Chapter 521 Maternal-Fetal Conflict: The Ultimate Decision
As soon as Marlowe finished speaking, Dwayne's face instantly contorted with rage.
A loud crash echoed through the room.
Dwayne swept several beer bottles off the table with his foot, sending them shattering to the floor.
She flinched, shrinking back in fear.
The private room now reeked of spilled alcohol mixed with the acrid smell of cigarette smoke.
The combination of smoke and alcohol irritated Marlowe's nose, making her uncomfortable.
She didn't want to stay there a moment longer.
"You bitch, it's your privilege that I'm interested in you!" Dwayne shouted, his square face twisted with anger as he glared at Marlowe. "No one in this town has ever dared to refuse me like this."
"That's right, it's your lucky day that Dwayne has taken an interest in you," Marshall chimed in from the side.
Though frightened, Marlowe couldn't help but mentally roll her eyes.
Were these people mentally ill?
"We barely know each other. Save this 'privilege' for someone else," Marlowe said. "I'm already married, and I have no intention of betraying my marriage."
She couldn't understand how people like this existed.
How could they say such disgusting and immoral things?
Marshall continued, "Just get divorced! If you're with our Dwayne, your whole family can live the good life. You can walk around this town like you own it."
Marlowe fell silent, utterly speechless.
They were truly deranged.
Even Grant, a genuinely exceptional man who was infinitely better than the person before her, she was planning to leave. Why would she ever choose this man?
It was laughable.
But from what he said, she realized something important—this person likely had considerable power and influence in Stardust Valley.
Still, she was puzzled. She had just returned to town and didn't know these people at all. Why had they targeted her?
Moreover, these people didn't know Grant, so they couldn't possibly be his enemies.
So why would they target a pregnant woman like her?
As she calmed down, something felt very wrong about the situation.
Dwayne noticed Marlowe's silence and the flash of disgust and contempt that crossed her face.
This immediately enraged him.
"Marshall, all of you get out. I want to have some fun with Ms. Rivera. Don't come back in no matter what you hear, unless I say so."
Dwayne commanded, and his subordinates immediately nodded and left.
Marlowe was momentarily startled—so they did know who she was.
"You know me?" Marlowe narrowed her eyes as she watched Dwayne stand up.
Dwayne smiled lewdly. "Blame your father, that bastard."
Marlowe frowned. Why bring her father into this?
She knew her father well—he would never associate with thugs like these.
"Explain yourself."
"Two weeks ago, your father got me locked up in the police station for half a month."
Dwayne spoke as he moved toward her.
Marlowe was shocked, but she believed her father must have had good reason.
For every step he took toward her, Marlowe moved away.
"Your father ruined my plans last time, so now I'll have to use you as compensation." Dwayne's smile was disgustingly lecherous.
He rubbed his hands together and reached for Marlowe's arm, but she skillfully dodged while protecting her belly.
He grabbed at empty air, momentarily frustrated, but then smiled eerily again.
A chill ran down Marlowe's spine. She wasn't afraid for herself, but she wasn't alone—she had her baby to protect. She couldn't let anything happen to her child.
Dwayne said, "Ms. Rivera, don't bother trying to escape. No one can save you once you're in here. Be a good girl, and I might be gentle with you."
Marlowe maintained her cold expression, ignoring his words.
"Do you realize what you're doing is illegal?" Marlowe was trying to stall for time, hoping Grant would notice she was missing.
Her only hope now rested with him.
"Illegal?" He snorted. "If I were afraid of the law, I wouldn't have brought you here."
Then, with a sly grin, he added, "I was detained for half a month just for show, to silence people. But that doesn't mean I'll let what your father did slide."
Marlowe understood—he had connections within the police department.
Meanwhile, Grant and Elliot arrived at the bar Kevin had mentioned.
It was midday, and the bar had few customers.
When a server saw several men suddenly enter, they were about to say "We're not open yet," but stopped short upon seeing two distinguished-looking men leading the group.
The two men had powerful presences, with dark expressions that created an intense feeling of intimidation.
Behind them followed several bodyguards in black suits.
Each one looked menacing.
"Can... can I help you?" the server swallowed nervously.
"Where is Dwayne?" Grant asked coldly, his voice deep and cutting, making people shiver just hearing it.
When the server heard they were looking for Dwayne, they were about to shake their head and deny knowing him.
But Grant's gaze was like that of a predatory leopard about to strike, sending chills down the server's spine.
Dwayne had instructed that no matter who came looking for him today, they should say he wasn't there.
"Mr. Larson..."
Before the server could finish, Grant coldly called out a name, "Kevin."
Kevin immediately understood. He signaled to the bodyguards behind him, and the group headed upstairs to the private rooms.
They began checking each room one by one.
Though the main floor had few customers, Dwayne's bar wasn't just a bar—the upstairs private rooms had clients too.
Soon, the entire second floor echoed with the sounds of doors being violently kicked open and screams.
The servers and security staff couldn't stop them.
Grant and Elliot also headed to the second floor.
