The Day I Walked Away My Empire Began novel Chapter 98

He’d even considered faking a set of medical reports to cover his tracks. But none of that mattered anymore. Two months ago, he’d forgotten to get his usual contraceptive injection. They’d only been had sex twice, and she was pregnant. So much for using that as an excuse.

“Lucie, it’s not what you think,” Steven said, trying to sound gentle. “Don’t get so worked up, okay? Why do you have to stress yourself out? Once you’re healthy again, we can have more kids. As many as you want.”

His words made her chest ache so badly she thought her heart might split in two. She was too weak to argue, too tired to even speak. All she could do was let the tears slide down her cheeks.

Steven’s expression twisted with guilt. He pressed the call button by the bed. “Someone, come here.”

A maid hurried in and bowed. “Mr. Heath, what can I do for you?”

“Call the family doctor. Right now.”

“Yes, sir.”

Steven leaned down and kissed Lucie’s forehead, his face soft with worry. “Stop crying, please. You’re already so sick. Don’t torture yourself like this.” In just a few days, she’d lost so much weight. Her once-beautiful face was all sharp angles now, her skin almost as pale as the sheets.

The room spun around her. Lucie wanted to push him away, but she didn’t even have the strength to lift her hand.

Twenty minutes later, the family doctor rushed in. He checked her over, hooked up a glucose IV, and used cooling pads to bring down her fever. She’d barely eaten or drunk anything for days. The only thing keeping her going was the IV drip. There was a little sedative in the meds, and soon she slipped into a heavy, dreamless sleep.

***

About three hours later, Lucie woke up groggy and confused. Steven was gone. Her mouth was dry, and she tried to sit up, craving water. Two maids were standing by the bed and hurried over when they saw her stir.

“Ma’am, you’re awake. Would you like some water?”

Lucie’s vision swam with frustration. It was obvious. Steven was making sure she couldn’t reach out to anyone. Five days had gone by, and her grandfather hadn’t called or visited. Steven must have used her phone to send a message, pretending everything was fine.

But what worried her even more was Dr. Tate. What if he was trying to find her?

“Is there anything else you need, ma’am?”

Lucie shook her head weakly. “No. You can leave me.”

The maids stepped back and stood quietly by the door. Lucie ignored them, trying to pull her thoughts together. She needed a plan to get away from Steven. And she needed to figure out—who was Cody’s real mother?

If it wasn’t Shannon, then there had to be another girl in Steven’s life. But who? She mentally went through every woman she’d ever seen around him, but none of them fit. Besides, ever since they got married, Steven had always come home on time. Even when he had to go out for business, he’d let her know and never stayed out past ten.