Chapter 6

The sharp scent of disinfectant stung her nostrils. Jiang Zhinan stared at the electronic screen outside the gynecology consultation room, fingers unconsciously twisting the strap of her bag. The faint red bite mark Jiang Xingzhi had left on her lower abdomen the night before was now replaced by the cold touch of the ultrasound probe—like a cruel metaphor.

“Miss Jiang, you’re six weeks pregnant,” the doctor said as she removed her gloves, pausing subtly. “But according to the blood report… the medication you’ve been taking contains mifepristone, which could cause chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus.”

The hum of the air conditioner filled the room. Jiang Zhinan recalled the pink pills on her bedside table, and the soft look in Jiang Xingzhi’s eyes every time he watched her swallow them. So all those sweet words about “fearing your depression” were nothing more than a way to tame her into a canary that wouldn’t struggle.

“I want to keep this child.” She heard her own trembling voice. The doctor hesitated, then simply nodded and wrote her a prescription for vitamins. On the corner of the paper, a penciled note read: “Wednesday, 3 PM – Free OB consultation, rooftop of the old hospital building.”

It was nearly dusk when she returned to the villa. Jiang Xingzhi’s black Porsche was parked in the garage, the hood still warm. Jiang Zhinan touched the folic acid pills in her pocket and recalled the scene she had just witnessed in the parking lot—his secretary, Lin Wei, stepping out of the passenger seat, wearing the pearl necklace that should have belonged to her. In its pendant, a micro camera was embedded.

“Why are you back so late?”

The voice-activated light at the entrance lit up. Jiang Xingzhi leaned against the wall, a lit cigar between his fingers. Amid the swirling smoke, his gaze fell on her clenched fist, his lips curling into a dangerous smirk.

“Buying skincare products,” she said, raising the shopping bag that contained a repurposed baby formula canister filled with pills. “The doctor said my skin’s too dry.”

Suddenly, the man grabbed her wrist and pressed her against the wall. The cigar’s ember nearly singed her lashes as the tip of his nose brushed her earlobe, sniffing like a predator: “When Zhinan-jie lies, her pulse jumps to 120 beats per minute—want me to count for you?”

Jiang Zhinan froze. She felt his other hand working at her belt. As the silver chain slipped from her waist, two folic acid pills fell and rolled under the sofa on the marble floor. Jiang Xingzhi bent down to pick them up and studied them under the light. She saw his pupils shrink suddenly, and his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed hard.

“What is this?” His voice was terrifyingly calm.

“Vitamins…”

Bang!

The cigar was extinguished against the wall, brown ash scattering across her collarbone. Jiang Xingzhi grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up. His thumb rubbed across her trembling lips. “Dared to take other pills behind my back? Hm? Or…” He suddenly smiled, fingers sliding to her lower abdomen. “You think getting pregnant with some bastard’s kid will help you escape?”

Fear surged over her like a tidal wave. Jiang Zhinan wanted to explain, but his grip left her gasping for air. In a flash, her mind recalled the boxing ring from three years ago—how he’d broken three of his opponent’s ribs just to buy her a birthday gift. Blood from his gloves had splattered on the scarf she gave him, and no matter how many times she washed it, the metallic smell never went away.

“Xingzhi, it’s your child…” she finally managed to whisper.

He froze. The hand around her neck loosened abruptly, and she collapsed to the floor, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Jiang Xingzhi crouched before her, gently brushing her belly with his fingertips. His gaze was terrifyingly complex—part joy, part jealousy.

“Say it again.” His voice was hoarse.

“It’s your child,” Jiang Zhinan clutched his wrist, feeling the rough calluses on his palm. “I went to the hospital… it’s been six weeks.”

Jiang Xingzhi suddenly laughed—a chilling sound tinged with madness. He scooped her up and strode toward the bedroom, his eyes burning with obsessive light. “My child… Zhinan-jie, you finally belong to me. Completely. Entirely.”

That night, Jiang Zhinan lay in bed, watching Jiang Xingzhi sleep beside her. Moonlight filtered through the curtains and shone on the scar over his chest. She gently caressed her abdomen, caught between hope and dread. She knew this child might be her only chance of salvation—or the beginning of yet another prison.

Suddenly, Jiang Xingzhi turned in his sleep, wrapping his arm tightly around her waist. In his dreams, he murmured, “Zhinan-jie, don’t leave me…”

She closed her eyes, tears silently slipping down her cheeks. Outside, dark clouds swallowed the moon, and the world plunged into darkness. In that darkness, she had no idea what the future held—only hope that this unborn life might offer her a sliver of escape.