Chapter 4

"Baby,I just happened to be passing by when I saw what was happening.There were so many men ganging up on Lenara.I couldn't just stand there and do nothing."

I stared at the blood covering Adrian's body.I dug my nails into my palms,forcing myself to swallow the question burning on the tip of my tongue.

'You were on the south side of town,and Lenara was on the north side,nearly fifty miles apart.How did you just happen to be passing by?'

In the end,I drove Adrian and Lenara to the hospital.

Adrian was badly hurt.His entire back was covered in blood.After his wounds were treated,he looked at me and spoke softly.

"Claire,those debt collectors are dangerous people.It's not safe for Lenara to stay home alone.Could she stay at our place for a few days?"

A woman's intuition was like a rusty needle,scraping back and forth across the deepest,most hidden part of my heart.The pain made me tremble.

But one was my best friend of ten years,and the other was my fiancéwho had protected me since we were children.

I didn't dare let myself think too much about it.

In the end,I looked at Adrian's pale face,moved my lips,and forced out a single word.

"Okay."

From then on,Adrian took care of everything after Lenara's father died.

Lenara was devastated and barely spoke all day,so I stayed by her side the entire time.

By the time everything was finally taken care of,it was almost midnight when we got home.After Lenara had gone to sleep in the guest room,Adrian did what he always did and warmed a glass of milk for me in the kitchen before bed.

"Baby,are you overthinking things because you saw me protecting Lenara today?"

The moment he said that,my eyes turned red.I looked away,refusing to meet his gaze.

Adrian gently held the back of my neck and pulled me toward him.His lips suddenly pressed against mine,and he kissed me deeply and passionately.

When he finally pulled away,his eyes were filled with emotions he'd kept buried for a long time.

"Baby,trust me.You're the only woman I love.I can't wait for you to become my wife.So don't let your mind run wild anymore.There has never been anything between Lenara and me."

Looking into his loving eyes,I finally broke down and cried.The tension that had weighed on me all day finally began to fade.

After drinking the milk,I soon fell asleep.

In the middle of the night,I woke up thirsty.

I reached over to the space beside me and found the sheets cold.

Adrian was gone.

As I went to get some water,I passed the guest room.A muffled argument came through the slightly open door.

"Let go of me!What if Claire hears us?"It was Lenara's voice,trembling as she tried to hold back her tears.

"I'm not letting go!"Adrian's voice was low and commanding,with a possessiveness I'd never heard from him before."I put sleeping pills in her milk.She won't wake up."

"Adrian,we can't keep doing this."Lenara's voice shook badly."Claire has been so good to me.We've been best friends for ten years.Tomorrow,I'm going to the hospital and get rid of the baby."

The moment I heard the word"baby,"my feet froze to the floor.

My breath caught in my throat.

"Don't you dare!"Adrian snapped,his voice filled with anger and panic."You think ending the pregnancy will make up for what we've done to her?Lenara,this baby is yours and mine.Who gave you the right to decide whether it lives or dies?"

"Then what am I supposed to do?"Lenara finally broke down,her sobs barely contained."You used to hate women like me.You called me a gold digger and said I disgusted you.Do you really think you'll love my baby just because I give birth to it?Just like you said,the baby would be a bastard too!"

"Stop!"

Through the narrow opening in the door,I saw Adrian pull Lenara into his arms and hold her tightly.

The man who once thought she wasn't even worth looking at was now holding her close,his chin resting on top of her head.

"I was a jerk back then,Lenara.Don't say that."

"Don't blame yourself for everything.If I hadn't been drugged that night,we never would have slept together."

"The baby was an accident,but I have feelings for you.I want you to have the baby."

The room went quiet for a moment.The only sound was Lenara's quiet sobs.

"But what about Claire?You're getting married soon,"she asked through her tears.