Chapter 4 I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Zander Cross, do you have any shame left?" Memories came flooding back like a tidal wave. When we first got married, he'd take the long way home every day just to pick up my favorite coffee and donuts from that little shop I loved. The day Chloe was born, he cried like a baby outside the delivery room. Last year when I had the flu, he stayed up all night changing cold compresses on my forehead.... And now this same man had not only cheated with his own sister-in-law, but wanted me to hand over my house so his mistress could have their baby? "Sage, please just help me out here. Once the baby's born, I promise I'll make everything right with you." "Get out." I hit the nurse call button. "Leave now or I'm calling security." Zander's face suddenly darkened. "Sage Reed! Don't push your luck! That house is half mine anyway!" "Is it?" I let out a cold laugh. "I bought that house outright before we got married. The deed has only my name on it." Just then, the hospital room door burst open and Vivian waddled in with her pregnant belly. "Babe, what's taking you so long?" She clung to Zander's arm all sweet and innocent, shooting me a challenging look. "What's there to talk about with his psycho?" I stared coldly at the disgusting pair. "This is my hospital room. Please leave." Vivian suddenly clutched her stomach with exaggerated dramatics. "Oh! The baby's kicking me!" Zander immediately switched to doting mode, reaching over to touch her belly. "Easy there, little guy. Daddy's right here." Chloe shrank closer in my arms and whispered, "Mommy, why doesn't Daddy want us anymore?" Those words cut through me like a knife. I was about to respond when Vivian's shrill laughter filled the room: "Because your mommy's useless, sweetie! She can't even keep her own man!" "You-!" I was trembling with rage. I put down Chloe, stood up, and slapped him hard across the face. SMACK! The sharp crack echoed through the hospital room. Vivian stumbled backward clutching her cheek, bumping into the next bed rail. "You bitch! How dare you hit me?" She lunged at me screaming, her sharp nails aimed straight for my face. Zander froze for a split second, then actually grabbed MY arm to stop me. "Sage Reed! Have you lost your mind?" In that moment of hesitation, Vivian grabbed my hair and slammed my head toward the wall. Pain exploded from the back of my skull as my vision went black. "Mommy!" Chloe cried out and threw her tiny body in front of me. "Don't hurt my mommy!" "Fuck off!" Vivian lifted her foot and kicked out, her sharp stiletto connecting hard with Chloe's stomach. "Ahhhh!" Chloe let out a blood-curdling scream as she flew backward into the nightstand. Blood immediately poured from her forehead. "Chloe!" My heart shattered as I fought desperately to break free from Zander's grip. But Vivian seized the opportunity to attack again, grabbing my collar. "Let me claw your fucking face off!" I grabbed her wrist and twisted down with all my strength. "Ahhh!" She shrieked and let go. I broke free and rushed to my daughter, blood covering half her little face. "This is all your fault!" Zander suddenly yanked my hair from behind. "You had to make it come to this!" Searing pain shot through my scalp as I was forced to look up, only to see Vivian raising the IV stand to smash down on me. At that critical moment, the hospital room door was kicked open with a thunderous crash. Three burly men burst in, led by the scarred man I had contacted earlier-Smith-who was now gripping a gleaming machete in his hand. "Marcus Cross! Found you, you piece of shit!" Scarface glared menacingly at Zander. "Time to pay back that three hundred seventy grand you owe!" Zander's face went ghost white as he backed away. "You've got the wrong guy! I'm Zander Cross, not Marcus Cross!" Scarface let out a cold laugh. "Bullshit! I've been hunting you for three months-you think I'd mistake someone else?" "He really is Zander Cross," Vivian quickly stepped in front of him. "Marcus Cross is dead! We have the death certificate!" Scarface looked at me suspiciously. "Lady, you tell me-who is this guy really?" All eyes turned to me. bit my lip and pulled out a piece of paper from my purse. Meeting Zander's hopeful gaze, I smiled with bitter hatred. "Of course he's Marcus! Zander died long ago! I even have his death certificate right here!!"