Chapter Eighty-fiveCaeliaI froze, my heart pounding in my chest. My eyes moved to the door, checking if I had somehow entered the wrong office. But no, this was the right place. I rubbed my eyes, half-expecting that I was seeing things just because I missed him so much. But when I looked again, he was still there—Aric, sitting behind the desk, a knowing smile tugging at his lips.It was as though he already knew I was coming, as if he was expecting me, the naughty smile on his face was nerve wracking.I knew he was wealthy, but I had no idea he owned this company—one of the most prestigious in the city. How could I not have known? What else didn’t I know about him? He didn’t even mention at all that he was the owner of this company. My mind raced with a thousand questions, but before I could process anything further, Aric rose from his seat.He moved toward me with the confidence of someone who owned the entire world, and his aura sent my whole body shaking. Emma was really right. W
Chapter Eighty-sixAricGod, she drives me completely out of my senses. I can’t think straight whenever she’s around. All I want is to have her, kiss her, feel her body warming mine. I fucking love every bit of her.I watched as Aless walked in, doing my best to keep my composure, even though my cock wouldn’t relent—it was still as hard as fuck, creating a huge bulge in my pants.“Aless,” I called, forcing a smile onto my face, trying to act as normal as possible.“Hey, friend.” Aless pulled up a chair and sat across from me. Then he looked up at Caelia, staring at her for a few moments. “If I’m not wrong, this must be Caelia?” he asked, pointing at her.I nodded. “Yes, that’s right. This is Caelia.”Caelia glanced at me, and just her gaze made my blood rush with excitement, all of it settling in my cock, growing even harder. My body ached with longing.“Wow!” Aless exclaimed, standing up and grabbing her shoulders. “It’s been so long. I mean, she was only three the last time I saw he
Chapter Eighty-sevenCaeliaI knew I wasn’t supposed to get jealous, especially not over my friend. I knew Emma wouldn’t think twice about getting with Aric if she knew I had something going on with him. She’d shut down the idea the moment she realized we were in some sort of relationship. But I couldn’t tell her, and I couldn’t handle her fantasies without feeling that sharp sting of jealousy.She wanted him. She wanted to kiss him because she thought his lips were the sexiest she had ever seen. She was right, but I didn’t want anyone thinking that except me. She wanted him to take her in his office, to fulfill every one of her fantasies with him, because in her eyes, he was perfect. And yes, Aric is perfect—but just for me, not for her or anyone else.I knew I shouldn’t be jealous, but I was. I just couldn’t help it. When he rolled up his sleeve, and I saw for myself that everything Emma said about him was true, my jealousy only deepened. He looked so hot, so irresistibly sexy, that
Chapter Eighty-eightCaeliaOnce I was unhappy about starting this internship training, thinking I wouldn’t be able to see Aric as much as I wanted. But everything changed the moment I stepped into the CEO’s office and found him sitting there. Now, I go to work every morning with joy and excitement for what the day holds. I look forward to the things we would do because every day holds its own special surprises.One time, he waited for me outside the company and led me to his car after I arrived. We spent the whole day at a spa, enjoying one of the best days of our lives. I remember him telling the masseuse to excuse us for a moment, but that moment ended up being filled with orgasms and moans. He made me so happy and content that whatever Emma said about him no longer moved me. Her fantasies and the crush she had on Aric only made me laugh. It no longer made me jealous like it did before because I knew Aric was mine, and he had shown me that.It had been weeks since I started, and e
Chapter Eighty-nineCaeliaWhen my eyes fluttered open, the world around me felt so strange, and off, like I was in the middle of nowhere. Everything was blurry at first, like I was looking through a fog. I blinked multiple times, trying hard to focus one or thing or the other, but nothing made sense. The air felt so heavy, and thick, almost suffocating. Slowly, the shapes in the room started to sharpen—the white ceiling, the faint beeping of machines, the sterile smell of antiseptic that burned in my nose.Where am I?I turned my head gently, wincing at the stiffness in my neck. That was when I saw them—people lying in the beds beside me, some hooked up to machines, others breathing quietly. It hit me all at once. I was in a hospital. But why did it feel so wrong, so distant, like I’d been dropped into a place that wasn’t real? I couldn’t really understand much of what was going on.I sank back into the pillow, trying to steady my breathing, but my heart was racing too fast. And the
Chapter Ninety Caelia I couldn’t believe it. Pregnant? No… I can’t be pregnant. It just can’t be. Not now. Not at this moment. Not when everything was already falling apart. My love for him, my future with Aric, the man I thought was mine, wasn’t even certain anymore. How could this be happening? How could I be pregnant at this moment? Bad timing… No, bad luck. I was never supposed to be pregnant by him. My future with him had always been uncertain, but I had believed—somehow—that he loved me, that he would be there for me. But now? I wasn’t so sure. The words swirled in my head as the room seemed to close in, suffocating me. My entire world was collapsing, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I blinked multiple times, hard and looked at the doctor again, my voice shaky. Maybe he was wrong? Maybe they mistakenly swapped my result with another, just maybe this result wasn’t mine, there was no way I was pregnant. I fought between reality and denial. I pulled my c
