A Hurt So Sweet Volume Four - Isabella Starling Page 0,25

form slumped over on the floor.

It's her, it's my toy, and she isn't moving.

"Pandora," I grind out, taking a step toward her before turning back to Oakes. "Go after Lily Anna. Call the cops and an ambulance."

"But we need to make sure Pandora is-" he objects, but I cut him off before he can finish.

"Go!" This time, he obeys, leaving me alone with my broken toy.

I kneel down next to her as I listen to Oakes and Kelley run after her.

Pandora's lips are blue and she looks deathly pale. I don't allow my fear to take over. Instead, I try to wake her up.

For myself.

And for our baby, too.

10

Pandora

"That was another one." I pale, clutching my belly and trying to breathe normally. "You have to take me to town now, Lily Anna."

"I don't have to do anything," she snaps back before returning her attention to the book she's holding. "Fuck, it doesn't say anything about the bleeding."

"Lily Anna," I groan. "Please, I'm begging you, do this for the baby, if not for me... I don't want it to get hurt."

She closes the book and puts it back on the shelf before pacing the room, running her hands through her hair while she ponders her next move. While I wait for her to make the right decision, another scream rips itself from my body and I cry out in pain. This is torture. Pure torture.

"Fine," she hisses. "I'm getting the doctor to come up here."

"I need to go to a hospital!" I start crying. She's delusional if she thinks I can have the baby here. We aren't prepared at all. "Please, Lily Anna, please! You'll have the baby's blood on your hands if something happens... Do you really want that on your conscience?"

"Shut up," she snarls before grabbing her jacket. She leaves, locking the door twice behind her. I wail helplessly, but there's no one around, no one to help me. I'm assuming Lily Anna has tipped the caretaker down the road handsomely with her natural favors, because he pretends not to see me every time he passes by and I bang on the window for him to help me.

Now, I'm left alone and terrified. The seconds turn into minutes and soon enough, it's been an hour since she left. But then I finally hear voices, and I hear them come in. They're arguing.

I make eye contact with the doctor, who looks worried, and I can't hold back my tears any longer.

"Please," I whisper. "You have to help me."

"You'll have to forgive her, doctor," Lily Anna says sweetly. "She's a little delusional from the labour. You brought the painkillers, didn't you?"

Dr. Meyer glances between the two of us, as if he's unsure who to believe. Finally, he nods and puts his briefcase on the table, starting to go through his things while simultaneously giving Lily Anna instructions. They put me on the floor on some clean sheets, propped up on pillows. I know things aren't good the moment I see Dr. Meyer's face after he examines me.

"What's wrong?" I whisper. "The baby's okay, right?"

He doesn't answer me. I can't stop crying. The whole situation is stressful and maddening because Lily Anna is preventing me from delivering the baby safely. I tell myself I'll never forgive her for all the shit she put me through, making a mental vow to make her pay for everything she's done to me.

When she leaves the room, claiming my screams are giving her a headache, I grab the doc's shirt and pull him in.

"You h-have to help." I'm stuttering in my effort to get the words out before she comes back and catches me in the act. "She's crazy. Fucking crazy. I think she wants to steal the baby."

"Alli?" he asks, pushing his glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose and chuckling. "No, no, she wouldn't do that..."

"Her name isn't Alli," I snarl, letting out a desperate cry. "It's Lily fucking Anna-"

"Pandora." She appears in the doorway. Her gaze is cool and calculating, locked with mine. "You'll want to shut up now."

But it's too late for that.

Dr. Meyer is already looking at her, and his eyes widen when he comes to a realization.

"It really is you," he whispers. "You're Emilian Oakes' daughter."

"No," I snarl. "I am. She's a fucking... nobody. An imposter."

"Shut up!" Lily Anna roars, pointing back to me as she addresses Dr. Meyer. "You need to deliver this baby, right fucking now."

"But you're..." He shakes his head when I cry out again,