Chapter 13: A Cruel Delivery

Lexie woke in the middle of the night, her stomach twisting in sharp, unbearable pain. It wasn’t the dull ache she’d been feeling for weeks—it was something urgent, something primal. Her breath quickened as the realization hit her: she was in labor.

She fumbled for her phone, dialing Carly’s number. After three rings, Carly answered, her voice groggy.

“I think it’s time,” Lexie panted, clutching her stomach. “The baby’s coming.”

There was a long pause on the other end before Carly finally said, “Alright. I’ll be right down.”

Lexie hung up, sweat already pouring down her face. The pain was coming in waves now, each one stronger than the last. She leaned against the wall, trying to steady herself as footsteps echoed down the stairs.

Carly appeared in the doorway, dressed in sweatpants and a loose hoodie, her hair disheveled from sleep. But there was something in her expression that Lexie hadn’t seen before—a cold, almost smug detachment.

“I need to go to the hospital,” Lexie gasped.

Carly stepped inside, closing the door behind her. “That’s not going to happen.”

Lexie froze, her mind racing. “What do you mean? I need a doctor—”

“You’ll have one,” Carly interrupted, her voice calm but laced with something cruel. “The same doctor you’ve been seeing all along. He’s on his way here.”

Lexie’s blood ran cold. “Here? Why would he come here?”

Carly’s lips curled into a smirk as she leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “Because that’s what I arranged. You’re not going anywhere, Lexie. This baby doesn’t belong to you. It never did.”

The words hit Lexie like a slap, and for a moment, the pain of labor was forgotten. She stared at Carly, her heart pounding in disbelief.

“What are you talking about?” she whispered.

Carly stepped closer, her smirk widening. “Oh, Lexie. You really didn’t figure it out, did you?” She crouched slightly, bringing her face level with Lexie’s. “I’m the blackmailer. I’ve been pulling your strings this whole time.”

Lexie’s knees nearly gave out as the realization sank in. “No. No, that’s not possible.”

Carly laughed, the sound low and mocking. “Oh, it’s very possible. And now, after all your hard work, it’s time to finish what we started. The baby will be mine to handle. I already have a buyer lined up—a nice family who’ll pay very generously for a newborn. Oh, and one more thing.”

Carly pulled a phone from her pocket, angling it to show Lexie the screen. A live feed was running—of her. Lexie’s eyes widened as she realized a camera had been set up in the corner of the room, capturing every agonizing second of her labor.