"You piece of shit."
The words hit Ivy first… then the slap followed.
Her mother-in-law's palm landed across her cheek with a loud crack, forcing her head to the side. Ivy staggered, one hand flying up to shield her face, but another slap came immediately, harder, faster.
"Don't you dare touch me!" the older woman yelled as she slapped her again. "I'll teach you your place in this house!"
Ivy tried to grab her wrist, tried to protect herself, but she was too slow. The woman's nails scraped her skin as she swung again and again, her face twisted with rage.
"P-please… stop…" Ivy whispered, breath shaking.
Before she could steady herself, Sophia—her sister-in-law—stepped in front of her. Ivy didn't even have the strength to react.
Sophia placed both palms on Ivy's shoulders and shoved her hard.
Ivy fell backward, hitting the floor with a sharp thud. Her ankle twisted at an awkward angle. A sharp pain shot through her leg, and she cried out, clutching her foot as tears filled her eyes.
But they showed no mercy.
Sophia crouched over her, grabbed a fistful of Ivy's hair, and yanked it violently.
Ivy screamed, her scalp burning as she tried to pull Sophia's hands away. But Sophia only tightened her grip, dragging her head back.
"You think you can fight us?" Sophia hissed. "Know your place."
Ivy barely had time to breathe before her mother-in-law stepped closer and stomped on her stomach—once, then again.
A piercing pain shot through Ivy's body. Her breath broke into pieces. She curled in on herself, trembling.
"Please…" she cried weakly. "Please stop… please… for the sake of the baby… please…"
Her mother-in-law only laughed, a loud, cold sound that echoed through the room.
"You think any of us wanted you?" she shouted. "My son was the one foolish enough to marry a country bumpkin like you!"
Another kick landed on Ivy's side.
"The one we wanted was Aria!" the woman continued. "But no… you had to ruin her life! If you didn't try to poison her in college because of jealousy, she would have been the one married to my son. Not you. You useless shit."
"I… I didn't…" Ivy tried to speak through the pain. "I never—"
Sophia released her hair only to strike her hard across the face. Ivy's head whipped to the side, her vision blurring.
"You think anyone believes you?" Sophia spat.
Their attacks didn't stop. Their voices blurred together in Ivy's ears. Pain burned through her body, every breath feeling heavier, hotter, sharper.
Then she felt it.
Warmth between her legs.
A slow, dreadful warmth that spread across the floor.
Ivy's eyes widened. Her trembling hands reached down, and when she pulled them back, they were red.
"Blood…" she whispered. "I'm bleeding… I'm bleeding…"
The room fell into a short silence. The two women stared, shocked for a moment—but they did not bend down. They did not touch her.
Sophia scoffed and stepped back.
The mother-in-law clicked her tongue in disgust.
Ivy reached toward them, weak and desperate. "Please… please help me… my stomach hurts… please… the baby… please…"
Sophia touched her mother's arm and nodded toward the door. They exchanged a look—cold, uncaring.
Then they turned away.
They walked out and left her on the floor.
"Wait…" Ivy cried, trying to push herself up. Her arms shook violently. Her leg refused to hold her. "Please don't leave me… please… help me…"
Their footsteps faded. The door slammed shut.
Ivy collapsed back onto the cold floor, her breath shallow. Her vision dimmed at the edges. Pain wrapped around her stomach like a tight band, squeezing, choking her.
She placed a hand over her belly, tears sliding down her cheeks.
"Please… please stay with me… don't leave me…" she whispered to the tiny life inside her. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"
Her eyelids grew heavy. Her body grew cold.
The pain was too strong to fight anymore.
As her eyes slowly closed, she whispered her last prayer into the empty room:
"Please, God… please save my baby."