Chapter 128
Isla’s survival instincts kicked in before her mind could even process what was happening. Her body moved on its own. It was fast and desperate.
Her leg swung upward, kicking at Anna’s arm with every ounce of strength she had left. The impact made a loud thud, and something flew out of Anna’s hand, clattering to the floor beside them.
Isla’s eyes darted down, and that was when she saw the object clearly.
It wasn’t a knife. Neither was it a gun. But it was a stun gun.
Her breath caught in her throat. Shock flashed through her eyes. A stun gun? The kind that authorities used to subdue violent criminals?
Before she could think further, Anna bent down, quick, grabbing it again.
“Stay away from me!” Isla shouted, her voice trembling as she scanned the small storeroom for anything she could use. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. She looked around, desperately.
She searched for something, anything to defend herself.
A thick, wooden mopping stick leaned against the corner of the wall. Old, worn, but strong enough to defend
herself.
She lunged for it.
Anna’s voice hissed through the air. “Don’t even dare-”
But Isla didn’t stop. Her fingers closed around the cold wood, gripping it tight. She turned, her chest heaving, holding the stick in front of her like a weapon.
“Stay back,” she warned, her voice shaking but fierce. “I’m warning you, Anna. Don’t come any closer, or I swear, I’ll use this stick on you!”
Anna froze for a second. This was not how she had planned it. Everything was slipping from her control, and time was running out. The fury in her eyes flared hotter.
Isla stood her ground, watching her carefully, reading every flicker of thought behind those dark, scheming eyes. She could tell Anna was trying to figure out her next move. Maybe she was planning another trick. Maybe she was waiting for the right moment to strike again.
But Isla didn’t care anymore. She was done being afraid. This time, she was ready.
“Stay where you are,” Isla said again. “I mean it.”
Anna lunged.
It happened too fast.
Isla tried to move, but her heel bent beneath her as she stepped back. She stumbled, losing her balance. The stick flew from her grip, hitting the wall behind her with a loud crack.
Then, her head hit the cold tiled floor-hard.
The pain was instant and sharp. Her vision blurred. The world spun violently for a split second before it faded completely into darkness.
And just like that-Isla went still.
***
The next thing she heard was beeping. A soft, steady rhythm that echoed faintly somewhere in the distance.
Beep… beep… beep…
The sound was distant at first, then grew louder and closer-until it filled her ears.
Her head throbbed. Her throat felt dry. And then, a sharp pain struck the side of her head, making her flinch.
“Please…” she murmured weakly, her voice barely a whisper. “Please, don’t hurt my baby.”
A familiar voice rang into her ears.
“Isla, please, open your eyes.”
She knew that voice. She could recognize it anywhere. Even in her dreams.
“Gabriel…” she whispered, her eyelids fluttering as she forced them open.
At first, everything was blurry. The bright white ceiling above her made her squint. But slowly, the figure in front of her became clear. She could see the worried face, and the tearful eyes of the man holding her hand tightly.
“Gabriel?” she called softly.
“Yes, my love,” he said immediately, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m here. Thank you… thank you for coming
back to me.”
She could see him clearly now. His face was pale, drawn with exhaustion. His usually styled dark hair was messy, falling over his forehead. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his shirt looked rumpled, like he hadn’t slept in days.
Her heart clenched.
“How is our baby?” she asked faintly.
Gabriel’s lips parted, but he didn’t answer. Instead, he looked away, standing abruptly. “Let me call the doctor. He needs to know that you’re awake now.”
He turned toward the door, but Isla reached out and caught his hand before he could leave. Follow current novᴇls on find~novel~net
“Gabriel…” her voice broke. “Tell me our baby is safe.”
He froze. For a long moment, he couldn’t look at her. His throat moved as he swallowed hard, and his eyes glistened with tears.
He forced a small smile, trying to hold himself together. “Trust me,” he said softly. “You’re fine. But I need to
>>
The door opened before he could finish. Two doctors and a nurse entered, their white coats swaying as they moved quickly toward the bed.
“Mrs. Wyndham,” the older doctor said kindly as he approached, “I’m happy to see you awake.”
The younger one checked the monitor beside her, watching the beeping heart rate carefully. Gabriel noticed the small smile that appeared on the doctor’s face. It gave him a sliver of relief.
But Isla’s instincts told her otherwise.
She knew. She could feel it deep inside her-an emptiness that words couldn’t fill.
Her hand slid down to her abdomen. It was flat. Too flat. The heaviness that had once been there. That tiny heartbeat within her-was gone.
Her heart shattered silently.
Tears filled her eyes. She didn’t need the doctors to say it. She already knew. Anna had taken her baby away from her.
The doctors spoke quietly to Gabriel after finishing their checks. Their voices sounded far away. Isla couldn’t hear them, she didn’t even try to. Her mind drifted somewhere else. She was thinking.
One of them finally turned to her. “Mrs. Wyndham, you’re doing better than we expected,” the doctor said gently. “You can go home today, if you’d like.”
“How long have I been here?” Isla asked quietly.
“Just three days,” the doctor replied. “And I’m sorry that we couldn’t—”
“Stop.” Isla’s hand lifted weakly, cutting him off. Her voice trembled, but her eyes stayed fixed ahead. “Please… don’t say it.’
Gabriel sat beside her immediately, his hand wrapping around hers. His lips brushed her knuckles.
“I’m sorry, baby,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “I couldn’t keep my promise to you.”
She turned her head slightly toward him. “It’s not your fault,” she said softly. “Stop apologizing.”
The doctor nodded politely to Gabriel. “We’ll have the discharge papers ready, Mr. Wyndham,” he said before they quietly left the room.
Gabriel looked back at her. His eyes were red, but he tried to smile. Just for her. “We’ll make more babies, Isla,” he said gently. “And this time, we’ll be more careful.”
Isla nodded slowly, but her face was pale and expressionless. Inside, she was breaking. The pain was too deep to
measure.
She had lost her first child. Anna had succeeded.
But Isla swore silently to herself that that woman would not go unpunished. She would expose her for the devil she was.
Her thoughts drifted back to Alfred’s study. To the dark secrets he had confessed to her.
“How is Grandfather?” she asked suddenly.
Gabriel’s lips parted, but no words came. He hesitated. She saw it immediately.
He didn’t need to answer-his silence spoke volume.
Her heart sank.
Something else had happened. 1
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