Chapter 9 I Will Fight You

Lachlan slammed the phone down, his fury palpable even through the disconnected call.

At the other end, Gianna listened to the hollow dial tone as a profound sense of dread settled deep within her heart.

After escaping from the director's house, she had run into Tristan.

The cascade of events that followed had exceeded anything she could have imagined, leaving her no opportunity to contemplate the ramifications of her daring escape.

Now, Lachlan's ominous call had triggered a wave of anxiety that threatened to overwhelm her.

She yearned desperately for something-anything-to alleviate this mounting tension.

An image suddenly materialized in her mind: Tristan's handsome, refined face.

His presence over the past several days had restored a sense of security she had long forgotten.

Instinctively, she reached for her phone to call him.

Her finger hovered over the dial button before she hesitated.

Their marriage was merely a practical arrangement for mutual benefit; she couldn't risk overstepping those boundaries.

More importantly, Paulina needed her attention now.

Gianna worried that Lachlan might take some reckless action against Paulina. Without even touching the breakfast Tristan had thoughtfully prepared, she rushed to the hospital.

The moment she stepped into the ward, however, she halted abruptly, shock paralyzing her movements.

In the VIP suite, Lachlan occupied the sofa, his shirt straining against his protruding stomach. His murky eyes gleamed coldly as he fixed his hostile gaze on Gianna.

Beside him sat a flamboyantly dressed woman whose heavy makeup failed to conceal her harsh features.

It was Azaria Lloyd-Gianna's stepmother.

Memories flooded back-childhood abuse at the hands of both Lachlan and Azaria-filling Gianna with instinctive terror.

Yet the sight of Paulina lying comatose in the bed galvanized her courage. She positioned herself protectively before Paulina's bed and demanded, "What are you two doing here? Get out!"

Azaria scrutinized Gianna from head to toe before sneering, "Look how defiant you've become lately. A VIP room with premium care-no wonder you dared to stand up to Mr. Brooks. You've found yourself a sugar daddy, haven't you?"

Gianna's chest heaved with indignation. "Watch your mouth."

"Oh, did I strike a nerve?" Azaria scoffed. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. A girl raised without a mother to teach her any shame is bound to turn out like this."

Gianna felt like she was about to explode. Without thinking, she slapped Azaria across the face.

The room went deathly silent.

This impulsive act ranked as Gianna's boldest move, second only to agreeing to marry the man with whom she'd shared a single passionate night.

Azaria remained momentarily stunned by the slap. When she recovered, she seized Gianna's shoulders and struck back with equal force.

Gianna lost her balance and tumbled to the floor, her palms scraping against the hard surface.

Azaria turned to Lachlan, her voice taking on a whining quality. "Aren't you going to intervene, dear?"

Lachlan slammed his fist on the table, glowering at Gianna. "Are you looking for trouble? How dare you raise a hand against your stepmother?"

Gianna lifted her head, defiance blazing in her eyes. "Get out!"

"You insolent girl!" Lachlan rose, towering menacingly over her. "You'd better kneel, apologize to her, and explain yourself immediately."

He had come to the hospital intending to use Paulina as leverage, forcing Gianna to apologize to the director.

He hadn't anticipated finding Paulina in a VIP room-a luxury even he couldn't afford. The thought that Paulina received such preferential treatment infuriated him.

The more he contemplated the situation, the more his anger intensified. He despised losing control like this.

Finally, he added with menace, "If you refuse to comply, I'll have this old woman thrown out of the hospital immediately!"

From some untapped reservoir of courage, Gianna rose from the floor, grabbed a nearby vase, and threatened, "You're the ones who should leave. If you don't, I'll fight you!"

Lachlan laughed scornfully, regarding Gianna with contempt. "You? Fight me?" With that, he delivered a savage kick to her stomach.

Pain exploded through Gianna's abdomen. She collapsed to the floor, the vase slipping from her grasp and shattering into fragments.

Azaria's lips curled into a cold smirk.

"You little tramp, acting so superior. Instead of accompanying Mr. Brooks, you ran off with someone else and dared to strike me? I'll teach you the lesson your dead mother never could!"

With those cruel words, she grabbed Gianna's hair, forcing her face towards the jagged shards of the broken vase.

Gianna's eyes widened in terror as she struggled instinctively, but Azaria's other hand pinned her down with surprising strength, rendering her immobile.

As her face inched closer to the sharp fragments, Gianna closed her eyes, a profound wave of regret washing over her.

If only she had made that call to Tristan.