Bound by the Past, Locked by the Heart novel Chapter 220

"I checked the hospital's security footage," he stated factually. "You've been hiding it from me since then. It's been quite a while. I can't believe I didn't notice."

Willa's throat tightened. She opened her mouth to explain, but he held up a hand to cut her off.

"Willa," he said, his tone bordering on gentle, "we can't keep this baby."

Those devastating words pierced right to the bone, viciously hacking into Willa's most fragile nerves.

Her vision went black for a second. A deafening ringing filled her ears, nearly drowning out whatever he said next.

"It's still early, so it won't do much damage to your body. I'll arrange for the best doctor at the most discreet private clinic. No one will ever know."

His voice was completely steady, as though he were delegating a mundane business task. "You can rest up and heal afterward. You're still young. In the future..."

"In the future, what?" Willa snapped her head up, her eyes bloodshot. "Did you even bother asking a doctor? The odds are I'll never be able to carry another child for the rest of my life!"

Randal pressed his lips into a tight line, completely sidestepping her vicious accusation. "It's for your own good. Keeping it won't benefit anyone."

"For my own good?" Willa choked out a bitter laugh. "Randal, look me in the eye and tell me who this is really for. You're doing this for yourself! For your precious Yates family reputation! To clear the runway for your perfect wedding with Scarlett!"

She shot to her feet, but between the emotional onslaught and the prolonged tension, she stumbled. She quickly grabbed the edge of the nightstand to steady herself.

Randal's composed mask shattered in a heartbeat. A murderous rage rolled off him in waves, his eyes turning terrifyingly dark.

"What exactly do you want from me? Do you want me to watch you give birth to Corbin's bastard and offer my congratulations with a smile?"

Willa froze, completely failing to comprehend what he had just said.

"We used protection every single time."

"But... there was that one time..." Willa panicked, her words spilling out in a disjointed rush as she frantically tried to explain.

But her panicked, flustered demeanor translated as pure guilt in Randal's eyes.

Her eyes blew wide in terror, her hands flying up to desperately pry his fingers away.

But he abruptly slackened his grip. His deep, gravelly voice grazed her ear. "Willa, you really are utterly heartless."

"This baby... is really yours..."

Randal was completely deaf to her pleas. His fingertips traced the blooming red marks on her throat with a sickeningly tender, almost agonizing devotion.

His psychotic gaze was tainted with agonizing heartbreak.

"But what am I supposed to do? I still can't bear to let you go."

He slowly lowered his head, pressing his blazing forehead against hers. When he spoke again, his tone was brutally absolute.

"But this baby—cannot stay."