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654words
Thank God.
Leo, help me!
Naomi spun around, surprise flashing across her face.
"Honey! You said you weren't coming back today! I caught a burglar and was just teaching her some manners."
The billionaire husband who bought her this place… was Leo? But he was unemployed!
He'd lied to her, telling her he bought this for her.
None of this made any sense.
Leo stared in shock, his face pale. He swallowed hard.
"Did you… did you do that to her face? Tell me that's not her blood on the floor."
Naomi quickly closed the live stream. "Leo, baby, you know I'm the kindest person."
" I just… I'm pregnant, my hormones are all over the place! You have money, you can fix anything. It's just some thief! Right?"
He shoved her away, furious.
"You have no idea what you've done!"
He looked genuinely scared.
"This is aggravated assault! If she presses charges, you're finished! We're finished!"
Naomi clung to his arm, pouting. "Leo, you're not like other people. You can handle it."
He turned and slapped her hard across the face. She fell to the floor.
He grabbed her collar, shaking her.
"Money doesn't fix everything! You nearly killed her! That's prison time!"
Weakly, I lifted my head, a desperate hope blooming in my chest.
Leo was my cousin.
My family had done so much for him.
Mom even sold my inheritance from Dad to pay for his schooling.
Leo couldn't meet my eyes, guilt written all over his face.
Naomi panicked, dropping to her knees to cling to his legs.
"Baby, you have to help me! I'm carrying your son! We just… we just have to make her disappear…"
Her eyes darted around, then lit up. "The planter wall on the balcony! It's not finished yet! Right!"
"We'll seal her in the wall. We just won't come back here afterwards. No one will ever know."
Leo gritted his teeth. A terrible resolve settled on his face. "Fine. We have to be quick."
He leaned close, his whisper chilling my soul.
"Don't blame me. You picked the wrong time to come home. I know you'd never let this go if we set you free."
I stared at him in horror.
He wanted me dead!
While they were outside mixing cement, I used every ounce of strength to push myself up on my knees, struggling to stand.
I shuffled toward the small bathroom window.
With my teeth, I fumbled with the latch, then slammed my face against the glass until it cracked open.
I wouldn't die here. Not like this.
I worked the rag out of my mouth with my tongue.
"HELP! SOMEONE, HELP! THEY'RE GOING TO KILL ME! CALL THE POLICE!"
"Dammit! The bitch is trying to ruin us!"
A kick sent me sprawling. A hot, wet rush spread between my legs.
You're the ones ruining me!
I clutched my stomach.
Hatred, cold and pure, flooded me.
A shovelful of wet cement hit my face, then another, covering my mouth, my nose.
Zachary… we vowed to spend our lives together at our wedding.
I'm so sorry. I'm breaking that promise.
CRASH.The door splintered.
"Police! Hands on your heads! Get down!"
Someone came to save me!
I let myself fall into unconsciousness.
When I woke again, I was in the hospital, my face wrapped in bandages.
I tried to move my hand. Zachary was there, dark circles under his eyes, holding it. His gaze was pure anguish.
"I almost lost you," he whispered, voice rough.
"Four broken ribs. One almost pierced your heart."
I tried to speak, my voice a rasp. "The baby… was I pregnant? I dreamed… a little girl said goodbye."
His grip tightened. "We'll have another. I promise."
Suddenly, the door swung open. My mother walked in, frowning.
"Look, I gave your place to your cousin. That was his wife. Sign the waiver. Or we're done."
