Chapter 1 - The Deadbolt
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"Hand over your ATM card."
Margaret's voice was calm, cold, and entirely devoid of warmth. She wasn't asking for money like a family member in need. She was demanding it like a tax collector seizing property she believed was rightfully hers.
Behind me, Ethan stepped directly in front of the heavy wooden front door. He reached up and slid the deadbolt into place.
Click.
The sound echoed through the high-ceilinged foyer like a trap snapping shut. There was only one exit, and my fiancé was actively blocking it.
I was four months pregnant. My pulse spiked, a sudden rush of adrenaline flooding my chest. One hand instinctively moved to rest over my stomach, protecting my baby.
"Ethan... unlock the door right now," I said, my voice tight.
He folded his arms across his chest, staring at me with cold disappointment.
"We're about to become a family, Lena," he snapped. "Stop being so damn selfish."
Selfish.
The word burned in my throat. I almost laughed out loud at the absolute absurdity of it. Over the past six months, I had already spent more than eighty thousand dollars funding our upcoming wedding out of my personal savings. The luxury venue, the floral arrangements, the photographer, the band, the caterers—I had paid for every single deposit while Ethan made vague promises about "reimbursing me when his software company closed its next round."
His struggling tech company hadn't made a single cent of profit in three years. Every time his payroll bounced or his rent was overdue, I quietly rescued him because I believed love meant supporting your partner through hard times.
Apparently, to his mother, it meant financing their entire lifestyle indefinitely.
"I've paid enough," I said, taking a small step back. "We don't need imported orchids or a celebrity chef. We can scale the wedding back."
Margaret stepped closer until I could smell the faint scent of red wine on her breath.
"You have plenty of money in your accounts, Lena," she whispered sneeringly. "So give me the card."
"No."
Margaret’s fake smile vanished. Without warning, her hands slammed into my chest, shoving me backward with surprising force.
My back crashed hard against the foyer wall. Pain shot through my shoulder blades. Both of my hands immediately flew to shield my stomach before my brain could even process what was happening.
My baby. That was all that mattered.
Margaret leaned in close, her eyes wild. "Give me the PIN. Or this wedding is over." She smiled thinly. "A pregnant woman like you should be grateful my son is still willing to marry you."
May you like
I looked over at Ethan. He didn't move. He didn't tell her to stop. He stood by the locked door, watching his pregnant fiancée get assaulted, waiting for the money to drop.
In that horrifying instant, the man I loved ceased to exist. In his place stood a stranger who was willing to trap the mother of his child for a handful of cash.
