Shattered Ring: The Secret Surgeon Returns

The sound of the shower stopped. The bathroom door clicked open. Kayson walked out, a white towel wrapped low around his waist. He was aggressively rubbing another towel through his damp hair. He tossed the smaller towel onto a single armchair and looked up. His dark eyes landed precisely on the crumpled divorce agreement clutched in Charlie's hands. There was no flicker of guilt in his gaze. No hesitation. His eyes just narrowed into a cold, calculating slit. He walked past her, his bare feet silent on the rug, and headed straight for the nightstand in the master bedroom. He pulled open the top drawer. He reached deep inside and pulled out a small, unopened cardboard box. He walked back into the living room and tossed the box onto the glass coffee table in front of Charlie. It slid across the smooth surface, hitting the edge of a fruit bowl with a sharp clack. Charlie looked down. The giant, bold letters on the packaging screamed at her: Plan B. Her pupils dilated. It felt like a massive, invisible hand had reached into her chest and squeezed her heart until it was ready to burst. She slowly lifted her head, staring at the man who had just used her body. Kayson stood over her, a towering figure of absolute indifference. "Take it," he commanded. His voice held zero warmth. Charlie bit her swollen lip. Her voice trembled, raw and broken. "And if I don't?" Kayson let out a dark, humorless laugh. He leaned forward, planting both hands flat on the glass table, bringing his face inches from hers. "The prenup is very clear, Charlie," he whispered, his breath fanning her face. "If you try to get pregnant behind my back, I will trigger the most severe legal clauses. You will walk away with absolutely nothing. And you will never, ever see that child." The words were surgical blades, slicing through the last remaining thread of hope she had clinging to her soul. She stopped breathing. The blood in her veins turned to ice. She took a deep breath, forcing the tears back down her throat. The agonizing pain in her chest slowly morphed into a terrifying, hollow numbness. Hot, stinging tears threatened to spill over her lashes, but she viciously forced them back down. She stared at the harsh, unforgiving lines of Kayson's face, and a sudden, desperate clarity washed over her. She would do anything to protect the life inside her. She had to outsmart him. She had to put on the performance of her life. Charlie reached out. Her hand was steady now. She picked up the box of Plan B. She popped the foil backing and tipped the small white pill into her palm. She picked up a glass of water from the table. It was stale and room temperature. Under Kayson's piercing stare, she tossed the pill into her mouth. Instantly, she pushed it with her tongue, wedging it deep into the pocket between her back molar and her inner cheek. She took a large gulp of water and swallowed hard, making sure the muscles in her throat moved visibly. She set the glass down. She opened her mouth, pulling her lips back to show him her empty tongue. "Satisfied?" Kayson stared at her mouth for two long seconds. He straightened up, a look of grim satisfaction settling on his features. He turned his back to her and walked toward the walk-in closet to get dressed. The second he turned his head, Charlie shot up from the sofa. She sprinted to the powder room near the entryway. She slammed the door shut, leaned over the toilet, and spat the white pill into the water. She hit the flush handle. She watched the water swirl, taking the pill down the drain, while her hands gripped the edges of the sink. She was panting, her chest heaving as if she had just run a marathon. Charlie slowly lifted her head and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was pale, her hair a mess, her lips bruised. But her eyes... her eyes were hardening into solid steel. She walked out of the powder room. She went back to the living room, picked up a pen from the table, and flipped to the last page of the divorce agreement. Without a single second of hesitation, she signed her name.