CHAPTER 117: ABORT

Only Daisy’s heavy breath could be heard in the silence of the car. George, sitting beside her, frowned as he began to grow worried.

"What is it? Don’t act like you’re having trouble breathing." He said, turning his body to face her, "Let me see..." he tried to touch her but she jerked back right away.

"Don’t touch me..." Her words came out rough and weak. "I already followed you, and I hope you’ll stop this madness..."

"Madness?" George’s brows knitted. "My love for you is not madness. It’s you who interpret it that way... Tomorrow, we will annul your marriage with Theo and then get married. I don’t want to repeat myself. You know, since I killed one person today, killing feels almost easy now."

Daisy’s face turned pale, her breathing growing shallow and uneven. Panic clawed its way through her chest, each inhale shorter than the last. She pressed her trembling hand against the door as if searching for escape, her wide eyes fixed on George with sheer terror.

"Stop... please..." she whispered, her voice breaking as her chest tightened.

George leaned closer, his gaze dark and unrelenting. "The more you resist, the more you’ll suffer. Don’t make this harder for yourself, Daisy."

"I don’t think you are this bad... George," Daisy murmured, her brows furrowing as tears welled in her eyes. "You are better than this."

Her words quivered on her lips before her strength gave way. Her vision blurred, the edges of the world dimming as her chest heaved for air. She swayed in her seat, her hand slipping weakly from the door handle.

"Daisy?" George’s voice wavered for the first time, his hand darting out to catch her. But before he could, her body went limp, her head lolling to the side as darkness swallowed her completely.

When Daisy’s eyes fluttered shut, George scooped her into his arms without hesitation. He rushed out of the car the moment it rolled through iron gates, stopping in front of a secluded villa hidden behind thick walls of ivy.

Inside, Daisy lay unconscious on a wide canopy bed, her face pale against the white sheets. George paced the room restlessly until the door creaked open and a middle-aged doctor stepped in, stethoscope still dangling around his neck.

George turned sharply. "Well? How is she?" His tone was clipped, impatient.

The doctor hesitated, glancing at Daisy before clearing his throat. "Mr. Anderson... there’s something you should know. She is pregnant. About five weeks."

George stiffened, his eyes narrowing. "Pregnant?"

"Yes," the doctor said firmly. "But it’s very very early, and the stress she’s experiencing has put her at high risk of miscarriage. If she doesn’t rest and avoid emotional strain, she might lose the baby."

George’s jaw clenched as his gaze shifted back to Daisy. Pregnant. With Theo’s child. The word tasted bitter on his tongue, fueling the storm already raging inside him.

"Then isn’t it good?" George muttered, his tone almost too low to catch.

The doctor’s brows furrowed. "Mr. Anderson... Losing a child is never a good thing. If you truly care about her, you’ll make sure she avoids any further stress."

George’s lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile. "I’ll take care of her," he said flatly, though his eyes never left Daisy’s still form.

The doctor lingered uneasily, but after leaving his instructions and a list of precautions, he quietly excused himself, leaving the two of them alone.

George sat at the edge of the bed, brushing a loose strand of hair from Daisy’s pale face. "So, you’re carrying his child," he whispered bitterly. "Even unconscious, you still cling to him."

His hand curled into a fist against the blanket. "But let’s see how long that child lasts inside you. Your heart may belong to another man, but you should belong to me." He leaned closer, his voice dropping lower, darker. "And baby... if you’re the wall standing between us, then I’m sorry but I’ll have to get rid of you too."

====

When Daisy finally stirred, the world around her was quiet. Her eyelids fluttered open, her vision hazy, the faint scent of antiseptic and polished wood hanging in the air.

She pushed herself up slowly, her body heavy and weak, and looked around. The room was unfamiliar, high ceilings, heavy curtains that let in only a sliver of light, walls adorned with oil paintings she had never seen before. A stranger’s villa.

Her gaze dropped to herself. She froze.

