Chapter 0055
Serenaâs POV
In that instant, when Dorisâs face twists with fury and she lunges at me, every part of me tenses. My first instinct is to protect my stomach, my hands automatically wrapping around it. I start stepping back, trying to put some distance between us, but then I feel itâthe cold, hard railing of the rooftop against my back. Iâve run out of room to move.
Doris is like a storm, her eyes wild, filled with blame and rage directed solely et me. âIf Iâm going down, youâre going down with me!â she bellows, her words slicing through the air, filled with venom and desperation.
âNo, Doris,â I find myself saying. âI wonât let you drag me into your madness. Not anymore.â
Iâm trapped, with nowhere to go, the drop behind me and a furious Doris in front. Fear grips me, not just for myself but for my baby. Iâve never seen her this unhinged, this determined to hurt me. Itâs like sheâs lost all sense of reason, driven only by her obsession and anger.
Bill shouts something, his voice barely piercing the chaos of the moment, but itâs like Iâm in a bubble where time slows down. Dorisâs every step toward me feels measured, and deliberate, as if sheâs enjoying the power she holds in this moment.
But then, something in me snapsâa surge of strength fueled by the need to protect my unborn child. Iâm not just going to stand here and let her harm us. My mind races, trying to think of a way out, any way to defend myself against the impending threat Doris poses.
In a burst of adrenaline, I push back against Doris with all the strength I can muster. Doris stumbles backward, her arms flailing as she nearly topples over the railing, her feet skidding dangerously close to the edge. For a moment, she teeters there, the realis
125 BONUS
position mirrored in her wide, shocked eyes.
Before she can regain her balance or make another move, Bill is there. He wraps his arms around her, pulling her back from the brink. His grip. is ironâtight, restraining her movements as he holds her down,
preventing her from causing any more harm.
âLet go of me, Bill!â Doris demands, struggling against his hold.
âThis ends here!â Bill declares firmly. âYouâre going to pay for everything youâve done.â
In the midst of her struggle, Doris manages to land a sharp hit to Billâs groin with her hand. Bill cries out, âFuck!â The sudden, intense pain. forces him to release his hold on Doris as he doubles over in agony.
Doris comes at me again with full force. And in an instant, weâre locked. in a fierce struggle, palm against palm. Sheâs pushing against me, her strength surprising, but Iâm not giving in. I push back with everything Iâve got.
Doris snarls, âYou wonât win this time, Serena. Iâll make sure of it.â
Gritting my teeth, I push back harder. âYouâve already lost. So, just give it up!â
Her eyes blaze with hatred. âNever. Iâll take everything from you.â
In that moment, I see it clearlyâDorisâs obsession with Bill is whatâs driving her. This fight is about her refusing to let go of him even though Bill doesnât have to do with her anymore. Sheâll always be a threat, always looking for another way to get back at me, to reclaim what she sees as hers.
As we struggle, I can feel Doris somehow finding more strength, pushing against me with increasing force. Just when I think she might overpower me, Bill, still limping from the pain, comes to my rescue. He grabs Doris by the waist, using momentum to spin her around before
2/3
Chapleas
tackling her down to the ground.
âEnough already! Youâve done too much,â Bill says as he pins Doris to the ground.
Doris taunts Bill, a defiant gleam in her eye. âSo, what are you gonna do, Bill? kill me?â She tilts her head back, baring her neck. âGo on then! Choke me to death,â she dares him.
âNo, Billâ I shout, panic edging my voice. âDonât listen to her.â The last thing I want is for Bill to end up in jail for trying to protect me.
âHow stupid do you think I am, Doris? Bill asks. He tightens his grip.on her. âIâm holding you here until the cops arrive.â
The sound of sirens gets louder and closer, cutting through the chaos. I peek over the rooftopâs edge and see police cars pulling up below, lights flashing. Thereâs a crowd forming, too. I canât believe weâve drawn this much attention. Pushing those thoughts aside, I call out as loudly as I can, âWeâre up here! Police, help us!â hoping they hear me and come up fast.
A couple of policemen spot us and immediately start rushing toward the rooftop. I can hear the sound of their footsteps, quick and determined, as they make their way up to us.
Bill is still on top of Doris, holding her down, when she suddenly smirks and shifts into an innocent expression just seconds before the cops burst through the door. My heart sinks. Sheâs going to play the victim again. But this time, sheâs aiming to frame Bill.
âHelp! Heâs trying to rape me!â Doris screams, her voice echoing with fake terror. Billâs face registers shock at her accusation, clearly caught. off guard by her deceit.