**Chapter 12: Entrapped**

Ashley's eyes welled up with tears as she gazed up at Gerald, her mind reeling with the horror of his words. She felt a sob rise up in her throat as she whispered, "The pregnancy...what about it?" Her voice was shaking, and her body trembled with fear as she cowered down, trying to escape the crushing grip of his hand on her throat. Gerald's expression twisted into a cruel smile as he looked down at her. He seemed to savor the fear that radiated from her very being. With a chuckle, he released his grip on her throat, and Ashley gasped for air, her lungs burning from the lack of oxygen. As she struggled to breathe, Gerald's eyes gleamed with a possessive light. He stood over her, his tall frame looming large, making her feel small and insignificant. His voice was low and menacing as he replied, "You're mine, bitch. The pregnancy is mine. The child...it's mine too." Ashley's eyes widened in terror as she realized the true extent of Gerald's obsession. She felt a chill run down her spine as he took a step closer, his eyes burning with an unnatural intensity. "You'll do what I say, when I say it," he growled, his voice dripping with malice. "You'll carry this child, and you'll give it to me. And you'll do it all with a smile on your face, because that's what I want." As he spoke, Ashley felt her mind slipping into a dark place. She was trapped, trapped in a nightmare from which she couldn't awaken. Gerald's words echoed in her mind, a constant reminder of her helplessness. She was his, and he would do with her as he pleased. The thought sent a wave of despair washing over her, and Ashley's body began to shake uncontrollably. Tears streamed down her face as she gazed up at Gerald, her eyes pleading for mercy. But there was none to be found. Gerald's expression remained cold and unyielding, his eyes glinting with a sinister light that seemed to pierce through her very soul. In that moment, Ashley knew she was completely at his mercy. And that thought was a terrifying reality she had to face.