Chapter 6

　　Sabrina's POV

　　The silence in the car was suffocating.

　　I sat in the passenger seat of Cole's sleek black SUV, my hands still clutching the seatbelt like a lifeline. The leather was soft beneath my fingers, the engine a low, powerful hum that should have been soothing. But my mind was a chaotic storm.

　　Fiancée.

　　My child.

　　Cole's words from the bedroom echoed in my ears, bouncing around my skull until I felt dizzy. I risked a glance at him. His jaw was set tight, a muscle feathering near his ear. His knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel. He was driving fast, weaving through the traffic with a precision that bordered on aggressive.

　　He was angry. He had to be.

　　I had dragged him into my mess. I had humiliated him in front of his best friend. I had burdened him with a child that wasn't planned.

　　The city blurred past the tinted windows—grey concrete, flashing billboards, the relentless pace of a world that didn't care that my life had just imploded.

　　"Pull over," I whispered.

　　He didn't slow down. "We're almost at my place, Sabrina."

　　"Cole, pull over!" My voice cracked, rising in panic. "Please!"

　　The car swerved smoothly to the curb and came to a halt. Before the engine even died, I was unbuckling my seatbelt, desperate for air. The car felt too small, shrinking around me with every breath.

　　"Sabrina, what is—"

　　"You have to take it back," I choked out, turning to face him. The tears I had held back in front of Leon finally spilled over, hot and stinging. "You have to tell them it was a lie. You can't do this, Cole. You can't just... claim me like that."

　　He unbuckled his seatbelt and turned in his seat, his large frame filling the space, making me feel small but strangely safe. "It wasn't a lie."

　　"It is a lie!" I cried. "We aren't engaged. You don't want this. You don't want a divorced, broken woman carrying a baby that might not even—" I couldn't finish the sentence. My hand flew to my stomach instinctively.

　　The fear was a physical weight in my gut. Don't get attached, a cruel voice whispered in my head. It never lasts.

　　Cole reached out, his hand covering mine over my stomach. The heat of his palm seeped through my clothes, grounding me.

　　"Do you think I would joke about a child?" he asked, his voice low and rough. "Do you think I would stand there and let that man destroy you?"

　　"But why?" I whispered, searching his eyes. They were dark, swirling with an emotion I couldn't place. It looked like pain, but that didn't make sense. "Why would you ruin your reputation for me? Everyone will talk. Your family... the board... they'll hate me. I'm damaged goods, Cole."

　　"Let them talk," he said firmly. "Let them hate. I don't care about them, Sabrina. I care about you."

　　He squeezed my hand gently. "Leon isn't done. You know that. He will try to hurt you. He will try to stress you out until you lose this baby, just to prove himself right."

　　A chill ran down my spine because I knew he was right. Leon wouldn't stop until I was completely erased.

　　"I won't let that happen," Cole vowed, his gaze intense. "But I can't protect you if you're just my friend's ex-wife. I need rights, Sabrina. I need the legal standing to keep him away from you and this child."

　　"So... a marriage of convenience?" I asked, my voice trembling.

　　He hesitated for a fraction of a second, his eyes flickering to my lips before snapping back to my eyes. "A marriage of protection. I will give you my name, my home, and my security. You give me the chance to keep you safe. That is the deal."

　　He leaned in closer. "No demands. No expectations. Just safety. Will you accept that?"

　　I stared at him, my heart pounding so hard it hurt. It was a lifeline. It was everything I needed. He was offering me a fortress against the world that had just chewed me up and spit me out.

　　But then I looked at him—really looked at him.

　　Cole Lander. The Billionaire heir. A man with a spotless reputation, a bright future, and a legacy to uphold. A man who deserved a wife who could stand beside him without shame, who could give him a family without fear.

　　And then there was me. Leon's discard. A woman with a history of failure written into her very DNA. A woman who couldn't keep a baby. A woman who had nothing left to give.

　　"I can't," I whispered, pulling my hand away from his warmth as if it burned.

　　Cole's brow furrowed, confusion flashing in his eyes. "Sabrina—"

　　"No, Cole. I can't do that to you." I shook my head, wrapping my arms around myself. "You're acting out of guilt. You feel responsible because of... because of that night. But you're not. I made a choice, and so did you. I won't let you ruin your life just to patch up mine."

