Chapter 4Never Again: Our Final Goodbye

The Hayes Estate. This was my third day locked up.

In the quiet, dim room, I huddled in a corner of the bed, face buried in my arms, lifeless and drained of all spirit.

Click.

The bedroom light suddenly switched on.

Used to the darkness, I felt a surge of fear.

“Turn it off… turn off the light.”

Mrs. Gable, the housekeeper, came in carrying a bowl of oatmeal, her voice full of sympathy. “Mrs. Hayes, dear, you need to eat something. You have to take care of yourself. Even if not for you, think of the baby. The baby’s innocent.”

“You’re such a good young woman. Why does the master only think about that woman outside and not cherish who he has right here? Sigh…”

“The baby.”

Hearing Mrs. Gable’s murmurs, I felt dazed. I shifted my stiff body. I felt so weak, like I could collapse at any moment.

I hadn’t had a drop of water in three days. My voice was raspy. I tried several times before managing a whisper, barely audible. “Is… is Liam back?”

Mrs. Gable gently shook her head. I looked up, a self-mocking smile touching my lips. “He’s… with Jenna Sullivan again, isn’t he?”

Mrs. Gable pressed her lips together, just looking at me sadly, saying nothing.

“I need to see him.”

Mrs. Gable seemed like she wanted to dissuade me. “Mrs. Hayes…”

“If he doesn’t let me go, he can prepare to collect my body and the baby’s!”

Mrs. Gable’s unspoken words were cut off. My face, pale as paper, held a shocking look of determination.

She must have been frightened by my expression. She quickly agreed, “Okay, okay… Mrs. Hayes, I’ll call the master right now. Please don’t do anything rash.”

Mrs. Gable took out her phone and dialed. “Master Hayes, you need to come back quickly… Mrs. Hayes is…”

Bang!

The bedroom door was kicked open. The person entering radiated furious anger.

I remained huddled in the corner, not even lifting my head, my voice flat. “You’re back.”

Liam strode to the bedside, roughly tilted my face up, and ground out, “Chloe, are you trying to threaten me with death, huh?”

I was so thin I barely looked human, utterly drained of strength. But I knew I had to fight for myself, or I’d really die here. I looked at Liam with determined eyes.

“Let me leave.”

Liam sneered coldly. “In your dreams!”

I tried to push his hand away. My messy hair covered half my face; I must have looked like a ghost.

My voice hoarse, I cried out, “Either let me go, or kill me!”

Compared to my breakdown, Liam seemed unnervingly calm.

He said coldly, “If you want to die, you’ll wait until after the baby is born.”

My heart sank. I looked at him in despair.

I couldn’t even cry anymore.

Liam suddenly mentioned, “They’ve identified the hit-and-run driver. Once he’s caught, let’s see how you talk your way out of it then.”

A flicker of hope sparked in my eyes, but it died just as quickly.

“Liam, the car accident had nothing to do with me. How many times do I have to tell you before you believe me?”

Even if they found the driver, what difference would it make? Liam still wouldn’t believe me.

He’d assume I’d already bribed the driver.

In his mind, I was the one responsible for Jenna Sullivan’s accident and infertility.

No matter how I explained, he wouldn’t listen.

Bottom line: Liam said I did it, so I did it.

Heh…

I bit my lip, tasting blood.

Liam’s voice came from above. “No rush. The truth will come out soon enough.”

He paused, then commanded coldly, “Now, eat this!”

My voice raspy, I refused, “I won’t eat— Mmph—”

Before I could finish, his cold fingers pried my mouth open. Then, he grabbed the oatmeal from the nightstand and poured it straight into my mouth…

“Cough… Liam…”

I choked, flailing my hands weakly against him, looking utterly wretched and pained.

Clack. Liam slammed the bowl back down on the table.

He watched me coldly. “You dare starve my child? Then I’ll make sure that old man, Chris Archer, finds no peace even in his grave.”

My vacant eyes slowly regained focus, my voice trembling. “What… what are you going to do?”