orraine stepped forward quickly and pushed the stool aside with her foot.
The sudden movement startled me, and as I tried to regain my balance, her hands pressed against my shoulders with more force than I expected.
The impact against the edge of the counter sent a sharp jolt through my lower back.
A burning wave of pain spread across my abdomen.
For a moment I could not breathe.
Then I felt warmth spreading downward and realized something was terribly wrong.
“My baby…” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
The Moment Everything Changed
When Colin rushed into the kitchen moments later, his expression was not one of concern but of irritation, as though he had been interrupted during an important conversation.
He looked at the floor, where a dark stain had begun to spread across the white tile.
“Marissa, what happened?” he asked sharply.
I clutched my abdomen, struggling to remain conscious as the pain intensified.
“Please,” I managed to say, “call 911.”
Instead of reaching for his phone, Colin grabbed mine from the counter.
“No,” he replied quickly. “An ambulance showing up here will start rumors in the neighborhood.”
He tossed my phone onto the far end of the counter.
“I just became partner last month,” he added under his breath. “I’m not going to have police cars outside my house because of a misunderstanding.”
My vision blurred as another wave of pain passed through my body.
I reached weakly toward the phone again, but Colin picked it up before I could.
He leaned down close enough that I could see the irritation in his eyes.
“Listen carefully,” he said quietly. “I’m a lawyer. Situations like this become co
