Chapter Ninety-nineCaeliaWhat was this? Why was he acting like he cared so much? He was the same one who acted like it was nothing if I got married to Ethan minutes ago. He supported Mom when she mentioned the marriage to Ethan. Wasn’t he thinking when he said all of that? Didn’t he know that I’d have to be with Ethan all alone if we eventually got married?I searched his face, trying to find a clue in his expression or an answer to the questions disturbing my mind, but his features were hard, unreadable.“Answer me," he growled, now very close to me—too close, the tension and fear from his fierce eyes almost seizing my breath.This was the most confused I had been since this whole thing began. Why was he acting like this? Like he truly cared about me, like he didn’t want me to be with Ethan. But he was with Hailey, and he confirmed that he was in support of the marriage to Ethan, so why was he like this?“I don’t seem to understand you, why—”“Just answer the damn question!” he yel
Chapter HundredAricI couldn’t hold it in any longer. It was too much for me, the pain of staying away from her was too hard to bear, I couldn’t hold it back again.I had been choking on my own feelings for so long, I had been pushing them back, all because I was trying to protect her, trying to keep my distance because I thought it was what was needed. It was the best way to keep her safe. But seeing her like that with Ethan—seeing her even consider being with him—it tore something inside of me that I didn’t think could break anymore.I wasn’t just jealous, but heartbroken. My heart felt as though it was ripping out when I met her in that compromising state with her. Even the thought of any other person touching her always haunts me, talk more of seeing her being touched by someone I once wanted to gun down.He was the same one who betrayed her and hurt her… No matter how hard I thought about it, getting her married to that same guy wasn’t a great idea, but Mari and I had been pushe
Chapter 101AricHer gentle words were like a spark igniting the fire I’d been trying to smother for so long. It’d only been days, but it felt long, way too long than I could handle. The moment her body pressed against mine, everything inside me snapped. All the restraint, all the control I’d been holding onto, dissolved into nothing.There was no going back now! I didn’t care what would happen after this.I grabbed her, pulling her close, our lips crashing together in a frantic, desperate kiss. Oh! God… I missed every single thing about her. From the way her lips felt against mine, against my cock, to her sweet moans that had become music to my ears. I missed her so damn much!She kissed me back with the same passion. It was all teeth and tongues, hot and raw, as if we were trying to consume each other. I couldn’t think straight—couldn’t even breathe properly with the way her body molded against mine. It was so tight, and I fucking loved it.Whatever it would take me, whatever it’d c
Chapter 102CaeliaThe brightness of the morning sun drifting into my room woke me from my peaceful sleep. My body stirred awake, slowly coming back to life as I blinked against the brightness that had casted a shadow around the room. My skin still tingled from the memories of yesterday, every nerve alive with the sensations that lingered still—his touch, his kiss, the way he made me feel.I had missed that feeling so much, and it came just at the perfect time. The time I needed him the most.I sighed softly, closing my eyes again for just a moment, letting myself relive those stolen moments with him. The way his hands had claimed me, his lips devouring mine with a hunger that made me feel like I was the only thing that mattered in the world. I could still feel his breath against my skin, the heat of his body pressed against mine as if he was still holding me close.A soft smile tugged at my lips. Maybe he was still close? I shifted to see, but the warmth next to me was gone. I reache
Chapter 103AricHours AgoHaving her on my chest, peacefully sleeping and feeling so comfortable, was one thing I missed. It had just been days, but it felt as though it had been years, like it had been a very long time since I had her this close to me. It had been a while since she was this calm around me.Even though she was sleeping, I could still feel it—I could tell that she was calm.After Hailey came back and we drifted apart, I would check up on her during the nights, and most times, she would still be up, sometimes staring into the ceiling or talking to herself. I knew she was like that all because of what was happening between us, and I desperately wanted to go to her and make things right, but I just couldn’t.I watched her as she slept, her chest rising and falling gently. She was calm, and I could feel it. This was also the calmest and most comfortable I had been since Hailey got back. Being with her was so unbearable, but there wasn’t much I could do about it. I still n
Chapter 104 Aric I had never been more happy and excited for the day since Hailey came back into my life. The news I got yesterday had changed everything. It had revived the lost hope and pushed me towards my goal to claim Caelia as mine again. I couldn’t wait to go to work and have more private time with her. I had spent so much time away from her, I couldn’t deal with that again. I finished knotting my tie and putting on my suit jacket. I headed out of the room and halted when I reached the stairs, seeing Hailey in the main room, wearing a wedding gown—the exact same one from our wedding years ago. Seeing her like that sent images of our wedding flashing through my mind again. A garden wedding that had seemed so perfect because I thought I was with the right and perfect woman. Thinking about it now, I regret ever marrying her. I wish I could turn back the hands of time and never have married her. She was nothing but a money-driven bitch and a liar. What the hell was she doi
Chapter 105CaeliaI couldn’t believe my ears. How could all this happen in just the few hours I was asleep? I vividly remembered the sincerity in his eyes when he told me he wouldn’t leave me ever again. He promised to be with me, but now, what is this? What exactly is going on?How could he feign sincerity so perfectly? How could he hide his real intentions behind those words, and I didn’t even notice? How didn’t I see that he was lying? I bit my lip, trying hard to fight back the tears stinging my eyes. I thought we were back. I thought everything was going to be fine after I woke up. But this? This wasn’t what I wanted.He stopped my marriage with Ethan from happening, and now he was planning to marry Hailey again. Did this even make sense to him? It made absolutely no sense to me. I would even prefer marrying Ethan rather than watching Aric be with someone else, tying the knot with her.“We have a lot of preparations to do.” Hailey’s voice echoed in my ears, tearing through every
Chapter 106 Aric I had never been this scared in my entire life. The uncertainty and fear weighed on my heart, and my whole body trembled uncontrollably. What do I do? How do I find her? Where do I go looking for her? I buried my face in my hands and leaned on the car, unsure of what to do next or where to turn. Caelia had been kidnapped—the woman I love had been abducted by God knows who. The thought that it could be one of those mafia groups made my heart leap into my throat. They had been after us, and I couldn't imagine what they would do to Caelia. I had done everything I could to keep her and her mom safe, but it turns out all of my efforts were in vain. I even had to keep up with Hailey and take her back against my wishes, all in an attempt to protect Caelia. But now… now she had been taken. What do I do? How do I find her? I pulled out my phone, my hands shaking with fear, and was about to dial Aless’s number when I noticed a narrow path through the bushes by the
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