The shrill laughter crashed against my ears like a pack siren. Something inside me—the last thread of restraint—broke. I stepped forward and struck her across the face.
Sabrina reeled back, then threw herself dramatically to the ground with a piercing cry.
“Vivienne!” she wailed, clutching her stomach. “I didn’t want you to find out this way! I’m pregnant—how could you hit me?!”
Tears streamed down her cheeks in exaggerated, theatrical rivers. I barely had time to process her performance before a force slammed into my back.
I lost my balance completely, crashing belly-first onto the cold, unforgiving floor.
Lucian’s hand clamped around my arm, yanking me upright. My head spun, the shock disorienting, but his roar cut through the haze.
“Are you insane?!” he shouted in my face. “How could you push Sabrina? She’s carrying a pup!”
I stared at him in disbelief, still catching my breath. Before I could utter a word, Sabrina whimpered pitifully from the floor.
“Lucian, please…” she sniffed. “Don’t fight with Vivienne because of me. I shouldn’t have asked you to come to my appointment. This is my fault. As long as the baby is fine, she can slap me if it makes her feel better.”