He grabbed the bag, tugging it hard enough to rip the strap. The sound of tearing leather echoed through the room, and Oscar shot me a look of pure disdain.
“See what you’ve done? Now it’s ruined. Don’t expect me to replace it.”
I stumbled backward, the sharp corner of the table catching my head. Pain exploded in my skull as blood trickled down my face. My vision blurred, and my body trembled as I tried to steady myself.
Oscar’s bravado crumbled in an instant. Panic overtook him as he scooped me up in his arms and rushed out the door, running all the way to the hospital.
“Baby, don’t scare me. Be careful … for the child’s sake,” he pleaded, his voice shaking.
I let out a bitter laugh, my lips trembling.
“Oscar... there is no child. It’s gone. And it’s all your fault.”
His steps faltered, and I felt his body tense beneath me. His face turned ghostly pale as my words sank in.
“The child... is gone?” he whispered, his voice barely audible.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Tears streamed down my face as I stared up at him and responded, “You didn’t care enough to notice. You were too busy running errands for Madeline to realize I was suffering.”