Chapter 8
The sound of the impact silenced the lobby.
Seraphina lay curled on the cold marble. Her hat had fallen off, revealing her pale face. Her eyes were squeezed shut. Her hands were clutched tightly around her abdomen.
Zoe burst out of the stairwell door. She saw Seraphina on the floor.
Sera! Zoe screamed.
She ran, shoving reporters aside. She slid to her knees beside her friend.
Julian pulled his leg free from Harper's grip. He stood up, staring at Seraphina. He took a step forward.
Is she... is she okay? he stammered.
Seraphina let out a whimper. It was a sound of pure agony.
Then, Julian saw it.
A dark stain was spreading across the light gray fabric of Seraphina's jeans. It was growing fast. Crimson. Thick.
Blood.
It pooled on the white marble floor, bright and terrifying.
Julian felt like he had been punched in the gut. He couldn't breathe.
Zoe looked at the blood. Her face went gray.
Gurney! Now! Zoe screamed at the hospital staff. Code Blue! Internal Hemorrhage!
The words hit Julian like a hammer.
Hemorrhage?
He stumbled forward. He grabbed Zoe's shoulder. What did you say? Why is she bleeding like that? Is it her stomach?
Zoe slapped his hand away. She stood up, her white coat stained with Seraphina's blood. She looked at him with pure hatred.
"Get away from her!" Zoe yelled. "You did this! Look at what you did!"
She didn't say it. She didn't say "baby." She didn't say "pregnant." She just looked at the blood and then at Julian with eyes full of accusation.
Julian's knees gave out. He grabbed the reception desk to hold himself up.
He looked at Seraphina. She was semi-conscious. Her lips were moving.
He leaned down, desperate to hear her. To tell her he didn't mean to push her.
Save him... she whispered. Her voice was a broken rasp. Don't let Julian near... he'll kill him...
Julian recoiled as if she had spit in his face. Him? Who was him? Was she delirious? Did she think he was a murderer?
Paramedics swarmed them. They lifted Seraphina onto a stretcher. The movement caused more blood to flow.
Harper watched from the floor. She saw the blood. A flicker of triumph crossed her face, quickly replaced by a mask of horror.
Oh god, Harper sobbed. I didn't know...
Julian turned slowly to look at Harper. For the first time, he didn't see a victim. He saw the person who had held him back.
But he didn't speak. He turned and ran after the stretcher.
The elevator doors were closing. Zoe stood in the gap.
Don't you dare, Zoe hissed. You stay with your fake. You don't deserve to be here.
The doors slid shut.
Julian stood alone in the lobby. The blood was still on the floor. He looked at his hands. There was blood on his fingertips from where he had tried to touch Seraphina.
A camera flashed.
Julian turned on the photographer. He grabbed the camera and smashed it onto the floor.
Get out! he screamed. All of you!
He collapsed against the wall, sliding down until he was sitting on the floor, his head in his bloody hands.
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