Chapter 12

Lila forced a pale smile as she reached for the bowl, but for some reason, her hand suddenly trembled. The medicine spilled all over her in an instant, scalding her skin. She gasped sharply in pain, and before she could react, a harsh slap landed across her face. "You did that on purpose, didn’t you?! I took the time to make you this medicine and you just dumped it?!" "No! No, Mom, I didn’t mean it!" Lila quickly defended herself, ignoring the burning pain on her hands. Bruises littered her arms and legs, and even though she’d been as careful as she could, the medicine still spilled. Her mother narrowed her eyes, examining her closely. Seeing that Lila didn’t seem to be faking it, she finally calmed down a bit. For a second, she thought Lila might’ve figured something out. But staring at that bowl, loaded with abortion drugs, just made her angrier. All because of this wretched girl, she had to leave her own daughter in someone else's care, and instead look after this ungrateful brat! The more she thought about it, the more furious she got. She wanted nothing more than to hold Lila down and force every last drop of that medicine down her throat. "Sit tight. I’ll go get you another bowl!" Her mother said through gritted teeth. Lila panicked and shook her head. "No… it’s okay! I can get it myself!" "Stay put!" her mother snapped, throwing her a fierce glare. A wave of dread crept up Lila’s spine. She couldn’t say why, but the sting on her face and hands made her panic in a way she couldn’t explain. Just then, a knock came at the door. It was Nanny Mary, the housemaid. "Miss, you need to get out of here—now!" Mary’s face was tight with fear, eyes darting nervously over her shoulder like she was afraid someone was following. "What’s going on?" Lila’s heart jumped into her throat as she stood. "That medicine—it’s not what you think. It’s abortion medicine! Go, before it’s too late!" Mary blurted out, then hurried off without waiting for a reply. Lila’s face drained of all color. She stood frozen, as an icy cold spread deep into her bones. Even in the warmth of the room, she couldn’t stop trembling. So it was all fake… The tenderness, the concern—she made it up. Her mother didn’t care about her or her baby. She was trying to get rid of it. Without wasting another second, Lila snatched her coat and bolted out of the room. Her mind was spinning, and in her rush downstairs, she twisted her ankle. The sharp pain forced a cry out of her mouth. No—no time for this. She couldn’t fall apart now. Not for the baby. Lila gritted her teeth, holding herself together as best she could, limping her way to the door. "Where do you think you’re going, you little brat?!" Her mother’s shrill voice cut through the hallway like a knife. Lila’s scalp prickled, but she pushed forward and burst out the door. She was so focused on escaping, glancing behind her in fear, that she didn’t see what was in front of her. By the time she looked up, a blinding light hit her eyes— Boom. The world flipped upside down. Everything went blurry except the all-consuming pain crashing over her. Blood soaked through her clothes, pooling underneath her. Her stomach throbbed with a pain so deep it left her breathless. She knew instantly—she was losing her baby. No… not the baby… No… Lila fought to lift her hands and cradle her belly, desperately trying to keep the life inside. But her arms wouldn’t move anymore. The strength had already left her body...