"Are you okay, sweetness?" Silas questioned as he knocked on the door again. "You've been in there for a while."

My eyes instantly dropped to the crimson stains on my panties. I hesitated, but decided to answer him. "I'm b-bleeding."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm bleeding, Silas."

My head snapped up when the bathroom door opened and he stepped inside. Colour flooded my cheeks. I was sitting on the toilet with my husband-to-be only a few feet way. There were just some things that you didn't share—married or not. His eyes dropped to my panties before darting back up to mine. Colour flooded his cheeks.

"That's not normal, is it?" he asked with worry.

I shook my head and dropped my gaze to my panties around my ankles. Bleeding wasn't normal and I was pretty sure neither were the back pain nor cramping. It was only faint, but it had intensified since this morning.

"I'll call the doctor."

"Silas?" He paused with his hand on the doorknob. "Do you hate me?"

"This isn't a conversation to have with you sitting on the toilet, Lara."

"Okay." I licked my lips. "C-Can you maybe just b-bring me my b-bag? I need clean panties and—"

"Right."

I stared at the door after he left. Things between us just haven't been the same since we've returned to Ethan's house after the kidnapping. Silas was attentive but a lot more distant. It worried me that he didn't want to marry me anymore because of what happened between Ethan and me. We haven't talked about what happened either.

Maybe we should. Communication was key to any relationship, I knew that. But I was scared of what could be said. I loved Silas with all my heart and I didn't want to lose him, but maybe I already had. I blinked away the tears that filled my eyes. I was to blame if our relationship fell apart.

There was a knock on the door and a second later it opened again. Silas gave me a small smile and held out a clean pair of panties and my toiletry bag. I took it from him with a muttered thanks. A second later I was once again alone in the bathroom again. After taking a quick shower, I got dressed and entered the bedroom.

Every step made me aware of the pain in my abdomen and lower back. By the time I reached the bed, my legs felt like jelly and the room was spinning. It felt like I was on my period—the pain was the same—but more intense.

Dread washed through me as I collapse on the edge of the bed. Just when I thought that things were going to be okay, it got worse. I bit back the sob that wanted to escape. There was no use crying. Crying was only going to make me feel worse.

"I called the doctor," Silas said as he entered the room again. "He'll be here—"

"You need to take me to the hospital Silas," I told him in a wobbly voice.

"Lara?" He crouched in front of me. "Is the bleeding worse?"

I shook my head. When I parted my lips, the sob I stopped earlier, escaped. Silas cupped my cheeks and leaned closer. I watched him through blurry eyes.

"Talk to me sweetness."

"Silas," I gasped. "Something's very w-wrong. W-we need to g-go to the h-hospital."

"Okay."

He stood and slipped an arm under my knees and around my back. I was thankful for the fact that he carried me. I didn't think I'd be able to walk down the stairs. Silas moved quickly but carefully. I buried my face against his neck and gripped his shoulders tightly. A whimper fell from my lips when another sharp pain shot through my abdomen.

"Ethan!" Silas called. "Ethan!"

"What is it?" I heard Valeria question. "What happened to her?"

"Where's Ethan?"

"Outside, what—"

The door banged open before she could finish her sentence. I squeezed my eyes closed as ringing suddenly filled my ears. Nausea hit me along with another wave of pain. Everything around me faded until I was floating between consciousness and the darkness that was threatening to pull me under. In the end the pain got too much.

***

"You're going to be okay, my beauty."

"Hang in there for me, sweetness." He sniffed. "Everything's going to be okay."

***

Two sets of hands were touching me and two sets of lips were whispering in my ears. The more I became conscious, the more I became aware of my surroundings. Tears were streaming down my cheeks and whimpers fell from my lips. I was sitting on someone's lap with a firm chest pressed to my back and another to my chest.

"Breathe sweetness. We've got you."

We? I sucked in a breath like he had order me to do and slowly blew it out. After a few minutes my breathing had evened out and my tears died down. My chest still ached and emptiness had settled deep within me.

I blinked and stared at the man's face only a few inches from mine. He looked worn out and so tired. I reached out and pressed a shaky hand against his cheeks. It was damp even though there were no tears trailing down his skin. His eyes instantly shot up to mine. The pain flashing through them matched the pain I was feeling.

"T-the baby?" I croaked.

Silas shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"How?"

Ethan's arms slipped around my waist. He pressed his face against my neck and hugged me tighter. Confusion filled me. What was he doing here? Why was Silas allowing him to touch me? I couldn't deny the fact that his touch was bringing me comfort, but I was scared. What if he did something that I couldn't resist? What if he kissed me again and I couldn't push him away?

I squirmed and reached down to loosen his arms around my waist. The moment his arms dropped I threw myself at Silas and clung to him.

"I don't want him here," I cried. "Make him leave. Please, make him leave."

"Shh, calm down." He paused as he wrapped his arm around me. "He's leaving."

A sob fell from my lips when the bed dipped as Ethan got up. I could feel his eyes burning into my back. He muttered something to Silas before he walked out of the room. Why couldn't I just be happy? All my life all I ever wanted was someone who loved me for me. Now that I've found him, I messed everything up by losing our baby and wanting his brother.

"P-please don't l-leave me." I wrapped my arms and legs around him and hugged him tighter. "I can't live without you."

His lips brushed my shoulder. "I'm not leaving you, sweetness. You're never getting rid of me."

Drowsiness set in soon after my sobs died down a little. All through it Silas held me tightly on his lap while rubbing my back or stroking my hair. Not another word had been spoken between us after he had told me that I wasn't getting rid of him. His hand slid to the back of my neck. I raised my face from his shoulder when he gave my hair a slight tug.

"What do you say we head back home?" he asked softly.

I licked my lips and nodded. "I'd like that."

We could start over. There was no way either of us could ever forget about anything that had happened here—especially losing our baby.

"Why?" I whispered.

Silas swallowed. "The doctor said that you had what they called an early miscarriage. It happened because the baby had chromosomal abnormalities. The baby had too many chromosomes. Even if the pregnancy continued the baby would've been born with some abnormalities."

"C-can I get p-pregnant again?"

"Yes."

"Are you mad at me?" My eyes darted between his as I waited for an answer.

Silas gave me a small smile as he cupped my cheek. "I'm not mad at you, Lara. This could've happened to anybody and it wasn't your fault."

I swallowed. "I feel like I should've done something different. Maybe if I had—"

"We still would've lost the baby." He leaned forward and pressed a kiss against my forehead. "Why don't you get some rest?"

I nodded. I was tired. He gave me a small smile and he gently moved me off his lap. Silas stood and leaned down to pick me up. I sighed when he laid me down again and tugged the sheets over me. He hesitated before he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine for a brief kiss.

"Sleep. I'll make arrangements for our flight back home."