When the Heir's Cradle Falls

Jenna stepped out from behind Ronan, her bare feet padding on the carpet. She gently tugged at the corner of his shirt, her face a mask of guilt as tears instantly welled in her eyes. "Ronan, did I cause trouble for you two again? Serena seems really upset… It's all my fault."

"This has nothing to do with you, Jenna." Ronan soothed her gently, then shot me another glare. "I know you wanted this, so I went to buy it for you as soon as I got Jenna settled. And what happens? The nurse tells me you've already been discharged!"

"I've already told you, Jenna has no one to look after her. I'm just watching over her as her guardian to prevent her from causing more trouble! Why are you blowing this so out of proportion? It's a family obligation!"

He thought I had left the medical center just because he went to care for Jenna. He thought I was just throwing a fit.

Honestly, perhaps I should have thrown the blood-soaked surgical sheet in his face and told him I had miscarried, but I really didn't want to waste my time or energy. After all, there's no point in trying to wake someone who's only pretending to be asleep.

I turned my gaze to Jenna and replied, "Didn't you say she was severely traumatized? Why bring her all the way here instead of letting her rest at the medical center?"

Ronan froze, clearly not expecting me to change the subject so quickly. Then his expression tightened. "There are too many prying eyes there. I don't trust it. It's safer to keep her by my side."

Just then, Jenna chimed in, "I'm sorry, Serena. If it's too much trouble, I'll leave right away… I'll just go back to living in that basement…"

Before I could respond, Ronan said, "Stay. This is my home. You don't need her permission."

As if in retaliation for me leaving the hospital without his permission, he was determined to prove that in this house, his authority superseded mine.

I considered this, then met his cold glare. "Well, the guest room hasn't been cleaned. Since she's your 'responsibility,' she can have the master bedroom."

My tone was entirely sincere, but Ronan clearly didn't see it that way. His face contorted with anger. "How many times do I have to tell you, there's nothing going on between me and Jenna! It's not what you think! She's not the brightest, and her family is unreliable. What's wrong with me taking care of her?!"

"I always thought you were a magnanimous woman, fit to be the wife of the Underboss. But it turns out you're just as jealous and petty as any other woman!"

His expression was full of disappointment, as if I had committed some unforgivable, grave error.

Jenna tugged at his sleeve again, like a frightened little animal. "Ronan, if it's too much trouble, you really don't have to accommodate me… Really! If I've driven a wedge between you two, I'll never forgive myself!"

With that, she turned to leave, but Ronan grabbed her wrist. "There's nothing wrong between us, so there's no need for that. Besides, since Serena already told you to sleep in the master bedroom, you should just stay."

"What about her? Where will she stay?" Jenna glanced at me timidly, but her eyes glinted with a flicker of triumph.

Ronan scoffed, his cold gaze sweeping over my pale face. "She can sleep wherever she damn well pleases. If she wants to throw a tantrum, she can do it alone."

With that, he pulled Jenna out of the room by her wrist, leaving me alone with the sharp, twisting pain in my abdomen.

It was a reminder that this house, a symbol of my status, no longer had a place for me.