After He Ruined Me, He Couldn’t Let Me Go

Then Elowen stepped inside. White dress. Red-rimmed eyes. Tears that looked flawless. “Please, Evander… Leonhart,” she said in a trembling voice. “She’s still our sister. Isn’t this a bit too much?” She sniffed softly, wiping her cheeks as if she couldn’t bear to see me like that. And somehow, they pitied her. I laughed, even as blood filled my mouth. “You’re incredible, Elowen. Ever thought of acting? You’d probably win a FAMAS award.” Evander struck me again—harder this time. Leonhart pulled her into his arms, as if she were the one hurting. “Please, don’t be too hard on her,” she murmured against his chest, pretending to sob. “She doesn’t mean any of it. She’s just… upset.” I looked at them—my brothers, who once shielded me from everything, now completely blind. They didn’t see me anymore. Only the monster she had turned me into. And Elowen stood there, fake tears and all, knowing she had already won. … Then one day, Elowen got accepted into a fashion school in Paris—and everything inside the house shifted. For the first time in years, there was silence. My brothers stopped shouting. They stopped hurting me. They just… stopped noticing me at all. No punishments. No more nights in the basement. They looked right through me, like I didn’t exist. Like I was nothing more than a moving shadow. It should have felt like peace. But silence has its own way of hurting. I started studying in secret—late at night, when the house was asleep. Old library books. Papers I quietly took from Leonhart’s office. I didn’t even know why I was doing it. Maybe I just needed proof that I could still think. Turns out, I learned quickly. I was good at it. But what does being smart matter when you’re trapped somewhere you can’t leave? Months passed like that. The maids barely acknowledged me anymore. “Poor girl,” one whispered once. “She used to be the young miss.” Another scoffed. “Now look at her. Can’t even lift her head.” A third muttered as I walked past, “If I were her, I’d have run away long ago.” I wished I could. Then one evening, everything changed again. Evander called for a gathering in the dining hall. The entire house was in chaos—cleaning, rushing, voices everywhere. The chandelier was polished until it gleamed, the silverware replaced more than once. “The Langford company is partnering with the Voss Corporation,” a maid whispered, eyes wide. “It’s a massive deal.” I froze when I heard the next part. “The heir himself is coming,” another added. “Darius Voss. They say he’s destroyed three companies just for crossing him.” Even the guards seemed tense that night. The entire mansion smelled like polish—and fear. Evander ordered me to serve wine. “Stay silent,” he warned. “Speak only if you’re spoken to.” So I stood quietly by the wall when they arrived. Darius Voss entered first. Tall. Cold. His dark red eyes under the lights felt sharp enough to cut through the room. Everything went still. Even Evander seemed smaller beside him. Leonhart laughed too loudly, trying to sound welcoming. Evander kept talking—numbers, deals, anything to impress. But Darius looked uninterested. He barely reacted, just observed them like he had already decided their worth. When it was time for me to pour the wine, I stepped forward, trying to steady myself. My hands trembled anyway. Then he looked up. Our eyes met—just for a second. Maybe less. But it was enough. He didn’t look at me like I was a servant. He looked at me like he recognized something. Like he actually saw me. My heart stilled. Leonhart noticed and let out another laugh. “Ignore her, Mr. Voss. She’s just one of the servants.” Darius didn’t respond immediately. His gaze lingered on me for a moment longer. I had to look away before my brothers noticed how I struggled to breathe. It was the first time in ten years that someone looked at me—and didn’t see a ghost. Weeks went by after that night. Darius Voss kept returning for meetings with Evander and Leonhart. He never spoke to me, never directly acknowledged me. But sometimes, I could feel it—his gaze, quiet and unreadable, watching from across the room. Evander seemed uneasy whenever Darius was there. Leonhart, on the other hand, looked irritated—for reasons I couldn’t understand. One afternoon, I was told to stay in the kitchen while they had a meeting. But the door wasn’t fully closed, and their voices carried through. Darius spoke calmly. “I want her.” The glass in my hand nearly slipped. He… wants me? Leonhart’s voice rose. “You can’t be serious! She’s a servant—a murderer. She killed our parents. She’s not worth your time, let alone your money.” Darius remained unfazed. “You’ll get the billion-dollar