The Moment I Realized I Can't Lose You novel Chapter 8

Chapter 8 

“Bianca!” Audrey lunged up, grabbing Bianca’s arm and yanking her back. “Don’t!” 

She had already made up her mind to divorce him. This baby was hers and hers alone. She wasn’t going to leave her child in the toxic Judd family without her, nor did she want her baby tied to them in any way. 

“But…” Bianca’s eyes filled with desperate sympathy. She stopped and held Audrey’s hands tight. “What if they try to force you into the surgery? You can’t hide a 

pregnancy during the pre-op medical screenings!” 

Bianca was voicing her exact fear. Audrey looked down. “I’m going to finalize the divorce as fast as possible, and then I’m leaving.” 

“Okay.” Bianca looked at her and nodded firmly. “I’ve got your back.” 

A warm wave of gratitude rushed through Audrey. She squeezed her best friend’s hands tight. 

*Ding!* 

The elevator down the hall chimed. Two dark figures stormed out, moving at breakneck speed. 

Before Audrey even had time to process who it was, the figures were already in her face. “Audrey Sinclair! You bitch!” 

An older woman shrieked with pure, unhinged rage. 

*SMACK!* 

A vicious slap landed squarely across Audrey’s cheek, instantly followed by an entire bottle of freezing water being splashed directly into her face. 

The assault was so fast and violent that Audrey was thrown completely off balance. The force of the slap whipped her head to the side, sending her stumbling backward until her spine slammed into the cold hospital wall. 

Her ears rang violently. Freezing water dripped from her hair and eyelashes, sending a violent shiver down her spine. 

Clutching her burning cheek, she pushed her wet hair out of her eyes and looked up. Standing in front of her was Beatrice Chandler, Rainey’s mother and Audrey’s aunt. 

Beatrice was aggressively shaking out her stinging hand, glaring at Audrey with murderous hatred. “If anything happens to my Rainey, I’ll kill you!” 

Everything had happened too fast. By the time Bianca registered the attack, Audrey’s face was swelling with a massive red handprint, and she was soaked to the bone. 

Bianca rushed forward, shielding her. “Audrey! Are you okay?!” 

“She just got slapped, she’s fine!” Beatrice sneered coldly. “The one who’s actually in danger is my daughter lying in the ICU!” 

Over the past year, Arthur and Beatrice had been relatively decent to her. They weren’t warm, but they weren’t cruel. She had honestly thought that if Rainey never came 

back, she could treat them like true family and care for them in their old age. 

Now she knew the truth. They were exactly like Joaquin. Every ounce of kindness they had ever shown her was a fake, calculated performance because they needed her to play the part. The second Rainey was back, the masks came off. 

Accepting her fate, Audrey squeezed her eyes shut and braced for the crushing impact. She was so stupid. 

Stupid enough to believe anyone’s kindness was ever real. 

However, the blow never came. Instead, the sharp, familiar scent of cedarwood 

washed over her. 

She snapped her eyes open. Filling her vision were the broad, suited shoulders of a man. 

It was Joaquin. He stood with his back to her, his massive hand wrapped tightly around Beatrice’s wrist, stopping her slap mid-air. “Mrs. Sinclair.” 

Audrey couldn’t see his face, but his deep, commanding voice echoed off the walls. “Audrey is still my wife. Don’t touch her.”