Their intimidating presence kept everyone at bay.
At that moment, Dwayne's men heard the commotion and rushed over.
Grant, who had seen the video, immediately recognized one of the men whose blurry face had briefly appeared in Marlowe's recording. He didn't know the man, but he recognized the clothes.
Before Marshall, with his sharp mouth and hollow cheeks, could speak, he was grabbed by the throat and slammed against a nearby wall.
The impact nearly shattered his bones.
The others stood frozen in shock.
"Where is the pregnant woman you brought here?" Grant's deep eyes contained a terrifying coldness, and his entire being radiated a menacing aura that kept people at bay.
Marshall, being choked, couldn't breathe.
He tried to struggle but couldn't move. He could only claw at Grant's hand, but Grant's grip grew tighter.
Elliot saw the murderous intent in Grant's eyes and placed a hand on his shoulder, applying slight pressure to stop him. He said quietly, "Don't kill him. Finding Marlowe is more urgent."
The others were terrified.
Hearing this, Grant released Marshall.
Marshall collapsed to the floor, gasping and coughing violently from oxygen deprivation.
Elliot gave them all a cold look. "Tell us where the woman you brought here is. If even a single hair on her head is harmed, this place will be razed to the ground, and none of you will escape."
The two men's presence was so intimidating that one of the more timid men pointed toward the private room at the end of the hallway.
Without hesitation, they ran toward it.
When they reached the door, they found it locked from the inside.
Then they heard a scream from within.
It was Marlowe's voice.
The door was kicked open from outside.
When Grant entered, he saw Marlowe lying on the floor with Dwayne standing over her, his back to the door.
Dwayne had grabbed Marlowe, but she had managed to hit him on the head with an ashtray.
"You bitch, how dare you hit me!" He had pushed Marlowe to the ground and was about to kick her when suddenly he was sent flying across the room.
Before Marlowe could see who it was, she was gathered into familiar arms.
It was Grant.
"It's okay now, you're safe," Grant held her, feeling her trembling with fear.
Before Dwayne could see who had kicked him, his back was violently kicked again.
This kick came from Elliot.
Marlowe's whole body was shaking. She clutched Grant's wrist and said through gritted teeth, "My... my stomach hurts."
Hearing this, Grant looked down at her lower body and saw a red stain spreading.
For the first time, he felt panic.
Elliot heard it too.
Grant immediately lifted her up and ran toward the door.
Kevin had just reached the doorway and nearly collided with them.
"Mr. Scott..."
"Hospital! Now!"
Kevin saw blood running down Marlowe's legs and his heart sank.
He quickly followed them.
Elliot had intended to follow as well, but he knew that with Grant there, Marlowe would be taken care of.
Cillian appeared at the doorway and looked at Elliot in the private room. "Mr. Sullivan, how should we handle them?"
At that moment, Elliot had none of his usual gentleness—only an aura like that of a devil from hell.
Earlier he had advised Grant to show restraint, but now he had no desire to be merciful.
Elliot said coldly, "I said before, if she loses even a single hair, this place will be razed to the ground."
Cillian shuddered. "Yes, I understand."
The nearest hospital was in town; going to the city would take several hours.
Fortunately, Grant had prepared for emergencies.
"Call them. Tell them to be ready," Grant ordered coldly once they were in the car.
No one noticed the tremor in his voice as he spoke.
Marlowe was cradled carefully in his arms—he didn't dare hold her too tightly, but he couldn't let go either.
Marlowe felt waves of pain in her abdomen. She was sweating from the pain, but her fear overshadowed the physical discomfort.
"Grant... save our baby... please." She could only speak in broken sentences through the pain.
She actually wanted to say that if a choice had to be made between saving her or saving the baby, she wanted him to choose the baby.
But her mind was in chaos, and she couldn't articulate her thoughts.
"Both you and the baby will be fine, I promise." Grant understood what she was trying to say.
At the hospital, Marlowe was immediately rushed into surgery.
Shortly after, Elliot brought Finnegan and Katerina.
He hadn't initially planned to tell them, but they had called, and he couldn't hide the truth.
Fortunately, Grant had been concerned about Marlowe, so when she decided to stay in town, he had arranged for a medical team to be on standby.
He had prepared for any emergency.
When Katerina saw the blood staining Grant's clothes, before she could ask anything, her legs gave way beneath her.
"What did the doctors say?" Finnegan asked Grant anxiously, his face filled with concern.
Grant stood there as if his soul had left his body, blood still staining his clothes.
Hearing Finnegan's voice brought him back to reality.
The doctors hadn't said anything yet, as Marlowe had been taken straight to surgery upon arrival.
Just then, the door opened.
A doctor came out.
Looking at Grant, he said, "Mr. Scott, Mrs. Scott appears to have suffered an impact before falling. She's hemorrhaging severely. We might only be able to save either the mother or the child, though we'll try our best to save both. But we need to prepare for the worst."
Grant felt his entire body go cold. Without hesitation, he said, "If a choice must be made, save her!"
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