Chapter 12

A black BMW X3 sped down the highway, its engine roaring loud enough to jolt Sophia back to reality. "Dr. Bennett... where are we?" "Mrs. Bennett, please don't move. Your stitches are still fresh. They could tear open at any time." "What's going on?" Mark let out a sigh and went quiet for a moment before saying, "We're on the way to Xingcheng. The surgery on Miss Walters went smoothly, and you survived too. But Lucas doesn't want you anymore. I... couldn't stand it, so I snuck you out." "What about my baby..." Sophia's hand moved to her belly. The pain from the anesthesia fading hit her harder by the second—but compared to what she felt inside, it was nothing. They'd known each other for ten years, dated for six, and stayed married for three. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine Lucas would come to hate her to this extent... She couldn't let her kid fall into the hands of a father like that. "Don't worry. The baby was early but made it. With proper care, he should grow up fine. But... it all happened so fast. I couldn't save him too." "Thank you." A wave of helplessness washed over Sophia, but she strangely felt calm. "Pull over. Let me out here." "What are you trying to do, Mrs. Bennett?" "He wants me dead, right? I've got nothing left but my kid. If giving him what he wants means my child can live... maybe he'll back off. Don't you think?" "You're still thinking about him?" Mark was clearly pissed. "The guy's your husband but forced you to give blood for Miss Walters, treated you like a lab rat, didn't even spare your own child. And you're still planning to go back?" "Please, Dr. Bennett. Just let me out." Sophia's voice was calm, yet her eyes were hollow. "Lucas holds grudges. You saved me—he won't forget that. Just let me go and get out of here while you still can." Mark clenched his jaw and stepped harder on the gas. Just then, a dozen sports cars suddenly closed in from behind. Even the sky wasn't empty—helicopters hovered overhead like crows circling prey. Sophia had barely registered her name being called when a loud BANG rang out. The BMW slammed into a guardrail and went flying—straight into the raging river below. … Seven days later, Sophia woke up in a small village clinic. "Other than me... was there a man around twenty-something with a hooked nose?" "You must mean the gentleman who pulled you out of the water," the doctor replied with a sigh. His face looked full of regret. "He saved you but ran out of strength himself... he went under. We searched for a long time... but couldn't find him..." Gone? That meant... he was probably dead? Tears streamed down Sophia's face. A crushing sorrow flooded her chest. Her husband had done everything to get rid of her. Yet a man she barely knew, Dr. Bennett, had risked everything to save her—and in the end, gave his life too... What had she done so wrong to deserve this? And what did Dr. Bennett do to deserve that ending? Cold clarity washed over her. Sophia took the repaired phone the doctor handed her. Among the flood of missed calls and messages, one stood out like a burning flare: Want your kid back? Be at the abandoned factory outside the city by 5 p.m. Alone. Or he ends up a corpse. Her baby! Sophia ripped out every tube and wire connected to her, jumped out of bed, and ran. Nothing else mattered now.