Chapter Ninety-oneAric[Earlier that day]“Caelia, we’ve been together for months now, and each day I spend with you deepens the love I feel for you.” I gestured as if moving closer to her, gently holding her hand. “It took me time to realize how deeply I had fallen in love with you. I tried to push you away, tried to stop how I was feeling, did a lot of hurtful things to you, but you still stayed with me. Your love made me realize that I was in love with you too.” Then I dipped my hand into my pocket and brought out the flight tickets I had already booked. “To show you how much I love you and how far I’m willing to go to protect you and make you feel cherished, I’ve booked a trip for us to Paris. I remember you always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower, so I’m going to take you there, and…” I stopped and stared at my reflection in the mirror for a few moments before shaking my head.I put the tickets back into my pocket, pacing back and forth in front of the mirror. That wasn’t romantic
Chapter Ninety-twoCaeliaI wouldn’t have to write today’s date and the things that happened in my diary before labeling it as one of my worst days ever; there was no way I was going to forget this pain, not even after a long time. I went from being in love with a man who never loved me, a man who was in a relationship with another man, to being in love with a man who pretended to love me but had his wife, and now they were back together, leaving me all alone as though we were never together.I shook my head multiple times, trying so hard to push back the tears that were stinging the back of my eyes, threatening to spill. Nice meeting me? How could it be nice meeting me? I wished she could disappear, I wished she could go away. My life was perfect until the moment I found out about her; everything was going well until she showed up again. How could it be nice to meet her?“I guess you aren’t in a very good mood right now.” She leaned in and whispered. “But, I am your sister-in-law. Yo
Chapter 130 Author’s POV Caelia stood in front of the mirror, her hands trembling slightly as they rested on her baby bump. She glanced at Emma, who was adjusting the final touches on her veil. "How do I look?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, betraying the swirl of emotions beneath her calm exterior. She was happy, yet she was scared. Emma stepped back, admiring her work with a warm smile. "You look perfect, Caelia. My designs are always perfect, I know, but you? You’re more perfect than the dress.” She chuckled. Her words were soft, reassuring, but they couldn’t quite chase away the flutter of nerves building in Caelia’s chest. Caelia smiled back at her, though a bit of longing flickered in her heart. She twirled gently in the gown, the delicate lace brushing against her legs. The dress flowed around her like a dream, its soft fabric wrapping around her growing belly as if embracing the new lives inside her. She was radiant, but in this moment of beauty, her mind wan
Chapter 129CaeliaThe lights suddenly went out and I collapsed to the floor, sobbing into the darkness. It felt like my life had been swallowed by the same black void surrounding me. The world had crumbled, and the man I loved was gone, even though he was still breathing. I had waited for close to two months to see those eyes if his again, but he couldn’t even recognize me. What kind of life is this? But then, without warning, the lights flickered back on. Through my tears, I looked up and saw Emma standing in front of me, a soft smile on her face, holding a single rose. She walked toward me, her steps slow and deliberate, before kneeling down beside me. Without saying a word, she gently placed the rose in my hand, giving it a light squeeze. I was stunned. Confused. Emma had been the one I’d frantically called earlier, but she hadn’t picked up. “Emma, I…” Before I could complete my words, a nurse appeared, approaching me with another rose, handing it over in the same quiet way. My
Chapter 128Caelia“It’s important to take care of yourself, Caelia,” the doctor said gently, his eyes filled with concern. “Your babies need you to be strong. Stress isn’t good for them.”I nodded, offering him a weak smile. “I know. Thank you, Doctor.” I picked up my bag, the weight of his words settling over me as I moved out of the office. Outside the hospital, Jay was waiting in the car, as he always did. Without a word, I slid into the passenger seat."To the hospital?" he asked quietly.I gave a small nod, and he started the car. We drove in silence, my thoughts wandering as we made our way to see Aric. I could have chosen to have an attending doctor for my pregnancy at the same hospital where Aric was being treated—it would have been more convenient. But I couldn’t bring myself to change hospitals. I was still going to the one where my mother had taken me then to terminate the pregnancy, the one she called her friend, was now my attending doctor.Two weeks had passed since Ari
