Ronan spun toward me, fury blazing in his eyes. “Aria! Have you lost your mind? You couldn’t even handle something this small? Why would you push her?!”
“I didn’t—”
“I don’t want excuses!” he snapped. “Apologize. Right now.”
I stood rooted to the spot, breath shallow and uneven.
He believes her, I thought numbly. Just like he always does.
But something inside me finally snapped.
“I won’t apologize,” I said quietly. “Not for something I didn’t do.”
One hand instinctively covered my stomach. My voice shook, but I didn’t back down.
I was leaving anyway. I was done begging, done lowering myself.
Shock flickered across his face—he clearly hadn’t expected me to resist.
Before he could bark another order, the enraged customer suddenly lunged forward and shoved me hard.
“You shameless bitch!” she screamed. “With that kind of attitude, no wonder your child will turn out rotten! You won’t even say sorry? Get out of my sight!”
I hit the floor with a sickening thud.
A sharp, tearing pain ripped through my abdomen. My ears rang violently, the world dissolving into white noise. I couldn’t hear anything clearly anymore—only a dull, roaring buzz.