Chapter 5

Ayla Hudson POV:

I shoved Connor away, the lingering heat of the cigarette on his skin a small, satisfying burn against the fire raging inside me. I stormed back into the shack, my heart still pounding, my body trembling with a mixture of rage and a strange, cold clarity.

Ilene was waiting for me, a sickly sweet smile plastered on her face. Her eyes, however, were devoid of any warmth. She looked like a viper, coiled and calculating.

"That fish soup was delicious, Ayla," she purred, her voice too saccharine. "Really, truly fragrant."

I narrowed my eyes. My gut churned. She was playing a game. "Aren't you afraid it was poisoned?" I shot back, my voice dripping with suspicion.

Her smile widened, chilling me to the bone. "The poison isn't yours to decide, Ayla."

Her words sent a shiver down my spine. I didn't understand. What game was she playing? Before I could press her, she picked up her bowl, tilting it back. She drank the last drops of the fish soup, her eyes fixed on mine, a triumphant glint in them.

Just then, Connor burst through the door, his hand still rubbing his neck, his face a mixture of anger and confusion.

Ilene chose that moment. She dropped the bowl, clutched her throat, and let out a strangled gasp. She stumbled backward, collapsing onto the floor, writhing in agony. "Help me!" she choked, her face turning a mottled red. "The baby! Oh, God, the baby!"

Her face was indeed red, a deep, alarming crimson. My mind, however, was racing. Fish bone? Impossible. I had meticulously deboned the fish, especially the fresh one I cooked for her. There wasn't a single shard in her bowl. This was an act. A calculated, cruel performance.

Connor was beside her in an instant, his face etched with terror. He scooped her up, cradling her as if she were made of glass, and ran towards the door. "Ilene! Hold on! We'll get you help!"

As he turned, Ilene's earlier words echoed in my mind: "The poison isn't yours to decide, Ayla." A cold realization washed over me. She wasn't poisoned. She was framing me. Framing me for harming her baby. The thought hit me with the force of a tidal wave. She was pathetic, yes, but also terrifyingly cunning.

"Don't hurt the baby, Connor!" Ilene sobbed, her voice weak, but her gaze, fixed on him, was filled with manipulative desperation. "Please, don't let anything happen to our baby!"

Connor' s face was a mask of utter despair. "I won't! I promise! Even if I have to cut the fish bone out myself, I'll save our child!" His voice was choked, tears streaming down his face as he stumbled out. He loved that child, truly. More than he had ever loved me. More than he had ever loved our child. The contrast was a sharp, agonizing knife twist to my gut. He hadn't shed a single tear for my loss. He hadn't even cared.

He paused at the door, his eyes, wild and furious, locking onto mine. "If anything happens to her, Ayla, or to our baby, I swear to God, I will never forgive you."

"Is that how you ask for help, Connor?" I retorted, my voice surprisingly steady. "With threats?" My last shred of sympathy for Ilene evaporated. She was a weapon, wielded against me. "Her life, or death, means nothing to me. Nothing at all."

"Then help her!" he yelled, desperate. "Tell me what to do!"

"Kneel," I demanded, my voice low and dangerous. "Kneel before me, Connor Foster, and beg."

He froze, his jaw slack, his eyes wide with shock. The arm around Ilene tightened, almost crushing her. "Ayla, are you insane? This isn't a joke! She's dying!"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" I asked, my voice devoid of warmth. I walked slowly towards them, my gaze unwavering. I reached out, my fingers tracing the purplish flush on Ilene's cheek. Her eyes, wide with fear, met mine. This wasn't just a game anymore.

"Is her life, Connor," I whispered, my voice chillingly calm, "is the life of your precious child, worth more than your precious dignity?" I leaned closer, my voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Kneel, and I'll save them. I promise."