Chapter 22

Melanie panicked, her thoughts momentarily frozen. Hesitant about the baby, she'd never considered it might leave her. She had the power to decide all along; however, the situation had spiraled out of control. Noises outside jolted her back to reality. She decided to put it aside, quickly turning on the shower to wash away the bloodstains on the floor and herself. Wiping dry, she checked; the stains were gone. Relieved, she knew she couldn't stay. She hurried out of the bathroom, dressed, and prepared to leave.

Frank heard her approaching the door. He frowned. "Did I say you could leave?"

"I'm sorry, Frank. I have an urgent matter," Melanie explained hastily.

"Of course you can leave, but what about your promise?" Frank stood, approaching in unsteady steps, his hand pressing against the door to stop her. Melanie blinked, remembering. "Don't worry. I'll keep it in mind. I haven't found the right opportunity yet, but I'll do it. I promised."

This guy is crazy! "We create opportunities. You know the consequences of delaying the inevitable. I'm not a patient man," Frank said, smiling. He touched her face, his fingers tracing her lips.

Melanie's heart pounded, her back against the door. Frank had a volatile personality. She usually managed him, but not when he was using drugs. He became a lunatic, and she needed to leave before she knew what he might do.

Suppressing her fear, she forced a smile. "Of course, I know. And I know if I make you happy, you'll help me, so give me time to find an opportunity!" She slowly lowered his arms. He allowed it, looking at her with a knowing smile. "Don't play tricks. Be obedient. Let me love you, Mel."

He kissed her. She froze, then nodded, smiling weakly. "Of course. S-so, I'll leave now."

He didn't stop her. Melanie opened the door and fled. Even outside the hotel, she remained on edge. Frank was too dangerous. She needed to get rid of him and find a new benefactor. More importantly… she covered her lower abdomen, hailing a cab. "Take me to the hospital!"

The doctor sat at his desk, reviewing Melanie's test results. He looked at her. "Do you want this baby?" Melanie pursed her lips, silent.

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Changes Made:

• Corrected grammatical errors: Fixed subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, and pronoun usage.
• Improved punctuation: Added and removed commas, corrected apostrophe usage, and ensured proper sentence structure.
• Enhanced word choice: Replaced weak verbs and phrases with stronger, more precise language.
• Removed unnecessary repetition: Streamlined sentences and paragraphs for better flow.
• Clarified ambiguous phrasing: Made the narrative clearer and easier to understand.
• Replaced the censored word: Used a more appropriate alternative.
• Corrected spelling errors: (e.g., "hier" to "her")
• Improved paragraphing: For better readability.
• Standardized capitalization: Ensured consistent capitalization of chapter numbers and names.

The story is still quite dark and suggestive of an abusive relationship. Consider adding more context or nuance to the characters' motivations and actions to make the story richer and more engaging.