Chapter 127CaeliaEvery time I looked up and saw the red light above the operating room still on, and the notice that read, "In Surgery: Aric Phoenixbourne, Heart Transplant," it sent shivers down my spine. My heart raced, and I slumped back into a cloud of doubt. Before the surgery, the doctor had warned me about potential complications, some of which could be life-threatening. That warning echoed in my mind constantly. I had waited an entire month for this moment, but now, I was more terrified than ever.“He’ll be fine. I’m sure of it,” Aless said softly, patting my shoulder. He had already come to join us there after I informed him about the transplant “Aric isn’t the type to give up. He’ll pull through.”“Yes, he’s right, Cae. He’ll be okay,” Emma added, her voice filled with hope.All I could do was nod, my anxiety making it hard to speak. I continued pacing in front of the operating room, my eyes darting to the red light and back to the notice over and over again.“Caelia, you
Chapter 126Caelia(One Month Later)It took just minutes for me to realize that I was all alone, and the lives of four people depended on me and the decisions I made, especially my strength. I had to be strong for Aric and our babies. I had to hold on to the hope that, with time, everything would be fine.It has been a month since Mom’s death, a month since Aric had been hospitalized, and we’ve been waiting and hoping for a heart donor. As much as each passing day without a donor terrified me, I still held on to that hope that things would be fine, even though it was fading.Different complications had arisen over the months. There were moments when I thought I was going to lose him forever, moments when he had seizures that almost made my heart stop. Still, I held on to that hope, as faint as it was, that in the end, everything would be fine.I believed Aric would open his eyes. I believed he would be fine again, that he would come back to me, and we would live the rest of our lives
Chapter 125 Caelia My legs felt so heavy and numb, dragging with every step toward the morgue. My body shook, silent sobs wracking me, but I no longer had the strength to cry out loud. The sight of the morgue loomed ahead, and fresh tears blurred my vision as my legs wobbled, barely able to carry me forward. Aric's hand rested on my back, his touch firm yet gentle as he tried to steady me. His attempts to soothe the storm raging inside me were in vain. Nothing could calm the whirlwind of pain, loss, and devastation coursing through me. Why? Why did this have to happen? Just when I thought things were turning around, when I believed we'd finally have our happy ending—why did Mom have to leave me? I wished I could turn back time, be a better daughter, do something—anything—to change the outcome. Maybe, just maybe, if I hadn’t gotten pregnant, if I hadn’t… My legs buckled beneath me, and I crumbled to the cold floor, burying my face in my trembling hands. Sobs shook my shoulder
Chapter 124 Caelia I stared at her, unable to process what was happening, my vision blurring with tears. First Aric, now my mother. My heart clenched with pain as I watched her, blood seeping through her fingers as she clutched her chest, her breaths coming in ragged gasps that shattered me down to my soul. I didn’t know how long I stood there, watching helplessly, tears burning down my cheeks, blurring the horrific scene before me. My mom was dying, yet I couldn’t do anything about it. I was watching life slip away from her, but I could do nothing about it. My dad, Aric, and now mom? Why? What was this happening to me? What have I done wrong to deserve this much pain? My body shook as I knelt beside her, my knees crashing to the floor, finally finding the strength to move. Crawling on the cold blood stained floor, I reached for her hand, gripping it tightly. Her skin felt cold, and I could feel her pulse weakening. My body shook with fear. No! I can’t lose her too. “Mom, please,
Chapter 123CaeliaAric still didn’t move, no matter how hard and loud I called his name, he still laid there, motionless.“Bring her to me,” Axel’s voice cut through the chaos, cold and unfeeling.I barely registered his words before his men moved toward me. They grabbed my arms roughly, yanking me from the spot where I had been helplessly staring at Aric. My body shook violently as I tried to fight back, but it was useless. I was too weak, too broken, too hurt."Let me go!" I screamed, my voice hoarse with pain and rage. But they didn’t listen. I was dragged across the room, my eyes never leaving Aric's body, every step pulling me further away from him.I didn’t care about anything else at that moment. I just wanted to be with Aric, to hold him, to wake him up. But Axel’s cold command echoed in my mind as the guards pulled me closer to him, and my fear grew even more suffocating.“She is the reason we are here today. My darling daughter.” Axel smiled as I was brought to him, his gri
Chapter 122 Caelia No! That can’t be, that can’t be true. My biological father? That must be a lie. It must be the pressure or the fear; she must have said that just to get this over with. There’s no way a man like this could be my father. “No!” I screamed at my mom, hoping to snap her back to her senses. There was no reason to lie, no reason to fear this man. He wasn’t going to do anything to us. “That can’t be true, Mom.” I shook my head, a laugh escaping my lips out of fear. “You don’t have to lie to please him. I know it’s a lie, I know…” “It’s the truth, Caelia. This is the truth,” her voice cut me off, and a tear rolled down my cheek. I shook my head again. It wasn’t possible. I had known Aidan as my father for all of my twenty-one years. I had known just him as my father. How could this stranger be my biological father? It had to be a joke. There was no way this was true. Was Mom playing games with me? Or with him? There was no way he was my biological father. It was