"How can you even say something like that?" Reese nced at the angry red mark on her arm where Tara had grabbed her. She frowned and yanked her arm free. "Let go."


    Her voice was icy and her eyes were full of contempt. "Tara, whatever was between us ended a long time ago. Stop pretending we''re close cousins just so you can butt into my life."


    "Reese, I''m just worried about you..."


    A quick, triumphant glimmer sh in Tara''s eyes before she dramatically fell backward and crashed onto the floor.


    "Ah!"


    She cried out, clutching her stomach with both hands.


    "It hurts... Reese, why did you push me...


    "My baby... my baby..."


    11


    The sudden outburst drew a crowd, everyone rushing over in shock.


    "She''s bleeding!"


    Someone shouted, panicked.


    A dark red stain spread beneath Tara''s dress, the color vivid and terrifying as it bled into the pristine white carpet.


    Zach heard Tara''s scream and rushed over, freezing as soon as he saw the blood.


    "Tara!"


    He dropped to his knees beside her, pulling her into his arms. His hands trembled and for a moment he lookedpletely lost.


    Tara leaned into him, her face as white as a sheet, her breath shaky and faint.


    She looked up slowly, her eyes going past Zach''s shoulder to lock onto Reese, disbelief and heartbreak all over her face. "Reese... why did you push me?


    "Even if... even if you hate me and Zach for getting involved, you didn''t have to hurt my baby..."


    Zach stared at the blood spreading beneath Tara, panic rising in his chest. When he heard what Tara said, he jerked his head up, eyes glistening with anger.


    Reese stood there, unmoved, her gaze cold as she looked at Tara''s pitiful act. "I didn''t push her.


    "Instead of wasting time ming me, you should call an ambnce. Maybe if you get her to the hospital now, the baby can still be saved."


    "How can you say something cold like that?" Zach''s arms tightened around Tara, his voice shaking. "She''s your cousin, and she''s pregnant. That baby is your family too!


    "Even if you can''t stand her, even if you hate her family, you shouldn''t do something like this!"


    Honestly, from where he''d been


    standing, Zach had only seen Reese shake Tara''s hand off. He hadn''t actually seen her push anyone. But Reese''s cold detached words made him believe she just didn''t care


    "Reese didn''t push her."


    Matthew stepped up beside Reese, putting himself between her and the crowd without making a scene.


    "I was watching from just a few steps away. Ms. Ramos fell by herself. Reese never touched her."


    Zach already didn''t trust Matthew, and now he was furious. He let out a coldugh. "You''re here with Reese. Of course you''d cover for her. No one''s going to buy that."


    "Whether they believe me or not isn''t your call."


    Reese stepped out from behind Matthew and looked around at the guests who had gathered. “There are plenty of people here. Someone must have seen what happened.


    "Instead of arguing, why not call the police and have them check the security cameras? Or talk to witnesses. The truth wille out soon enough."


    At her words, Tara, who had been holding on bravely, suddenly grabbed Zach''s shirt, her voice weak and trembling.


    “Zach... don''t call the police... Reese is my cousin, I can''t just watch her get taken away... Even if... even if I lose the baby, it''s just bad luck There will be other chances in the future..."


    Zach looked down at Tara''s pale, fragile face, and all their years together shed through his mind.


    Tara had always seemed gentle and


    kind in front of him. Her family had plotted to have Reese marry Sebastian and hidden that whole. two million dor mess, but that wasn''t something Tara couldhave stopped.