contract if you agree.” Silence followed. Then, after a long pause, Evander spoke. “Fine. If that’s the condition.” Leonhart didn’t answer right away, but eventually muttered his agreement. My stomach twisted. I didn’t understand fully—until Evander called me into the living room. He didn’t even look at me. “Pack your things. You’re leaving with Mr. Voss.” I froze. “Leaving…?” Leonhart walked over and grabbed my arm, his grip painful. His voice was low, sharp. “You better behave around him. Darius doesn’t tolerate clumsy idiots. And he definitely doesn’t tolerate murderers.” I nodded, unable to speak. His grip tightened briefly before he let go and turned away. I went back to my room and packed what little I had. Five sets of worn-out clothes. Nothing else. No jewelry. No perfume. Not even proper shoes. I folded them slowly, my hands shaking—not out of fear, but because I didn’t know what waited for me next. Before leaving, I looked around one last time. The cracked walls. The broken lamp. The thin blanket that never kept me warm. The place that took everything from me. Then I shut the door. … The drive with Darius was quiet. He sat beside me, composed, unreadable, watching my reflection in the window. I didn’t know what he saw. Maybe just a girl with nothing left. When we arrived at his mansion, I couldn’t believe it. The air felt different—clean. The lights were soft. No shouting. No footsteps chasing me. No hatred in anyone’s eyes. He turned to me. “No one will hurt you here.” Something inside me broke. Tears came—real ones this time, unstoppable. I didn’t even know why I was crying… fear, relief, or maybe just hearing those words for the first time. He stepped closer and pulled me into his arms. His chest felt warm, steady. I clutched his coat like it was the only thing keeping me upright. Then he whispered, “If I told you I’ve fallen for you… would you believe me?” I wanted to. I needed to. So I nodded, still crying, my tears soaking into his shirt. He lifted my chin and kissed me—soft at first, then deeper, more certain. It felt like warmth after years of cold. That night, I gave him everything. In the quiet glow of his home, on the sofa, I gave him the only thing I had left—myself. I thought it was love. I thought it meant freedom. But it was only the start of a different kind of prison.

Moving into Darius’s mansion felt unreal—like I had wandered into someone else’s life. He gave me the largest room. The bed was soft, the sheets smooth as silk, the closet filled with clothes I never imagined wearing. Shoes were arranged by color, jewelry catching the light with every small movement. Every morning, breakfast was brought straight to my door. Every evening, he returned with gifts. But he never once took me outside. No dinners out. No parties. Not even a simple walk. One night, I gathered the courage to ask, “Can I come with you next time?” He just smiled, leaned closer, and kissed me instead of answering. And just like that, my question disappeared. The staff hardly spoke to me. Their eyes passed over me like I wasn’t there. A few offered polite smiles, most simply bowed and left. I tried to act like it didn’t bother me. I kept telling myself it was enough. I loved him. He said I belonged to him. That should’ve been enough… right? One evening, while holding me, Darius murmured, “Someday, I’ll make you my wife.” I believed every word. Our nights were always quiet. He’d pull me close, run his fingers through my hair, and stay silent. For the first time in years, I felt safe. Like maybe I finally had a place where I belonged. When he left for Paris, he pressed a kiss to my forehead and whispered, “Wait for me.” So I did. Days passed. Then weeks. No calls. No messages. Still, I waited. Then one morning, as I was clearing my breakfast tray, I overheard the maids talking in the hallway. “I heard Mr. Voss’s fiancée is studying in Paris,” one whispered. The other sounded shocked. “Then what about the girl here? Kaia? I thought she was the fiancée.” A quiet laugh followed. “No. She’s just someone to warm his bed.” The words hit harder than anything I’d ever endured. I went back to my room, closed the door, and cried until my eyes burned dry. The next morning, my body felt off. Heavy. The smell of food made me nauseous. Every time I stood, the room spun. One of the maids noticed. “You should get checked,” she said. So I went—alone. My hands trembled the entire way. After the test, the doctor gave me a gentle smile. “You’re pregnant,” she said. “About two months.” For a moment, everything stopped. Then my heart started racing. I clutched the paper to my chest, tears falling freely. “He’ll be happy,” I whispered. “He has to be.” I