Chapter 5

　　QUINN

　　The gates of the Finn estates closed behind me heavily for the last time.

　　I kept walking away. One step, then another. But my mind remained trapped inside that living room with Jasper's voice still cutting through me.

　　"Get rid of it."

　　The words echoed endlessly through my skull.

　　There had been no hesitation in his voice. No shock or emotion.

　　Yet he was willing to protect Seraphina's baby as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

　　I smiled through clenched teeth. The more I tried to push the thoughts away, the more they haunted me.

　　A sudden wave of dizziness slammed into me. I stumbled forward, and my sight was suddenly blurry.

　　I pressed a hand against my forehead, trying to steady myself, but the ground beneath me tilted harder. The darkness crept slowly into the edges of my sight.

　　And just before I collapsed, a familiar voice reached me.

　　"The Queen."

　　No one had called me that name in years.

　　Strong arms caught me before my knees hit the ground.

　　"...still reckless," the deep voice murmured near my ear.

　　Warmth surrounded me. My vision swam badly, but I still recognized the sharp features above me.

　　I relaxed against him unconsciously.

　　"Morrison…"

　　Our chemistry at that moment felt dangerous, because after all these years, I still recognized him immediately. Even while broken and half-conscious.

　　"So you still remember me," he said softly.

　　The darkness swallowed me before I could answer.

　　When I woke up again, everything had that familiar smell. Hospital. The same place doctors spent three years telling me to "keep trying".

　　The soft rhythmic beeping nearby snapped me.

　　The memories of all that has been happening in the past days hit me again. I was being held together by sheer force of will.

　　My hand moved immediately toward my abdomen beneath the blanket. The baby was still there. Safe.

　　"You are awake."

　　I froze. That voice wasn't Morrison's. I turned slowly. Jasper stood near the window with one hand in his pocket, his expression unreadable beneath the pale hospital light.

　　For a second, confusion hit me. Then reality settled back heavily into place.

　　"What are you doing here?" I asked quietly.

　　His gaze shifted toward me fully. "You collapsed."

　　"That doesn't answer my question."

　　My emotions against him were shut completely.

　　"The hospital contacted me," he said finally. "Your emergency information still lists me."

　　I almost laughed. Of course it did. Even now, traces of him still existed everywhere inside my life.

　　"I'm fine," I said flatly.

　　"You had a fever."

　　"I said I am fine."

　　He planted his feet like he intended to outlast the argument.

　　"You should rest," he said.

　　"You should leave."

　　That finally made him go still. He ran a hand slowly through his hair, a habit he only did when something unsettled him deeply.

　　"So that's it?" he asked quietly. "You are already done with me?"

　　I looked at him without emotion. "You divorced me yesterday."

　　His gaze hardened slightly. "The cooling-off period hasn't ended yet."

　　I took command without raising my voice.

　　"You had them throw me out," I said softly. "Don't act confused because I stayed gone."

　　Something shifted behind his eyes. But before he could respond, the door opened. The doctor walked in holding a chart.

　　"Good," she said gently after seeing me awake. "How are you feeling?"

　　"Fine."

　　"That's not true," Jasper muttered.

　　I ignored him completely. My hand tightened over the blanket.

　　"How is the baby?" I asked.

　　The doctor glanced down at the chart briefly.

　　"The baby is stable," she said reassuringly. "But your stress levels are dangerously high. You need proper rest."

　　I close my eyes briefly in relief. The baby was stable, and nothing mattered more than that.

　　Jasper went completely still.

　　"...Baby?"

　　The doctor glanced awkwardly between us before continuing quickly.

　　"You're approximately five weeks along. Avoid stress as much as possible."

　　The doctor gave a few more instructions before leaving. The moment the door shut behind her, silence swallowed the room completely.

　　Jasper stared at me like he no longer recognized what he was seeing.

　　"You're pregnant."

　　It wasn't a question, just disbelief. I looked away first.

　　"Yes."

　　His breathing changed slightly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

　　That almost made me laugh. Slowly, I turned back toward him.

　　"What would you have done if I had?"

　　His expression tightened instantly. Of course, we both knew the answer.

　　"Get rid of it," I added, reminding him of his words.

　　For the first time, Jasper looked genuinely shaken.

　　"This changes things," he said finally.

　　I rested my hand quietly against my stomach. "No," I corrected, "it changes nothing."

　　His eyes dropped immediately to my hand.

　　"This child belongs to me now," I said softly. "You lost the right to call it yours the moment you told me to kill it."

　　He looked away first this time. Then his gaze sharpened suddenly.

　　"The man from earlier," he said.

　　Jealousy sharpened his tone instantly. I could see it in his eyes, though he masked it with ugly restraint.

　　I almost smiled. "What about him?"

　　"Why was he here?"

　　I studied him quietly for a moment, then looked away.

　　"Does it matter?" I asked.

　　His jaw tightened. "Yes.

　　Before I could respond, the atmosphere inside the room shifted suddenly. The air itself seemed to sharpen.

　　Then the door opened. Morrison Drax stepped inside like he already owned the room.

　　His gaze found me first, like he was confirming I was truly awake. He looked carefully toward Jasper and smiled.

　　"Morrison Drax," Jasper said slowly.

　　Morrison walked further into the room with unhurried confidence. "Mr. Finn," he replied smoothly. "You look tense."

　　Jasper's expression darkened immediately. "What are you doing here?"

　　Morrison ignored the hostility completely. His attention returned to me instead.

　　"You collapsed outside," he said calmly. "I brought you here."

　　"Thank you."

　　Jasper interrupted before I could say a word.

　　"You should leave now," he added coldly.

　　Morrison finally looked back at him fully. "And why would I do that?"

　　Nobody responded. The room hummed with unspoken tension.

　　"From what I've seen tonight," Morrison said calmly, "you have a habit of throwing away things other men would kill to keep."

　　Jasper's expression hardened instantly. "She's no longer my responsibility."

　　"Is that so?" Morrison asked softly.

　　Jasper held his stare; neither man looked away. The tension between them felt like something old, personal and dangerous.

　　Morrison glanced toward me once more. And this time, when he spoke, his voice carried something terrifyingly certain beneath the calm.

　　"Then I suppose," he said quietly, "you won't mind if I take over."

　　Silence swallowed the room whole. And for the first time since serving me those divorce papers—

　　Jasper Finn looked afraid of losing me.