55

“What do you mean? Are you going to hurt my baby?” she looked at him in panic.

He gave her that look he used to intimidate his enemies. He walked towards her with firm steps, placed one hand on her belly, and felt her shudder.

Then he smiled in an almost diabolical way, knowing he was achieving his goal.

A tear fell onto his hand, and he looked at her, somewhat surprised. The poor girl was trembling like a leaf, and her fear was evident. He wished he could stop this, but it was the only way to get her back to his side.

“The pregnancy is quite advanced; it would be a crime to terminate it. But if you don't come back, I swear I will use all my power to take that child from your arms as soon as it's born, and I'll make sure you never see them again,” he said mercilessly, looking at her coldly.

She shivered and hugged herself to keep from collapsing.

“You... you can't... do that,” she stammered.

“Test me and see. Any judge would give me custody,” he said confidently. “I always get what I want, Suzanne.”

“No…”

“Make the right decision, and remember one thing: as an enemy, I am ruthless,” he said seriously.

Sobs echoed throughout the room, and Nathan wished with all his heart to hold her in his arms and end this damned game that was tearing them both apart.

But he couldn't do that; only this way would he be able to get her back, even though it hurt him to see the condition she was in.

She looked at him with tears in her eyes and immense pain. He was breaking her again.

A knock on the door alerted them both, and Suzanne looked toward it with renewed hope.

“Suzanne! Are you okay?” That was Mark’s voice. “Suzanne?”

Nathan ordered her to stay silent and then gestured for her to open the door and tell him she was fine, whispering that she should say she had agreed to talk to him alone.

“I-I’m fine, I’m coming…” she said weakly, clearing her throat to recover. “I’m coming to open the door.”

“Whose jacket is that in the living room?” was the first thing her cousin asked, noticing Nathan standing behind her. “And you are…? No way!”

“Mark…”

“IT’S YOU, YOU BASTARD?” He pushed Suzanne aside, approaching the businessman with a furious look. “How dare you come to my uncle’s house, scum? Do you want me to break your face?”

“Mark!”

“I’m not going to let you come back to torment her. She’s had to put up with enough of your shit!” The young man was beside himself, but Nathan looked at him seriously, unperturbed.

“I’m not leaving here without Suzanne,” he declared seriously, clenching his fists at his sides.

“You lost that damn right when you threatened her child, you animal,” he spat in his face. “Get out now or I’ll call the police! Do you think she’s alone?”

Nathan couldn’t take it anymore and punched the young man, causing him to step back, holding his chin.

He had finally lost his patience.

Mark didn’t hold back either; he punched Nathan in the nose, causing it to bleed profusely, and then the blows came more frequently, making Suzanne scream, begging them to stop.

"Please... please..." she whispered, her eyes filled with tears.

She wanted to be strong, but she was losing the will and strength; she couldn't stand seeing her family in such conflict.

Suddenly, she sat down on the bed, knowing she couldn't keep standing.

"Suzanne!"

"Suzie..."

"Get away from her, you bastard!" Mark shouted, pushing Nathan.

"Please stop, just stop..." she felt the whole room spinning, and their faces started to blur.

"Honey, are you okay?" she heard a voice full of concern. "Love..."

"See what you're doing to her?" Mark reproached, seeing Suzanne close her eyes and let out a moan. "You're nothing but a curse for her."

"I'm her husband!" Nathan exclaimed, losing his patience again.

"What?!"

Both men turned towards the door, seeing Mr. Gabriel standing in the doorway with a shocked expression.

"Uncle..."

"Mr. Reynolds..." they both spoke at the same time.

"What is all this about?" he frowned, looking at his daughter on the bed. "What's wrong with Suzanne?"

He approached her worriedly, touching her forehead and taking her pulse.

"My dear, are you okay?" he brushed some strands from her forehead, and she murmured.

"I-I'm fine, I just have a headache," she said weakly.
“Are you going to tell me what happened?” said the middle-aged man, looking alternately at his nephew and the man in the suit.

“Aren’t you going to tell him, ‘model husband’?” Mark spat, glaring at Nathan. “Tell my uncle the truth and have some guts for once in your damn life.”

“Shut your mouth,” Nathan hissed through gritted teeth.

“Well?” the man insisted.

Nathan stepped forward and sighed, despite his battered face and bleeding nose.

“Can we talk in the living room?” he complained. “I need some ice.”

“You need a beating,” Mark muttered.

“Enough, all of you,” Suzanne said, opening her eyes slowly. “Let’s go to the living room, Dad, I’ll explain everything.”

It wasn’t hard for Mr. Reynolds to understand what was going on. With Nathan’s confession and Suzanne’s condition, he realized they were in a delicate situation, given the businessman’s power.

“So it was his money that paid for the treatment?” he shook his head in disbelief. “Why didn’t you tell me, Suzanne?”

“Out of shame,” she muttered, lowering her gaze. “I didn’t want you to be disappointed in me.”

“Disappointed?” he frowned. “I don’t think I could ever feel that way about you, not after what you went through, my dear.”

She looked at him with tears in her eyes and ran to hug him. He let her, kissing her forehead tenderly.

“I’m sorry for hiding it from you,” she whispered in a broken voice. “Because of me, we’re in this situation.”

“Thanks to you, I’m alive, Suzanne,” he said, stroking her hair. “I understand your desperation and using any means to save me, it touches me… but that doesn’t explain the situation now.”

Suzanne stiffened and swallowed hard, not knowing what to say or do.

Her head was spinning, and she felt she couldn’t bear being near Nathan Strong again, not after all the pain he had caused her.