"Seraphina, what kind of nonsense are you spouting now?" William stepped forward, reaching for my wrist. "Stop embarrassing yourself and come home with me. Don't force me to lose my temper in front of strangers."
I stepped back, out of his reach.
"Don't touch me. You disgust me."
His hand froze in midair. Something flickered in his eyes, a flash of shock, quickly swallowed by anger.
"Fine, Seraphina. You've got nerve. Walk out that door today, and I'll cancel every single supplementary credit card under your name. Let's see how long a pregnant woman with a belly that big survives without the Stephens family behind her."
Behind him, Alma Harding's lips curled into a smug little smile.
I didn't spare either of them another glance. I pulled my coat tight around myself, pushed open the door, and stepped into the cold draft of the corridor.
I took out my phone and dialed a number I hadn't called in five years.
It rang once. Just once.
A low, rough voice answered on the other end, tight with restraint.
"Quinn. Come get me," I said quietly.
"Miss Ashford." His voice caught, almost imperceptibly. "You're finally letting me bring you home."
The wind outside the hospital was brutal.