Chapter 3 3

She tried to get up again, ignoring the burning pain in her lower body, but she could barely breathe. What was happening? Who were these people? And where was she? She wondered as her heart started racing.

"I want my babies!" She sobbed, crawling to the edge of the bed. "Give them back to me! Please..."

The nurses gently held her arms. "You need rest. You were very sick, but you're okay and safe now. You've been unconscious for six days..."

Calla froze.

"Six... six days? How? Where am I?"

She noticed how the nurses nervously glanced at the doorway and turned to see a tall, unfamiliar man standing at the far end of the room with both hands in his pockets. He was quiet with an unreadable expression and was dressed in a neatly pressed dark suit.

"Who are you?" Calla finally asked, but he didn't answer right away. Instead, he nodded to the doctor, who stepped forward.

"This is Mr. Julian Voss. He's the one who brought you here. You were found by the roadside, barefoot, bleeding, and in the rain."

Calla blinked, confused.

The roadside? The last thing she remembered was going into labor and... Suddenly, everything came crashing back like shattered glass. The labor, the pain, the operation, the coldness in Mrs Lena's voice, the slap from Delaney, the lifeless baby in her arms, the men, the rain, and then darkness.

She pressed her hand to her mouth as her body shook from the fresh wave of grief that tore through her.

"Where's my baby?" She asked again, but this time her voice was different. Hollow, pained.

No one answered.

She then turned to Julian. "Did you... Did you find a baby with me?"

He shook his head once and that was all it took for her to break down once again. The nurses tried to calm her, but nothing they did could stop the sobs that wracked through her or the pain inside her heart.

"I did everything," She whispered. "I carried them and almost died... for him."

Norman King.

She didn't have to say his name, she didn't want to because his name now burned like poison in her mouth. All the nights she had whispered his name to the babies inside her, all the dreams she had... of him waiting in the hallway, holding flowers, smiling when he saw his children...

Lies. All of it.

She wiped at her tears but they wouldn't stop coming. They had stolen everything. Her body, her child, her worth, everything. They had used her like she was nothing and then left her to die like garbage on the side of the road.

But she wasn't done.

Not even close.

She might be broken now, but she would rise again. And when she did... she would burn every last one of them to ash.

"You thought I was disposable," She whispered in her mind. "But I will haunt you and hunt you. I will make you choke on every lie, every bruise, and every scream you forced into my throat."

They would never see her coming.

And when they did, it would be too late.

"Even if it takes the last breath in my lungs and the last drop of blood in my body... I will make you all pay. I swear it."

****

Mrs Lena stepped out of the quiet nursery where the nurses and maids were tending to the baby. Just outside the door, she paused and looked up at the men who were waiting.

"Well...?" She asked impatiently and walked ahead of them while they followed closely behind her.

The men exchanged a glance, knowing exactly what she meant, including the answers she was expecting. "Still no positive result, Ma'am,"

Once again, her heart started racing.

It had been a full month since they had dumped Calla by the roadside. But, despite that, the girl still lingered in her thoughts like a thorn deep under her skin.

After ordering the men to get rid of her, Mrs Lena had demanded a thorough search to find out what happened next. She was angry at them, furious even, for not completing the job properly. They were supposed to watch and be sure Calla never returned. But instead, they had simply dumped her and left the scene, leaving loose ends.

The very next morning, they checked the area, asked around, and questioned the neighbors. But no one seemed to have seen or heard anything.

Taking a deep breath, Mrs Lena pressed her lips into a thin line. She tried to wrap her mind around it, how Calla could've disappeared so completely without a trace. The girl had no friends, no family, no money, and certainly no place to hide.

Where could she have vanished?

Did someone pick her up? Road services or even a good Samaritan? Mrs Lena had even made a few calls herself, but no one knew a thing. Now, the silence was unsettling.

This wasn't just about Calla disappearing.

It was the risk that she might come back stronger with the right amount of help. She knew too much and could turn their world upside down. That's why Mrs Lena's anger and frustration burned even hotter.

If Calla ever found the right allies, they could destroy everything she had worked for: the family name, Norman's reputation, the control she held over her son's life and legacy...