thanked the doctor and hurried back, holding the result like it was something precious. Maybe this would change things. Maybe now, I’d finally matter. When I reached the mansion, I heard voices coming from the living room. His voice. My heart leapt. He was back. I ran toward it, smiling so wide it hurt. Then I heard laughter. A woman’s laughter. I froze. No… it couldn’t be. I knew that sound. I pushed the door open. Elowen was sitting on Darius’s lap, kissing him. His hands rested on her waist. They both looked up. Darius’s expression was cold—like I meant nothing. Like he didn’t even recognize me. And Elowen? She blinked, acting surprised. “What are you doing here?” Darius didn’t even move. “Where have you been?” he asked flatly, then added, “Go prepare drinks and snacks for my guest.” For a second, I couldn’t breathe. My voice came out small as I stared at her. “W-why are you here?” She let out a short, sharp laugh. “You’re seriously asking me that?” She raised her hand, showing off a diamond ring. It glittered under the light. “I’m Darius Voss’s fiancée. See this?” Everything inside me went cold. The room seemed to tilt. No… that couldn’t be true. I turned to Darius, my lips trembling. “T-tell me she’s lying.” He didn’t even look at me. His jaw tightened, his eyes somewhere else. The silence said everything. Elowen stepped closer, her perfume suffocating. “Babe,” she said sweetly, turning to him, “why is that Langford servant in your house?” She pointed at me like I was nothing. “Didn’t I tell you about her? She’s the reason my parents are dead. Evander and Leonhart hate her for it. They locked her away for years. And now you bring her here? That hurts, Darius. It really does.” My throat tightened. I could barely breathe. Each word felt like it was tearing through me. I waited—just one word from him. Anything. But Darius only sighed. His voice was cold. Detached. “Elowen, relax. I only brought her here to keep my bed warm. Nothing more.” My knees weakened. My hands trembled. The words didn’t feel real. So that was all I was. The maid had been right. The man I thought had saved me—the one who promised me safety, a future—was no different from the rest. “Oh… I see,” Elowen said, tilting her head like she understood. “You’re a man. You have your needs. Fine.” She walked up to him, grabbed his collar, and kissed him right in front of me—slow, deliberate. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t even look away. When she pulled back, she turned to me, her eyes burning. “You bitch,” she hissed— And before I could react, her hand struck my face. SLAP!

The sound rang through the room. I staggered back, one hand pressed to my cheek, the sting spreading deep under my skin. “Out of everyone, it had to be you?” she yelled. I tried to speak—anything at all—but nothing came out. Only tears. Elowen lifted her hand again, ready to strike, but Darius caught her wrist mid-air. “That’s enough,” he said sharply. Then his eyes shifted to me, empty and unreadable. “Kaia, go to your room. Don’t come downstairs unless I say so.” My voice wouldn’t come back. I could only nod and turn away, still holding my cheek. Each step up the stairs felt heavy, like I was walking through water. When I reached my room, I sat at the edge of the bed, my body trembling. A folded paper slipped from my pocket—the sonogram. I stared at it for a long time, my vision blurring. “Our baby,” I whispered. And then everything broke. I cried until I couldn’t breathe, until the world outside faded into nothing. All I could hear was the sound of my own heart shattering—while downstairs, I knew Elowen was probably clinging to him again, pretending to cry. And he was letting her. … When I woke up, my eyes were swollen, my chest aching like I had nothing left inside. Sunlight filtered through the curtains—soft, almost gentle—but it felt wrong. Too normal. Like nothing had happened. I pushed myself up, head pounding—then I saw her. Elowen. Sitting on the couch like she owned the place, legs crossed, calm and satisfied, holding something between her fingers. It took me a second to realize what it was. The folded paper. My sonogram. “Well,” she said lightly, spinning it between her fingers, “looks like you’re pregnant.” I froze. My heart dropped. “Give it back,” I said quietly. She smiled, slow and sharp, like she had caught something helpless. “Not yet. I want to tell you a story first. It’s a good one—you’ll enjoy it.” “I said give it back.” She ignored me completely, leaning back with that same glint in her eyes. “You always thought you had everything, didn’t you, Kaia? Always loved. Always lucky. Want to know how I became his fiancée?” I stayed silent. I didn’t want