　　"This isn't about guilt," he growled, frustration leaking into his voice. "And it isn't about charity. I am offering you a solution."

　　"A solution that destroys you!" I countered, my voice rising. "Do you think your family will accept this? Do you think the Lander Group will be happy when you drag a scandal like me into their midst? I'm tainted, Cole. Leon made sure of that. I won't let his mud splash onto you."

　　"I don't give a damn about the mud!" Cole snapped, hitting the steering wheel with the heel of his hand. "I care about the woman sitting next to me who is shaking like a leaf!"

　　"Well, I do!" I cried. "I care! I care too much to let you be the collateral damage of my disaster."

　　I reached for the door handle, panic rising in my throat again. The car felt too small, too intimate. His offer was too tempting, and I knew if I stayed in this seat for one more minute, my selfishness would win. I would say yes, and I would hate myself for it forever.

　　"Take me to Tara's," I said, staring straight ahead.

　　"Tara's?" Cole repeated, his tone flat. "Sabrina, be reasonable. Tara lives in a downtown apartment complex. It's not secure. Leon knows where she lives."

　　"I don't care," I cut him off. "I need my friend, Cole. I need... I need to be somewhere where I don't feel like I owe someone my life."

　　"You don't owe me anything."

　　"I'd owe you everything!" I turned to him, tears blurring my vision again. "If I marry you, I become your burden. I become the problem you have to fix every day. I can't be that person. Not right now. I just... I need to breathe. Please. If you really want to help me, just drive me to Tara's."

　　Cole stared at me for a long, agonizing moment. I saw the muscle in his jaw twitch as he clenched his teeth. I could see every instinct in his body fighting against my request. He wanted to lock me away in his tower, to stand guard at the gate and dare the world to touch me.

　　But he also saw the terror in my eyes. He saw that I was hanging by a thread, and if he pulled too hard, I would snap.

　　He let out a harsh, resigned breath. "Fine."

　　He put the car back in gear and the rest of the drive was excruciating. The silence wasn't empty anymore, it was heavy with unspoken words and rejected offers. I sat huddled against the door, my hand over my lower abdomen.

　　I'm sorry, I thought to the tiny life inside me. I'm sorry I'm turning down the safety you probably need. But I can't let him save us. Not when the price is his own happiness.

　　*

　　Twenty minutes later, Cole pulled up to the curb of Tara's apartment building. It was an older brick structure. It didn't have gates or security guards, but right now, it looked like freedom.

　　I reached for the door handle, but the lock stayed engaged.

　　I looked at Cole. He wasn't looking at me, he was staring at the dashboard, his expression unreadable.

　　"I'm unlocking it," he said, his voice rough. "But listen to me, Sabrina."

　　He turned, and the intensity in his gaze pinned me to the seat. "I am letting you walk away today because you asked me to. But Leon is dangerous when his ego is bruised. He will come for you."

　　He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a sleek black card, tucking it into my trembling hand. "This is a direct line. No assistants. It rings in my pocket. If he shows up, if he calls, if you so much as feel unsafe—you call me."

　　I looked down at the card, the edges sharp against my palm. "I can't keep relying on you."

　　"You are carrying my child," he said, and the possessiveness in his voice sent a shiver down my spine. "That makes us family. Go. Before I change my mind and drive you to the estate anyway."

　　I scrambled out of the car, the cool air hitting my flushed face. I hurried up the steps to the building entrance, buzzing Tara's number.

　　"Sabrina?" Tara's voice crackled through the intercom. "Oh, my God. I'm glad you're here."

　　I pushed the heavy door open. Just before it swung shut, I glanced over my shoulder. Cole's SUV was still there. He was watching the door, waiting to make sure I was safely inside.

　　I walked into the lobby, the heavy door clicking shut behind me. I let out a breath of relief. I was finally away from the madness. I was finally safe.

　　But as the silence of the hallway settled around me, Cole's words echoed in the back of my mind like a dark prophecy.

　　He will come for you.

　　And for the first time, I wondered if I had just made a terrible mistake.