Chapter 1

I lay on the delivery bed.

The contractions were coming faster now, one after another.

My husband, Adrian Lang, held my hand, his eyes soft with concern.

“Hang in there, Serena. We’ll meet our baby soon.”

I was trembling from the pain, but I still forced a smile.

Then a nurse walked in with a syringe.

I thought it was the epidural.

But Adrian let go of my hand and stepped back.

The needle pierced my skin.

Then I heard his voice.

“Get the dose right. Make sure she doesn’t deliver before Vanessa.”

My eyes flew open.

I stared at him in shock.

He glanced at his watch.

“Vanessa’s already six centimeters dilated. Buy us two more hours.”

I wanted to scream.

I wanted to fight back.

But the drug was already in my system.

The contractions suddenly weakened, as if something inside me had been forced still.

...

They moved me to a temporary room in the basement.

Adrian’s sister, Chloe Lang, stood in the doorway, idly turning a scalpel in her hand.

“Don’t blame Adrian, Serena.”

“The baby Vanessa’s carrying is my brother’s only child.”

She smiled.

“It’s a boy and he’ll be the Lang family’s first grandson.”

Her gaze dropped to my stomach.

“So what if you go into labor first?”

“You’re only carrying a girl.”

I covered my belly with both hands.

Another wave of pain broke through the medication, and my vision blurred.

“Call a doctor. I’m about to give birth. Please...”

Chloe laughed.

She walked over and crouched in front of me, then tapped my cheek lightly with the scalpel.

“Give birth?”

“That drug will keep working for another three hours.”

“Vanessa’s already in the delivery room.”

“So stay here and wait.”

“After her baby is born safely, you can have yours.”

She rose to her feet and looked at the bodyguard outside.

“Keep an eye on her.”

“If she dares to scream, gag her.”

The door slammed shut.

The basement was lit by a single dim emergency light.

I lay on the floor as blood slowly spread beneath me.

Adrian had taken my phone the moment we arrived at the hospital.

He said radiation wasn’t good for the baby.

Now I understood.

He was afraid I’d call someone.

I curled up and tried to breathe through the pain.

But all I could see was Adrian’s face.

Cold. Calm.

Like I meant nothing to him.

Not his wife.

Not the woman carrying his child.

Three months ago, his older brother died in a car accident.

He left behind his pregnant wife, Vanessa.

At the funeral, old Mr. Lang held Vanessa’s hand, tears streaming down his face.

“That child has to be born safe.”

“The Lang family can’t lose its heir.”

Back then, I even felt sorry for her.

I stepped forward and said,

“Dad, don’t worry. Adrian and I will raise our baby well too.”

He looked at me and said nothing.

Only now did I understand.

He had already given up on my child.

“Ah—”

Another contraction tore through me.

This one was stronger.

The drug was wearing off.

The baby was coming.

I crawled to the door and pounded on it with all the strength I had left.

“Someone! Please! I’m about to give birth!”

“Please save my baby!”

No one answered.

I kept screaming until my throat turned raw.

At last, I heard the bodyguard’s impatient voice from outside.

“What the hell are you yelling for?”

“Miss Lang told you to wait, so wait.”

“But my baby—”

He cut me off with a sneer.

“If it dies, it dies.”

“That’s your bad luck.”

Then he spat out one last cruel sentence.

“That’s what you get for carrying a girl.”

My whole body went cold.

I collapsed onto the floor.

This wasn’t fate.

They were trying to kill my baby.