to hear any of it. But she continued anyway, her voice smooth and cruel. “Two weeks ago, my brothers told me Darius took you. Leonhart and Evander—remember them? They said you were living here, that he was protecting you.” She let out a laugh that sounded wrong. “Can you imagine how that felt? You, the nobody Langford girl, suddenly in his arms.” She stood and started pacing, like she was telling some casual story. “You were always the favorite. Even when we were kids. So I decided to take everything that was yours.” She paused, turning to me with that practiced smile. “Leonhart told me Darius was going to Paris for business. I begged for an introduction. I made sure I looked perfect that night. You should’ve seen me—white silk, tears in my eyes, like some broken angel. Men fall faster when they think they’re saving someone.” I stared down, trying not to cry, but my chest tightened again. She chuckled softly. “You know what made it work? The shooting. Oh, Kaia, it was perfect. Leonhart hired men to stage it. I made sure Darius saw everything—the guns, the chaos. I pretended to protect him, even fell to the ground. Fake blood everywhere. I looked like a hero. He carried me all the way to the hospital, you know? Stayed there the whole night.” Her eyes lit up at the memory. “When I woke up, he told me I saved his life. Said he owed me everything. So I told him what I wanted.” She stepped closer, slow and deliberate, then crouched in front of me. “I told him I wanted him. I wanted to be his.” I just stared at her. None of it felt real anymore. Her smile widened, sharp and satisfied. “He gave me this ring. Promised me everything. All because he thought I took a bullet for him. Guilt is such a useful thing, don’t you think?” Something inside me snapped. I started laughing. Quiet at first—then louder. It came out wrong, broken, like I didn’t know how to stop. Her smile faltered. “What’s so funny?” I wiped my face, still laughing through the tears. “That’s it? Fake blood? A staged attack? That’s all it took for you to get him?” Her jaw tightened. “Don’t laugh at me.” But I couldn’t stop. It hurt, but I kept going. “You can have him,” I said softly. “I don’t care anymore.” Her expression shifted. The anger faded, replaced by something colder. She tilted her head, smiling again—soft, almost gentle. But her eyes stayed the same. I recognized that look. I stood quickly, stepping back. “What are you doing?” She moved closer. “You’re pregnant. I’m his fiancée—the one who saved him.” Her smile deepened. “Let’s see who he chooses to save first.” Before I could react, she grabbed my arm, her nails digging into my skin. I tried to pull away, but her grip tightened. “Let go of me, Elowen!” Suddenly, her voice changed—loud, shaking, like she was the victim. “Kaia! Stop! You’re hurting me! Why do you always hurt me?” “I said let go—” Before I could finish, she staggered backward, still holding onto me. My foot slipped at the edge of the stairs. Everything happened too fast. Her scream echoed through the house. “Kaia! Please—don’t hurt me!” And then— We fell.

I couldn’t move. The floor felt freezing against my cheek, and above me, the white light spun, blurring in and out of focus. Pain tore through my stomach, spreading to my back until I couldn’t tell where it began or ended. Then voices broke through. Shouting. Footsteps rushing closer. Someone called my name. Darius. My heart stirred, fragile but hopeful. He came… he was coming for me— But then I saw him. He ran past me. Straight to Elowen. She lay a few steps away, crying softly, clutching her arm as if it were broken. Without hesitation, he gathered her into his arms, panic clear in his eyes. “Call the doctor! Now!” Darius shouted. One of the maids stammered, “Sir, Miss Kaia is bleeding too—” “Deal with her later!” His voice cut through everything. “Elowen comes first!” First? Something inside me shattered. Their voices faded. The light dimmed. And then—nothing. --- When I opened my eyes, all I saw was a white ceiling. The sharp smell of medicine filled my nose. My throat felt dry, almost impossible to swallow. There was a bandage wrapped tightly around my stomach. I tried to sit up, but pain shot through me, forcing me back down. The door opened. Darius walked in. His face was set, his eyes colder than I had ever seen. “So this is how you repay me?” His voice was steady, but anger lingered beneath every word. “I took you out of that place. Gave you everything. And this is what you do in return?” I stared at him, confused. “W-what do you mean?” He stepped closer, arms crossed. “Stop pretending. You tried to hurt my fiancée. Do you even realize she once saved my life? She took a bullet for