, and the doctor says only your blurd matches hers!" If you have a little conscience, go give blurd right now!"

Marie's fury was on fire, her words fuelled by the injustice she had experienced. "Lena is a liar," she said, her voice increasing in intensity. "Let her die if she wants to."

The words had barely left her lips before Max was upon her. He seized her by the chin, his fingers digging into the tender flesh of her neck, and lifted her from the bed with the force of his grip.

“How dare you?” he roared, the veins on his temples pulsing with anger.