Mrs Lena suddenly stopped walking and let out a frustrated sigh. She then placed one hand on her forehead, and the other on her waist, trying to steady herself.

"Goddammit," She muttered under her breath. " "That stupid girl continues to drain me."

One of the men cleared his throat and said quietly, "I think she vanished for good."

"Or she probably ended up dead,"

For a moment, Mrs Lena was relieved at those words, but the feeling didn't last long. A knot of unease tightened in her stomach and she wondered. What if she wasn't dead?

"I'm not going to conclude the situation based on what you fools think," She said sharply and waved her hand dismissively. "Get out of my sight. And make sure you return with something useful."

The two men bowed their heads slightly and turned to leave without another word.

Now left alone, Mrs Lena stood for a moment, then, with a deep breath, she turned and headed toward the dining room. Just as she rounded the corner, her steps faltered.

There, standing in front of her, was Norman. She had not expected him to be back so soon and her heart thudded as she looked up at him.

"Mother!" He called out, snapping her from her shocked state.

"Oh... Norman..." She replied, forcing a light smile and smoothing her expression.

"Are you alright?"

She gave a soft chuckle and waved a dismissive hand. "I'm doing just fine."

"But you don't look like it."

She bristled at the look he gave her-the all-knowing look that always revealed he could see straight through her. "What can I say? I'm growing old. But at least, I now have a grandson."

At the mention of her grandson, his attention snapped toward the nearby hallway. He had spotted the men walking away as he entered and now, he was curious.

"Are they alright? Can I see them?"

"Of course," Mrs Lena answered and turned toward the nursery. "This way."

INSIDE THE NURSERY•••

"Here, come look," Mrs Lena said, guiding him to one crib where a baby lay sleeping peacefully. "He looks just like you"

Without a word, he moved closer and studied the child's features. Indeed, he looked just like him. Reaching out, he gently brushed the baby's cheek and smiled.

He then moved on to the next crib, but it was empty. "Where is the other one?"

Mrs Lena paused, steadying herself. Then, she took in a deep breath and clutched her chest. "I didn't want to tell you over the phone... but we lost one of the babies."

Norman immediately turned to face her as different emotions flickered across his face: shock, anger, sorrow. Knowing she had to explain, Mrs Lena began to speak with a trembling voice.

"It was all her fault. That stupid, godforsaken girl. After all we did for her, she couldn't even give us both babies back. She ruined everything, just as I knew she would." Tears welled up in her eyes and she gently dabbed at them with a tissue. "She's so ungrateful. We gave her shelter, a roof over her head, and everything she ever needed, everything. We treated her as family, despite her being an orphan and coming from nowhere. But she failed us."

Norman remained silent, his jaw twitching with restraint. But Mrs Lena wasn't done. She took another deep, dramatic breath and continued.

"She killed your son, she cost us a future heir." She paused and shook her head. "I always knew she was capable of nothing, Norman."

Norman didn't speak for a long moment. He just stood still with his fists clenched at his sides while watching the baby in the crib.

"Where is she?" He finally asked.

Mrs Lena looked up at once, surprised at his demand. She had assumed he would shift focus back to the baby and forget all about that wretched girl.

"She left. She vanished into thin air,"

Norman's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What do you mean she left?"

"Exactly what I said, Norman. She took the $500,000 cheque and disappeared on the same night. Lord knows I've been looking for her ever since."

Norman stared at his mother for a long time, then at the empty crib beside the one holding his newborn son. How dare she? How could she rob them of the child she was paid to deliver safely?

The more he tried to process everything, the angrier he became. He didn't have any idea about the pain Calla went through, the complications, how close she came to death, or what she suffered through alone. All that mattered in that moment was that she had failed him. She had lost his child, his blood.

"She had no fûcking right." He muttered more to himself than anyone else in the room. Even Mrs Lena knew better than to interrupt him when he was angry.

After some time, the door opened and Fiona walked in, smiling brightly. "There you are. We were wondering where you suddenly disappeared to."

Delaney was right behind her, laughing about something unimportant. But the moment they both saw the look on Norman's face, both women froze. His jaw was tight, his eyes were cold, and he was standing still, too still.

The smile on Fiona's face faded immediately as she stepped closer, "Honey? What's wrong? Is everything alright with our baby?"