me. And you… you pushed her down the stairs.” My stomach twisted. “No, Darius, please—it wasn’t me—” “Enough.” His voice rose slightly. “You always have an excuse. Always crying, always acting like you’re the victim.” I shook my head, tears spilling over. “Please, just listen to me—” A knock interrupted me. A nurse peeked in, her gaze lowered. “Sir… Miss Elowen just woke up. She’s crying. She’s still in shock and asking for you.” Darius’s jaw tightened. His eyes flicked toward me for a brief second—cold, empty, like I didn’t matter at all. “Save it,” he said quietly. “I’ll deal with you later.” Then he turned and walked out. The door closed softly behind him. But to me, it sounded final—like something breaking beyond repair. “Don’t worry, baby… we’ll leave. I’ll keep you safe. I promise.” My hand slowly reached toward the IV needle. I just wanted to go. Anywhere. Away from all of this. But before I could do anything, the door slammed open. Leonhart and Evander rushed in like a storm. Leonhart’s eyes burned with fury. Evander looked at me like I was something disgusting. Evander moved first. His hand struck my face hard, the sound echoing through the room. “How dare you, Kaia?” he shouted. “How dare you try to kill our sister?” My head snapped to the side, my cheek throbbing. “I didn’t,” I whispered. Leonhart’s voice came louder. “Don’t even think about lying. You already killed our parents. Wasn’t that enough? Now you’re going after Elowen too?” Tears filled my eyes again. “She’s the one who—” Leonhart stepped closer, pointing at me. “She’s the one what? You said that before. Every time you say that, someone ends up dead. Mom. Dad. Now Elowen?” “No,” I cried, shaking my head. “You don’t understand. She lied. She set me up. Please, Leonhart—you have to believe me.” Evander grabbed the metal tray beside my bed and slammed it to the floor. It crashed loudly—glass shattering, water spilling everywhere. “Shut up!” he roared. “You think anyone would choose your word over hers? You’re nothing. Just a stain on this family. A curse that won’t disappear.” I covered my mouth, sobbing. Evander leaned in closer, his voice low, filled with hatred. “Why are you still alive? Just die already and spare us the trouble.” Leonhart grabbed my chin roughly, forcing me to look at him. His eyes were cold, almost hollow. “You’ll pay for this, Kaia. Even if Darius lets you off, we won’t.” Then they turned and walked out, the door slamming shut behind them.

That night… I peeled the tape from my skin, the soft ripping sound too loud in the silence. I bit down on my lip to keep from crying out as the needle slid free. My arm burned, but I didn’t care. I just needed to get out. I pushed myself off the bed, my legs weak, my body cold. The floor felt too far beneath me. Every step hurt, but I kept going, dragging myself toward the door. Just as my fingers reached for the handle, it burst open. Darius stood there, his face flushed, his eyes sharp with anger. “So now you’re trying to run?” His voice filled the room. “After everything you’ve done, you still think you can just leave?” I froze, my throat dry. “Darius, please… I just—” He cut me off, louder this time. “Do you even understand what you’ve done? Elowen is losing blood because of you. She could die!” Before I could say anything, his hand grabbed my arm, his grip tight enough to hurt. “You’re giving her your blood,” he said coldly. “You’re both RH-negative. She needs it—and you owe her your life.” I shook my head, trying to pull away. “No… I can’t. Please, let me go. I can’t do this.” His eyes darkened, his voice dropping. “Why not? After everything I’ve done for you? I took you away from your brothers. I knew what you were, Kaia—a killer—and I still kept you. I gave you a place to stay, clothes, everything. I let you be with me. And now you act like you’re above me?” “Darius…” My voice broke. “Please, stop.” He let out a bitter laugh. “You should be grateful. Do you have any idea how many women would do anything to be in your place? To be the one beside me? But I chose you. And now all I feel when I look at you is disgust.” His words hurt more than his grip. Tears blurred my vision. “I can’t,” I whispered. “I can’t give blood… I’m pregnant.” For a second, he paused. Something flickered in his eyes. Then he laughed—cold, mocking. “Pregnant? You think I’m stupid?” He shook his head. “You’ll say anything to get out of this. Lying comes so easily to you.” “It’s true!” I begged. “Please, I’m not lying. It’s your child. Don’t make me do this.” He yanked my arm, making me stumble. “Enough. You’re giving her blood whether you want to or not.” “Darius, stop! Please!” He didn’t listen. He dragged me down the