Chapter 4

Alina POV:

"Please, Alina! I'm begging you!" Fallon cried, her voice rising in a dramatic plea. She started to bang her head lightly on the floor, a theatrical show of remorse. "Don't tell Adrien! He'll be furious. He'll disinherit me! You know how important his family's name is. He' ll never let me near his inheritance if he thinks I' ve harmed you!"

My head throbbed. What was she doing? Her words made no sense, not after the venom she' d just spewed.

A fresh wave of pain pulsed behind my eyes. I pushed myself up from the bed, my legs wobbly. I swayed, trying to get closer to her, to understand.

But as I took a step, Fallon let out a sudden, sharp cry. She twisted violently, as if to avoid me, then collapsed to the floor, slamming her head against the sterile tile. "Adrien! My baby!" she shrieked, her hands flying to her stomach.

The door burst open. Adrien stood there, his eyes blazing, his jaw tight. He took in the scene: Fallon on the floor, sobbing, and me, swaying unsteadily, blood still dripping from my head.

His gaze locked onto me, pure fury in his eyes. He crossed the room in two strides, his hand shooting out to grab my arm. He shoved me back, hard, against the wall.

"What did you do?!" he roared, his voice shaking the room.

My head hit the plaster with another sickening thud. The world tilted. Fresh blood streamed down my face, mixing with the old. The pain was unbearable.

Fallon, still on the floor, looked up at Adrien, her eyes wide and tearful. "She... she attacked me, Adrien. She said she'd make sure you never got your inheritance. She said she'd ruin everything for us. For our baby!" She dissolved into fresh sobs. "She said if you love me, you wouldn't get your inheritance!"

Inheritance. Baby. The words twisted in my gut. He loved Fallon. He married me for the merger, for the family name. But he loved Fallon. And he believed she was carrying his child.

Adrien stared at me, his eyes burning with an insane rage. He grabbed my throat, his fingers digging into my skin. He lifted me effortlessly, dragging me towards the open window.

"You want to ruin me, Alina?" he snarled, his face inches from mine. "I'll ruin you first. I'll send you straight to hell!"

He pushed me forward, my upper body dangling out the window, high above the concrete below. The wind bit at my skin, cold and sharp. My heart hammered, a frantic drum against my ribs. Death. It was so close.

"No! Adrien, please!" I gasped, my hands desperately clutching at his arm, my nails digging into his skin. "I didn't! She's lying!"

Over Adrien's shoulder, I saw Fallon. She was no longer crying. A triumphant, evil smirk spread across her face.

This was it. My life, ending. The man I loved, the man I had given everything to, was throwing me away. My vision blurred, tears mixing with the blood still flowing from my head wound. "Adrien," I choked out, the name a raw plea. "Why? Why don't you believe me? Ten years, Adrien. Was I truly so worthless to you?"

His hand, holding me over the edge, trembled. I could feel the heat where my blood and tears touched his skin. His eyes, for a split second, flickered. A shadow of something-confusion? Doubt?-crossed his face.

No. He can't. He hates me. He hates me too much.

Then, Fallon let out another theatrical gasp, collapsing again, a pathetic heap on the floor. "Adrien! I feel dizzy!" she whimpered.

His attention snapped back to her. The flicker in his eyes vanished, replaced by cold fury. He ripped his hand away from me. I dropped, slamming against the window frame before falling to the floor.

He rushed to Fallon' s side, scooping her up. "This isn't over, Alina," he growled, his voice a chilling promise. "Next time, you won't be so lucky."

Then he was gone, carrying Fallon, leaving me bleeding and broken on the cold hospital floor.

I lay there for what felt like an eternity. The sounds of the hospital, muffled before, were now a distant hum. My vision swam. No one came. No one helped.

I'm going to die here. The thought was strangely calm.

Just as the darkness threatened to consume me, a tall figure appeared in the doorway, blocking the harsh hospital lights. A man. Who was it?