Chapter 5
Lena’s POV
“Who gave you the right to talk to me like that?” she snapped. “I’m the future Donna.”
Her eyes swept over me with contempt. “And you? You’re nothing but a joke.”
I reacted quickly, grabbing for the glass to throw the water back at her. But before I could move, two guards stepped forward and caught my wrist.
I turned sharply. They were Caleb’s men.
“Are you two insane?” I demanded. “I’m your Donna. Let go of me, or I’ll call Caleb right now.”
One of them didn’t even flinch.
“Sorry,” he said stiffly. “The Don specifically ordered us to protect Miss Ruby’s safety. No one is an exception.”
He paused, then added quietly, “Even…”
He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t need to.
Even me—the Donna everyone now seemed to know was nothing but a lie—forced to stand there while my husband’s mistress humiliated me, while the men who once swore to protect me held me in place.
“Let go of me,” I said coldly. “I won’t repeat myself.”
Neither of them moved.
Ruby suddenly laughed. “You still don’t understand, do you?” she said lightly. “You might have the title, Lena, but I have everything else. It’s time you wake up.”
I sneered at her. “I only came today to tell you to your face—if you want Caleb, then take him. I’m not interested in competing with you over some lying, pathetic man who can’t even stay faithful to his own words—”
Before I could finish, Ruby’s hand struck my face. The slap echoed sharply across the room.
“Don’t you dare talk about Caleb like that,” she snapped.
“Miss Ruby!” The guards released me at once, and I collapsed to the ground.
“Oh, please,” Ruby waved it off. “It’s just a slap. It’s not like I could slap the baby out of her.”
Her eyes flicked toward the guards. “Caleb won’t know anything if the two of you keep your mouths shut.”
I wanted to stand, but next second, a sharp tearing pain twisted through my belly.
Something warm ran down my thigh.
Ruby glanced at me and rolled her eyes.
“Oh, quit playing the delicate little skank.” she said with a sneer. “I called you here today to remind you not to forget what I told you the other day. You’ve occupied the Donna seat long enough. It’s time for you to leave.”
She turned and walked away.
The two guards hesitated for a brief second, looking at me, then they followed her.
I was still on the ground, too afraid to move. Cold sweat gathered on my forehead as my vision began to blur.
No…This couldn’t be happening again.
Was it the stress? Had everything finally pushed my body too far?
Someone passing by noticed my condition and rushed over. “Miss, do you need an ambulance?” they asked urgently.
I was too weak to speak. All I could do was nod.
…
The ambulance arrived quickly. They wheeled me inside, and the moment I saw the nurses surrounding me, a small part of my heart finally settled.
I gestured weakly for my phone.
One of the nurses leaned closer, and I whispered, “Call Caleb… my husband.”
She nodded and dialed the number.
The call rang once. Then it was hung up.
She tried again. Caleb hung up a second time.
The nurse looked back at me awkwardly.
I drew in a shaky breath, took the phone from her hand, and dialed another number.
“Avery…” My voice came out faint. “Can you come to Madison Avenue Hospital? My stomach… it hurts. I’m scared…”
Another wave of pain crashed through me, sharp and brutal, like something tearing through my waist.
“Don’t worry,” Avery said immediately. “I’ve got you. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
Hearing her voice was enough to make me relax slightly.
But the moment the call ended, another wave of pain struck, then another.
My vision began to blur as my consciousness slowly slipped away.
The nurses moved quickly around me, fitting an oxygen mask over my face.
“Please…” I whispered weakly. “Please save my baby.”
I couldn’t lose this child too. Not again.
But before I could say anything else, darkness swallowed my mind completely.
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