The Last Rope

After a fire broke out at the company, I shoved the only rescue rope into the hands of my husband, Peyton Shepherd. However, he yanked the smoke mask off my face and turned to secure it on his secretary, Hannah Russell, instead.

Peyton escaped using the rescue rope, and Hannah remained unharmed thanks to the mask.

I collapsed from inhaling toxic smoke, and then a falling pillar crashed into my stomach. Blood pooled beneath me.

Just as the firefighters lifted me onto a stretcher, Peyton grabbed me and pulled me back down.

"Serena, it's just a minor injury. Why are you lying on the stretcher? Let Hannah go to the hospital first. Her condition is serious, and she needs a comprehensive medical exam!"

The firefighters and paramedics stared in shock. They looked at my blood-soaked dress, then Hannah crying pitifully over her blistered hand.

My colleagues tried to intervene. "But Mr. Shepherd, Serena's injuries are clearly more severe!"

Peyton snarled through gritted teeth. "Enough! I'm Serena's husband. Don't you think I know her condition? If Hannah's treatment gets delayed because of this, none of you will escape the consequences!"

I pressed my hand against my slightly swollen lower abdomen and nodded, agreeing to let Hannah take the ambulance first.

I decided that from this moment forward, neither I nor my unborn child owed Peyton anything.

After I gave in, Peyton Shepherd let out a knowing, cold snort.

"Serena, I knew you were just playing the victim! Same old tricks to get my attention. It's disgusting!"

He lifted his foot and kicked me hard in the stomach, trying to shove me away from the stretcher so that his secretary, Hannah Russell, could lie down on it.

I had just been crushed by a falling pillar, and now, I was experiencing that crushing pain all over again. The agony left me speechless. My body spasmed reflexively, and I curled into a trembling ball.

When no scream came from me, Peyton turned his back and sneered, "One kick was enough to make you shut up? You're truly pathetic!"

I felt blood flowing continuously from inside my body. Despair tearing at my heart.

My unborn child had already become nothing more than a stain beneath me. Meanwhile, the child's father was carefully and tenderly helping his secretary onto the stretcher.

"Hannah, be careful. Don't hurt yourself again."

Hannah sobbed uncontrollably, holding up her burned index finger like a wounded animal.

"Mr. Shepherd, I think my finger is going to fall off. I'm so scared! If I lose my finger and become disabled, will you stop caring about me?"

Peyton looked at her with heartache in his eyes, pursing his lips as he kept blowing air on her blistered finger. "I'll blow on it for you. There, it won't hurt now. Silly girl, how could I ever stop caring about you? Don't worry, I'll get the best burn specialist in the country to examine you right away. I won't let a single scar touch those