The wedding dress she had chosen at the boutique, the one she had slipped on with a happy smile, imagining a future with Theo, was gone. In its place, she now wore a plain white nightgown. It wasn’t revealing, but its simplicity unsettled her all the same, as if it stripped her of the life she had only just begun to claim.

Her fingers clutched the fabric, trembling. "Where... am I?" she whispered hoarsely into the silence.

"Somewhere a bit far away from madness?"

The sudden voice made Daisy flinch. Her head snapped toward the door, where George leaned casually against the frame, a smile curving his lips.

"How do you feel? Better?" he asked, his tone soft, almost tender but the glint in his eyes made her stomach twist.

Daisy instinctively pulled the blanket tighter around herself, her throat tightening. "Why... Why did you bring me here?"

"What do you mean why?" George’s smile deepened as he stepped into the room, each footfall deliberate. "We are going to get married soon."

Her lips parted, disbelief washing over her pale face. "Married...? George, let’s get the facts right. I followed you here not because I agreed to marry you..." She paused, swallowing hard as her throat burned dry. "But because I don’t want you to hurt anyone anymore..."

George tilted his head, his smile never faltering. "So... Do I need to hurt more for you to agree?"

The air in the room thickened, every word dripping with threat. Daisy’s fingers tightened around the blanket, her pulse racing so loud she could almost hear it echo in her ears.

The air in the room thickened, every word dripping with threat. Daisy’s fingers tightened around the blanket, her pulse racing so loud she could almost hear it echo in her ears.

"You’re asking me to love you," she whispered, her voice trembling, "but all you do is keep threatening me, George..."

George pressed his lips into a thin line, studying her with an unsettling calm. Then his smile returned, slow and deliberate. "Hmm... then how about I offer you a deal? I promise everything will stop... I won’t hurt Theo or anyone else, if you agree to this deal."

Daisy’s chest rose and fell unevenly. "What deal?"

George leaned closer, his shadow spilling over her as he spoke softly, almost tenderly, though his eyes glinted with possession. "You... are... pregnant, sweetie." His smile widened, as if he had just spoken the most beautiful truth.

Daisy’s eyes went wide, her breath catching in her throat. "What do you mean... pregnant?"

George chuckled under his breath, straightening just enough to watch her face pale further. "Exactly what it sounds like. Five weeks along. The doctor confirmed it while you were sleeping." He tilted his head, savoring the sight of her trembling. "Theo’s child... but under my roof now. That makes things interesting, doesn’t it?"

Her lips quivered, hands pressing instinctively against her flat stomach as tears welled in her eyes. "No... no, this can’t be true... I’ll make sure I eat the pill after..."

"Woah..." George covered his mouth with his hand, though a smile still slipped through. His eyes lit up with cruel amusement. "This is interesting. Then it will be easier... since you yourself don’t want this baby, isn’t it?"

Daisy’s head snapped up, her tears blurring her vision. "That’s not what I meant!" she choked out, shaking her head violently. "Don’t twist my words, George—"

He crouched down beside the bed, lowering his voice until it was almost a whisper. "You said it yourself, sweetie. You don’t want this baby. And if you don’t..." His hand hovered near her stomach, his smile tightening. "Then maybe I’m only helping you, aren’t I?"

"Wha—what do you mean?" Daisy’s lips trembled, her breath catching.

George’s eyes gleamed as his voice dropped even lower, slow and cruel. "Call Theo," he said smoothly. "And tell him you’re pregnant..." He lifted a finger, wagging it playfully in front of her pale face. "But, but, but..." his grin widened, "make sure you also tell him how much you hated it. Tell him you chose to abort the baby."

Daisy’s chest heaved, her eyes filling with horror. "No... I would never do that..."

George leaned in so close she could feel the heat of his breath. "Oh, but you will. Because if you don’t, Daisy..." His smile vanished, his tone sharp as a blade. "Theo will pay the price. I’ll make sure he doesn’t live long enough to ever see his child... or you... again."