Page 87 of Wicked Arrangement

“You should be able to trust me!”

“You don’t trust me!” she declares, and I see a small spark of the woman I knew coming through.

“Why should I when you’ve been lying to me?”

“I’m not lying…” she says unconvincingly.

“But you’re hiding things,” I state, she doesn’t disagree. “When were you going to tell me about the baby?” I ask, finally unable to stop myself from asking the one thing that’s been bothering me most.

Kim looks surprised and her hand instinctively flies to her stomach. It’s all the evidence I need that Innokentiy was right, she is pregnant.

“How did you know? Did Marta tell you?” she says, her expression guilty and remorseful.

“Marta knew?” I can’t hide my surprise and disappointment that Kim told Marta before me.

Kim nods, “She figured it out… that day. I swear I wanted to tell you but then we were taken.”

“If you’d told me I could have protected you! I would never have let you go out alone. Marta would still be alive!” I shout, the frustration and anger I feel toward myself combining with the hurt that Kim didn’t trust me enough to tell me something so important.

“You don’t think I know that? That I don’t blame myself? That I don’t feel terrible for what happened? You have no idea what I went through, how many days I spent frightened and alone, afraid I would die, that I would lose our baby, that I would never see you again. I went through hell and the only thing that got me through it was the hope of seeing you again and that I had to survive, to do whatever it took to protect our child!” she shouts, distressed.

“Don’t try to manipulate me with your pregnancy,” I snap back, feeling distrustful and confused. “Hell, for all I know right now you’ve made it up to gain my trust or sympathy,” I snarl, jumping out of my seat and prowling over toward her, my jaw and fists clenched.

Immediately it’s like a switch goes off in Kim and she cowers clearly terrified of me. She curls into a ball, clutching her stomach protectively. The move is so instinctive, it’s clear she’s been doing it a lot lately and my heart breaks for her, all of the fight goes out of me. Whatever her reasons for lying, she still has been through hell, that much she can’t fake.

“It’s okay, I won’t hurt you, ever,” I say softly, meaning every word. Even if she has betrayed me, I couldn’t harm her.

But she’s too deeply in the midst of a panic attack to hear me. Then, suddenly, she moans out in pain, the panic still clear in her eyes but now very much real. A dark red stain begins to appear between her legs and we both look at it terrified of what it means.

This can’t be happening.

“Yaroslav, I think something’s wrong with the baby!” she gasps before passing out.

Chapter 46

Yaroslav

Ipace the hospital corridor, feeling helpless and desperate. Kim was rushed in to be examined with fears she was losing the baby. Since we arrived, I’ve been left without information, only told that they’re doing everything they can. No amount of threats or bribes can do the impossible. Either they will make it, or they won’t.

Just as I feel as though I might go mad, the tired-looking doctor finally appears. Her face is neutral, and I try to suppress the panic I feel, does that mean she’s bringing good news or bad news?

“How is she? How is the baby?” I ask frantically.

“Mother and baby are both stable,” she says, and I breathe a sigh of relief. “But they’re not out of the woods yet. Miss Walsh has been through quite the ordeal, she is severely malnourished and exhausted. She should never have been discharged so soon from the hospital she was admitted to before,” she says chidingly, giving me a meaningful look before continuing. “It’s a miracle she didn’t lose the baby, you’ve got quite the little fighter. But that doesn’t mean the risk of miscarriage is over. I want to monitor her closely and keep her in for a couple of days, and she will have to be very careful throughout the pregnancy with frequent checkups,” she warns.

“Of course,” I reply willing to agree to anything at this point as long as it saves her. “Can I see her?”

She nods, “Yes, but not for too long, and you mustn’t distress her, she needs rest,” she says forcefully.

“I promise,” I reply, eager to see her.

In the hospital bed, Kim appears even more fragile than before. She looks up at me and I cannot believe that there is still love in her eyes after what I put her through. I pushed her too hard, and we almost lost the most important thing. I think back to the haunted expression in Marta’s eyes as she told me of her miscarriages and vow to do everything in my power to make sure this baby survives. To give them the best childhood I can possibly provide and be the best man and father I can be.

“Kim, I’m so sorry,” I say, my voice thick with emotion as I cautiously approach her bedside.

“We almost lost him,” she says softly, her voice filled with fear, sadness, and relief.

Without thinking, I go to her, taking her hand in mine and stroking it gently. She doesn’t stop me, and that in itself is a miracle.

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