Chapter 395 The Man Behind the Call

Chapter 395: Chapter 395 The Man Behind the Call

Abigail’s POV

The moment I stepped through the front door, Mila was waiting for me.

"Well? What did the doctor say?"

I pressed a hand against my stomach and forced a sweet smile.

"Everything is fine. The doctor said the baby is perfectly healthy."

She let out a long breath, her shoulders relaxing with relief. But the moment passed quickly. Her expression grew serious again.

"Listen to me, Abigail." She stepped closer. "No more drinking. Not a single drop. And no more scenes like the other night, waving a knife around. Do you understand what could have happened? Stress alone can harm the baby. Those emotional outbursts of yours could put the pup at risk."

I nodded, keeping my expression obedient.

"Whatever is happening between you and Sebastian," she continued, her voice softening, "the pup is innocent. That child must come first. Always."

I stood there, listening to her worry over a baby that was already dead.

The irony was almost unbearable. She spoke as if someone could still hear her, as if there were still a heartbeat beneath my hand.

"Of course, Mila." I gave a couple of quiet laughs and lowered my head. "I’ll be careful. I promise."

Then I went upstairs, entered my room, and closed the door.

Only when I heard the latch click did I take my hand off my stomach.

That night, long after the house had gone quiet, I heard the front door open.

Sebastian was home, and he was drunk.

I crept to the top of the stairs and looked down through the banister. He was leaning against a woman, one arm draped over her shoulders. His tie hung loose, and she giggled as she whispered something in his ear, guiding him toward his room. The smell of whiskey and unfamiliar perfume reached me even from upstairs.

Before, I would have stormed down those stairs. I would have screamed, dragged that woman out, and made sure the entire pack house knew what Sebastian had done. I would have demanded an explanation and made him pay for it.

But tonight, I just watched.

The baby was gone. The only reason I had left to fight for my place in this house had disappeared with it. I couldn’t even bring myself to feel jealous. All that remained was a cold fear that seemed to tighten around my chest.

"Go tear her apart," my wolf growled. "Remind him who he belongs to."

"What would be the point?" I whispered.

For the first time, I turned away from Sebastian without a fight. I went back to my room and lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling until the sky outside turned gray.

I didn’t sleep.

Somewhere in the darkness, I realized how dangerous my silence could be. Mila or Sebastian might notice that something was wrong.

At first light, before anyone else was awake, I got dressed and slipped out, avoiding everyone in the Simons household.

I drove straight to Claudine’s.

The moment her door closed behind me, I dropped the act.

"The baby is dead."

Claudine froze. Shock crossed her face, but it didn’t last. Her expression quickly hardened.

"What did you do?" she snapped, striding toward me. "I arranged everything for you. Doctor Lloyd, the medication, every contact you needed. I gave you the one chance that mattered, and you couldn’t even hold on to it?"

"Claudine, please..."

"I’ve done more than enough for you." Her voice was sharp. "The child is gone. What do you expect me to do now? Bring it back to life?"

The tears came, and this time they were real.

"You don’t understand." My voice broke. "The moment Sebastian’s family finds out, they’ll throw me out. And once I’m gone..." I struggled to finish. "Emilia will come back. She’ll walk straight into his arms, and they’ll have their happy little family. Everything you’ve worked for will be for nothing."

Claudine pressed her lips together.

I knew I had to make her see that my problem was hers too.

"If Emilia goes back to Sebastian," I whispered, "how will you finish what you started?"

The room seemed to grow colder. Claudine went still, her eyes narrowing.

"Are you threatening me?"

I dropped to my knees and grabbed the hem of her sleeve.

"No, Godmother. I swear I’m not." My hands trembled. "I’m scared. Not just for myself. Your whole plan could fall apart. If I’m exposed, the fertility lie comes out too. Doctor Lloyd, the records, everything. We’ll both be ruined. Don’t you see?"

She stared down at me, weighing her options. She knew I was trying to drag her into my mess, and she hated it. But she couldn’t deny that she was involved.

"You’re forgetting something," she said at last. "We’re not the only ones who don’t want Emilia going back to Sebastian."

I understood immediately.

I wiped my face, took out my phone, and found the number. My thumb hovered over the screen before I finally pressed call.

It rang.

No answer.

I hung up and tried again, my heart pounding harder with every unanswered ring.

Still nothing.

Panic began to set in. Each ring made me feel as though another door was closing, leaving me with fewer and fewer options.

Then the call finally connected.

A smooth, unhurried voice came through.

"Why are you calling me instead of staying close to Sebastian and making his life miserable?"

My whole body trembled.

"My baby is dead," I blurted out. "You have to help me. Please."

Silence followed.

I could feel his anger, but there was no grief in it. He didn’t care about the child. He was angry because I’d ruined the plan he’d spent so much time putting together.

"And why should I help you again?" he said coldly. "When Sebastian was searching everywhere for you, I was the one who helped you stay hidden. That was already more than you deserved."

His words hit me hard.

But now I understood. He hadn’t helped me because he wanted me to win Sebastian’s love. He had only wanted me to keep driving Emilia away until she wanted nothing more to do with Sebastian. I wasn’t his ally. I was just a useful tool.

"Think about it," I said, trying to persuade him, holding on to my last chance. "Emilia only left Sebastian because of this baby. Now the baby is gone. The biggest obstacle between them has disappeared. If you do nothing, she’ll go back to him."

Leighton didn’t answer.

So I used the one thing I knew might get through to him.

"If I can’t have Sebastian," I whispered, "you’ll never have Emilia either, Leighton Lind."

A cold laugh came through the phone.

"I honestly don’t understand how Sebastian ever fell in love with a madwoman like you for so many years," he said. "You were given one useful card in your entire miserable life, and you still managed to throw it away."

I swallowed the humiliation.

"Are you going to help me or not?"