Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Dangerous Choice

"Your wife is in critical condition. She suffered severe trauma to her abdomen, and her injuries have put both her life and the baby's at significant risk. We need to act quickly, but…" He paused, his expression heavy. "You'll have to decide. We can only prioritize saving one—Sophia or the baby.

The enormity of the decision slammed down on Ryan, shutting his mind off for a while. His lips moved but said nothing. Before he had even begun to sort his brain out, Eleanor surged forward, voice firm and steady.

"Save the baby," she told the doctor without turning an inch in her direction. "That child is this family's future. That counts."

"Mother, shut up!" Ryan finally snapped, anger blowing up inside him. "I decide.

Eleanor turned to him, her eyes narrowing. "Decide wisely, Ryan. That woman has already caused enough harm. Do you really think she's worth more than your own child?"

Ryan clenched his fists, the weight of his mother's words pressing down on him. Just then, the sound of heels clicking against the tile floor interrupted their argument. They both turned to see Lana entering the waiting room.

Lana came forward with an expression of concern so well feigned. She placed a hand on Ryan's arm, her voice soft and trembling. "Ryan, I'm so sorry. I didn't do anything to her. She attacked me, and then she pushed herself into the table. I never meant for this to happen.

Ryan turned to her, his face softening a little. "It's all right, Lana. I know you would do nothing to hurt her."

Eleanor snorted, folding her arms. "Of course, she wouldn't. It is that woman's fault, as always."

The doctor coughed to interrupt the growing tension. "We need a decision now, Mr. Walsh. There's no time to waste.

Ryan took a deep breath and turned back to the doctor. "Save Sophia," he said firmly.

Eleanor's face twisted in anger. "What are you doing, Ryan? That stupid woman doesn't deserve to be saved! Think of your child!"

"I've made my decision, Mother," Ryan replied coldly. "I am her husband. It is my call.

The doctor nodded and hurried back into the emergency room. Eleanor glared at Ryan, her voice dripping with fury. “You’re making a mistake. That woman is a curse. If anything happens to my grandchild, I’ll never forgive you.”

Ryan said nothing; he just stared at the doors where Sophia was being treated. In a low tone, his voice full of pent-up anger, he muttered under his breath, "Something happens to my baby, and Sophia will pay for it-this is all her fault.

The cold hospital room was filled with an unspeakable tension as Sophia slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry, her body weak, but the ache in her chest was sharper than any physical wound. As her surroundings came into focus, she saw Ryan sitting by her side. To her dismay, Lana stood beside him, her face painted with faux concern.

The first thing that came to Sophia's mind was her baby. She struggled to sit up, her voice shaking. "How is my baby?"

Ryan's face darkened, his voice cutting through her like a blade. "Thanks to you, Sophia, the baby is gone."

In that instant, Sophia's world came crashing down. "No." she whispered, her head shaking in disbelief. Tears streamed down her face as she clutched her stomach. "That can't be true.

Lana came forward, pretending to show some sympathy. "I'm so sorry, Sophia. I wish things had gone differently, but you—"

"Don't you dare!" Sophia shrieked in a voice full of anguish. "It's your fault, Lana! You pushed me into that table. You killed my baby!"

Ryan suddenly stood up, his face contorted with anger. "Shut up, Sophia! Lana told me everything. You were the one who pushed yourself. You can't continue blaming everybody else for your mistakes!

Her heart sank deeper with his words. The man she loved was defending the woman who had destroyed her life. Her voice wavered as she spat, "Now I see. You're covering for her. You've been blind to her manipulation all along.

In a fit of rage and sorrow, Sophia lashed out for the glass of water on the bedside cabinet. Her hand shook as she aimed it at Lana, but before she could throw it, Ryan clutched her wrist.

"Enough, Sophia!" he yelled, tugging the glass from her grasp and smashing it against the floor. Shards scattered across the room, a physical manifestation of the shattered relationship between them.

The anger boiled inside Ryan as he grasped Sophia by the neck, firm but without hurting her—yet. His voice was low, menacing. "You have done enough damage, Sophia. Enough lying. Enough chaos."

Sophia's voice came out in a gasp, defiant though her face was streaked with tears. "Now I see the truth. You never loved me, Ryan. And you never will. Fine. I want a divorce.

The words hit Ryan like a blow. His hands dropped off her neck, and he drew away in a contortion of anger and confusion. "A divorce?" he said sneeringly. "Don't make me laugh, Sophia. You really think you can just walk away? All you ever cared about was my money-that's the only reason you married me in the first place.