hallway toward the nurse’s station. My feet scraped against the floor as I tried to resist, grabbing onto the wall, the doorframe—anything. The nurses stared when we entered, frozen. “Take her blood,” Darius ordered. “Even if you have to drain her. She’ll pay for what she did.” “Sir…” one nurse hesitated. Leonhart’s voice cut in. “Do it. She owes our sister her life.” Evander nodded beside him. “Finish it.” I screamed as they held me down. “Please, don’t! I’m begging you! I’m pregnant! You’ll kill my baby!” No one listened. The needle pierced my skin. I watched as my blood filled the bag, red and endless. My body turned cold. My vision blurred. Before everything went dark, I whispered, “After this… I’ll end it.” --- When I woke up again, the room was quiet. My body felt hollow. My hands looked pale. My breathing felt weak. It was like something inside me was gone. A nurse stood beside the bed, her expression soft with pity. “Miss Kaia,” she said gently, “Miss Elowen is safe now. She’s stable.” I slowly turned my head. “Did… he come?” She looked away. “Mr. Voss hasn’t returned.” I gave a small nod. My hand drifted to my stomach. It felt too still. Too empty. Something wasn’t right. “Where’s my baby?” I asked, my voice shaking. The nurse hesitated. “I’ll call the doctor.” When he arrived, he wouldn’t meet my eyes. His voice was quiet, like he didn’t want to say it out loud. “I’m sorry,” he said. “We couldn’t save the baby.” Everything stopped. For a moment, I couldn’t even cry. I just smiled faintly, trembling. “So that’s how it ends,” I whispered. “My baby died… just to save hers.” The doctor left. The room fell silent again. That night, I got out of bed. My legs almost gave out, but I kept walking. No shoes. No coat. Just the thin hospital gown. Outside, the air was freezing. Rain poured heavily, blurring everything in front of me. I kept walking until I reached the bridge. The water below was dark, rushing fast. I stood there, shaking. I looked up at the sky. “Mom… Dad… I’m tired.” Rain hit my face like needles. I smiled through my tears. “I’m sorry if I stop now. I tried to be good. I tried to stay strong.” My voice trembled. “My brothers hate me. The man I loved… used me. And my baby… they took it too. I just want peace. Please… let me come home.” I stepped forward. The sound of the river roared beneath me. “Goodbye, Darius.” My lips shook as I said his name. “You took everything from me… and somehow, I still loved you. I don’t even know why. Maybe because I never really knew what love was.” The rain grew heavier, swallowing my voice. “Goodbye, Leonhart. Goodbye, Evander.” My voice cracked. “Maybe one day, you’ll remember I was your sister before I became your shame.” A quiet sob escaped me. “You’ll wake up tomorrow and won’t even notice I’m gone. Maybe that’s better.” Lightning flashed across the sky. I closed my eyes. “My baby…” I whispered, pressing my hand to my stomach one last time. “Wait for me, okay? Mama’s coming.” The river roared below. I stepped closer to the edge, rain pooling around my feet. “This is it,” I murmured. “The last pain I’ll ever feel. I hope you both burn.” Then I stepped forward. The world tipped. The storm howled. And I jumped. The water swallowed everything.

Darius'S POV I sat by the window, peeling an apple. The knife scraped against the skin, a slow, steady sound. The kind that filled the silence when words felt too heavy to say. Elowen was lying on the bed, pale and quiet. Her eyes were open, watching me. I could feel her gaze even if I didn’t look up. “Where are you going?” she asked when I stood. I slipped the knife into my pocket, staring at the apple in my hand. “I’ll be back. Kaia hasn’t eaten anything all day.” Elowen’s voice trembled. “She doesn’t need your pity, Darius.” I turned to her. “It’s not pity.” “She tried to kill me, Darius... And you’re worried if she’s eaten? You’re hurting me again.” I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. So I left. The hallway outside was cold. Too quiet. The kind of quiet that made your thoughts louder. When I passed the nurses’ station, I heard them whispering. “My heart broke for that woman… Kaia, right?” one said. “She looked so weak. I can’t believe they forced her to donate.” “Yeah,” another said. “Miss Elowen was the fiancée. Kaia was just the mistress. Poor thing, I heard she was pregnant too.” I stopped walking. My hand froze on the apple. Pregnant? “Two months, they said. But she lost the baby after giving blood. She lost too much herself.” The apple slipped from my hand and hit the floor with a dull sound. The nurses went quiet. I turned to them slowly. My voice came out low. “What did you just say?” They looked at each