CHAPTER 5: Move Away

CLAIRE'S POV,

I had never seen Leo look at me like this. His eyes were burning.

A part of me had thought he would trust me—that he would hear me out, believe that I’d only been trying to help.

“Leo, the wheelchair got stuck on a stone,” I eagerly explained. “I squatted down to fix, but—”

“Move away,” he snapped, cutting me off with a glare as he stepped between me and Charlotte.

My chest tightened a wave of nausea washing over me as I stumbled backwards, the world spinning for a brief, terrifying moment.

I was still catching my breath from running, and my legs were too weak to hold me. I fell to the ground, my hands instinctively covering my stomach as fear clawed its way through me.

My child! I thought, terror tightening around my heart.

But Leonard didn’t notice. He lifted Charlotte into his arms, his expression softened by worry as he cradled her against his chest, and carried her back toward the house.

He didn't even look at me. However, I knew I couldn’t let him walk away from me like that, without explaining.

Struggling to my feet, I forced myself to follow after him. Each step was a battle.

He took her to the main hall where the family doctor worked to stop the bleeding, and Leo stayed by Charlotte’s side, his gaze fixed on her. I hovered nearby, wanting to explain, to find a way to reach him.

But he barely glanced at me, his attention was locked on Charlotte.

Then, without warning, he looked up and called me over, his voice sharp and stern. “Claire. A word. Now!”

Everyone in the room turned to me, watching as I slowly followed him down the hallway. My shoulders were hunched under the weight of their judgment.

I shouldn’t have felt guilty, not for something I hadn’t done, but the shame and helplessness clawed at me just the same. They didn’t need to say it; their looks said enough.

Leonard led me back to the small, quiet room we’d been in before.

“Why did you do this?” he demanded, his voice trembling with accusation. “Why did she get hurt when she was with you?”

“You think I let this happen?” I said, my voice shaking as I met his gaze. “I can’t believe you would accuse me of hurting her.”

To help him, I secretly read a lot of medical literature and books, but none of them came in handy, because since the first time I accompanied Leonard to Charlotte's house, Leonard mentioned that she doesn't like strangers around, and then I never tried again.

She accepted his help, but would never accept my help.

He didn’t back down, didn’t waver. “You were supposed to look after her.”

“Do you really think I’d hurt her?” His suspicions and accusations nearly choked me. “She pu...it was an accident, I tried my best to save her!”

“I don’t care,” he cut in, his face tight with frustration. “What matters is that she was hurt when she was with you.”

The implication was clear: to him, I was at fault. His loyalty to Charlotte eclipsed anything I was saying.

Desperation clawed at me as I struggled to make him understand. “Leonard, please,” I choked out, “I would never hurt her. You have to believe me.”

But he turned away, his jaw set, refusing to meet my gaze. Then, without another word, he left, shutting the door behind him with a finality.

When I walked outside, I could hear Charlotte’s cries, Leonard’s voice soft as he reassured her, and the low murmur of the family doctor asking him to take her to the hospital.

I made my way toward the door when they were gone, passing his family and friends as they whispered and stared. Their gazes burned with judgment, a mix of pity and disdain that left me hollow.

No one said goodbye as I slipped through the front door. I was alone, my presence barely acknowledged, my truth unheard.

As I stepped out into the cool air, a dull ache began to settle in my stomach, growing sharper with every step. I paused, placing a hand over my abdomen, fear twisting through me.

No, please, not now.

I glanced around, hoping to hail a cab. I tried booking an Uber, but my fingers were clumsy as I tapped at the screen, but no one was nearby, and each request came back with the same message: No drivers available.

My hands were shaking now, my breaths coming in shallow gasps as the pain worsened, spreading like fire. I turned back towards the house, to ask for help.

Just as I was about to reach the main gate, I spotted Leonard behind the wheel, driving away with Charlotte in the passenger seat. I stumbled forward, barely able to steady myself as I called out, “Leo, please, stop! I need your help.”

But the engine only roared louder, and the car pulled away, leaving me standing alone on the sidewalk.

“Leo!” I screamed, my voice breaking, echoing in the empty air as he drove off, taking every last bit of strength and hope with him.

The sound faded, swallowed by the quiet of the falling night. He was gone, leaving me in the silence.

Someone, please help my baby!

A sharp pain shot through me, and I doubled over, clutching my stomach as the tears finally broke free, spilling down my cheeks. I tried to force myself upright, to keep moving, to find someone who could help. But my strength was gone, drained by the weight of everything I had lost.

Just as my knees began to buckle, an arm slipped around my waist.