Sophia's chest heaved, her body racked with anger and despair. "You're wrong. I love you, Ryan. I gave you everything, and this is how you repay me? I'll divorce you, and when I do, I'll make sure Lana pays for what she's done. She killed my baby, and I'll get my revenge.

Ryan stared at her, his jaw tight, but he said nothing. Lana, standing behind him, smirked just enough for Sophia to see, her satisfaction evident.

Ryan finally broke the silence, his tone cold and final. "You're not divorcing me, Sophia. You can't. Not without my permission. And I'll never give it to you. You're staying in this marriage, whether you like it or not."

Sophia’s tears turned to ice as she glared at him. “We’ll see about that, Ryan. You’ve taken everything from me, but I’ll take it all back. And when I’m done, you’ll regret ever crossing me.”

Ryan turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, leaving Sophia alone with her fury and grief. Lana lingered for a moment, her expression triumphant.

Lana's heels clicked sharply against the hospital corridor as she followed Ryan out of Sophia's room. The confident façade had slipped, and beneath it churned a simmering rage. This wasn't how this was supposed to go; Ryan was supposed to divorce Sophia, not stick around with her.

The moment she was alone, Lana pulled out her phone and dialed a number. She spoke quickly, her tone low and urgent.

"Hello," she said, her voice cold and calculating. "I need a fake paternity test. Make it convincing."

The voice on the other end hesitated. "A fake paternity test? That's risky, Lana. Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, I'm sure," she snapped. "I need it to show that Sophia's baby wasn't Ryan's. Can you do it or not?"

There was a pause before the voice on the other end replied, "I can. But it'll cost you."

"Money isn't an issue," Lana said firmly. "Just get it done and make it airtight."

She hung up, leaning against the wall, her mind racing. Ryan would believe the baby wasn't his, and that would be enough to give her leverage to oust Sophia from his life once and for all. A callous smile spread across her face with the thought of the chaos about to ensue.

Meanwhile, at the Hospital Room

Sophia lay in bed, dry-eyed but with an aching heart. Her mind kept replaying all that had happened within the past few hours: losing her baby, Ryan's betrayal, and Lana's smirk, which promised even more trouble. The fists clenched, resolution beginning to harden.

A nurse entered the room, breaking her thoughts. "Mrs. Walsh, the doctor will be here soon to check on you. Do you need anything in the meantime?"

Sophia shook her head. “No, thank you.”

As the nurse left, Sophia’s thoughts turned to her next move. She wouldn’t let Lana or Ryan break her. She would gather evidence of Lana’s manipulation and expose her for who she truly was. But for now, she needed to recover and bide her time.

Later that evening, Lana met a man in a dark parking lot. He handed her a sealed envelope.

"Here's the paternity test," he said. "It shows the baby wasn't Ryan's. You owe me the rest of the payment."

Lana wordlessly handed him a thick envelope of cash, her smile growing as she looked at the forged document.

"This will end her," she whispered to herself, gleaming with triumph.

Lana wasted no time. She waited until Ryan was at his office and showed up unannounced. With a dramatic flair, she placed the envelope on his desk.

"What's this?" Ryan asked, his tone irritated.

It's something you need to see," Lana said, faking sadness. "I wasn't going to show you, but I think you deserve to know the truth."

Ryan opened the envelope, and his eyes scanned the fake paternity test. His expression darkened, his jaw clenching.

"This can't be," he muttered under his breath in disbelief.

"I'm so sorry, Ryan," Lana said, placing a hand on his arm. "I didn't want to believe it either, but it explains so much. Why would Sophia push herself into the table? Maybe she felt guilty about…everything."

Ryan slammed the paper down, his anger bubbling over. "She's been lying to me this whole time."

Lana bit her lip, hiding her satisfaction. "What are you going to do?"

Ryan’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll handle it. If she thinks she can betray me and get away with it, she’s wrong.”

As Lana left Ryan’s office, her heart raced with excitement. The pieces were falling into place. All she needed now was for Ryan to confront Sophia, and her victory would be complete.

At the cemetery. 

The air was heavy with grief in the cemetery as Sophia knelt down in front of the small gravestone. Her hands were trembling as she held onto the ultrasound scan to her chest, her tears falling to the cold earth.

"Baby, I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "Mom couldn't protect you. I

failed you."

Her moment of grief was shattered by a voice from behind her, clear and laced with venom.

Whose bastard is this baby?"