other, nervous. No one spoke. “I said,” I repeated, “what did you just say about her pregnancy?!” One of them, the youngest, finally looked up. “It’s true, Mr. Voss. The report is still here. She was two months pregnant.” My chest tightened. “Show me.” She handed me the file with shaking hands. Kaia Langford. Pregnancy: Positive. Complication: Miscarriage due to trauma and excessive blood loss. I couldn’t breathe. I read it again. And again. Her voice came back to me—soft, desperate. “I’m pregnant, Darius. Please, don’t do this.” I thought she was lying. I dragged her out like she was nothing. I let them take her blood. I didn’t believe her. My hand trembled. The file slipped from my fingers onto the floor. I pressed my palm over my eyes, but it didn’t help. The image of her face... pale, scared, begging burned into me. I killed my own child! Fuck. Our child. The one thing my doctors said I might never have again. My throat felt dry. My chest hurt like someone had punched through it. I stood up fast. “WHERE IS SHE?” The nurses looked at each other again, afraid. “Where is Kaia?” I said louder. “She’s gone, sir,” one whispered. “She checked out… we don’t know when.” I stormed out of the ward. Called my assistant immediately. “Get the CCTV now.” Within minutes, he had it ready. The footage played on his tablet. Kaia walked down the hallway. She was barefoot, pale, and limping. Her hospital gown dragging slightly. Her hand on her stomach. I stared at the screen, my heart sinking deeper with every frame. “Sir…” my assistant said carefully. “Send men to find her,” I said, my voice low, shaking. “Search every street, every bridge, every goddamn place near the hospital. Bring her back to me.” He nodded and ran off. I stayed there, staring at the screen, feeling the weight in my chest grow heavier. She told me the truth. I didn’t believe her. Now she’s gone. And so is our child. ..... It was already night when I got back to my office. I told the nurse to stay with Elowen, to make sure she didn’t try anything stupid. I just needed a minute to think, to breathe. I sat behind my desk, still in the same damn shirt from the hospital. The sleeves were rolled up, my tie gone, the buttons half undone. My eyes burned. I hadn’t slept. Couldn’t. The phone rang. My assistant’s name flashed on the screen. I picked it up fast. “Tell me you found her.” There was silence first. Then his voice—hesitant, careful. “Yes, sir. We… we found Kaia.” I shot up from my chair. “Where is she? Bring her here. I don’t care how, just bring her back to me.” He didn’t answer right away. “Did you hear me?” I barked. “I said bring her back!” He hesitated again. “Boss… I sent you something. Please check your phone first.” I frowned. “What is it?” “Just… please, look first.” I opened the message. It was a video. Grainy footage from a CCTV. A bridge. Rain coming down hard. Headlights flashing by. And then her. Kaia. She was walking barefoot, the hospital gown clinging to her body. Her hair was soaked, her steps slow and weak. She stopped at the railing, holding it for support. “Kaia…” I whispered. She looked up at the sky, eyes swollen, face pale. Her lips moved, but the rain drowned everything. My knees went weak. She climbed the railing. “No,” I whispered, backing away from the desk. “No, Kaia, don’t! Fucking don't!” She let go. The splash came a second later. The sound hit me harder than a gunshot. My phone slipped from my hand. It hit the floor, but I didn’t even look down. I just stared at the dark screen. My chest felt like it was caving in. Then I snapped out of it and grabbed the phone again. “Call the coast guard!” I yelled. “Call rescue teams! I don’t care who—just find her! Find her now!” “Yes, sir. I already contacting emergency services—” “Go!” I shouted. “She must still be alive. She has to be.” I slammed my fist against the desk. The sound echoed in the room. My veins burned under my skin. “Go, damn it!” I didn’t wait. I grabbed my keys and ran out. My driver tried to stop me at the door. “Sir, please, let me—” “I’ll go myself!” I shoved past him and ran into the rain. The storm hit hard, but I didn’t care. I got in the car, started the engine, and floored it. Her image wouldn’t leave my head. Kaia standing there, her hair whipping in the wind, her face so tired. “Hold on, Kaia,” I muttered, gripping the wheel. “Please hold on. Don’t die on me. Please.” My voice cracked. “Fuck, I’m such an idiot,” I said, hitting the steering wheel. “You told me you were pregnant and I didn’t believe you. I pushed you to donate. I killed our child. God, what have I done?” The phone rang again. The nurse’s voice came through, shaking. “Mr. Voss, Elowen’s missing!” My blood ran cold.