After that, I canceled the joint account I shared with Dominic.
The confirmation message came through almost instantly.
A short while later, my phone vibrated.
A message from him.
[Just one symbol?]
I stared at the screen.
And didn't respond.
Minutes passed.
Then, from outside my door, I heard the sound of footsteps.
Familiar.
Steady.
The enforcer posted in the hallway shifted aside without a word. The door opened.
"Pack up," Dominic said. "We're going to the clinic."
I lowered my eyes and stood quietly, saying nothing as I followed him.
From behind him, Celeste stepped forward.
Her smile was sweet.
Too sweet.
Sickening. It appeared half a beat too quickly, then softened into something rehearsed.
"Serafina," she said softly, her voice laced with false concern, "it must've been so hard for you, giving so much blood for the baby."
She tilted her head slightly, her expression gentle.
"But if the tests don't yield results… we might need your help again."
Her gaze lingered on me, something sharp flickering beneath the softness.
"You're not going to die anyway," she continued lightly. "Serafina, maybe you could even lie on the operating table and let us deconstruct you."
Her smile widened just a fraction.