Emma's POV “Wow! What a grand welcome,” he chuckled, his arms tightening around me. “I didn’t know you missed me this much. If I had, I would’ve come back sooner.”“I wish you had,” I whispered against his chest. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? And how is your grandfather?”“He’s still the same,” Ryan said, his tone softening. “But I couldn’t miss this—being with you, seeing you in your element. So I came. I’ll stay for a few days, catch up on some work at the office here, and then head back. Maybe this time, you can come with me if things are better.”I nodded, my heart still racing from the surprise of seeing him. I couldn’t believe he was here—after all the stress and worry, after all the work, Ryan had made it back to me.Later that evening, we attended a small post-exhibition party, but despite the success and the elation I should have been feeling, I couldn’t shake an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. The day had taken its toll on me, and as the night wore on, I starte
Emma's POV “Ryan, please,” I gasped, feeling the heat rising in my cheeks, not from desire, but from the oncoming sickness. But he wasn’t listening. His hands were insistent, pulling me closer as if he could will me into wanting what he wanted.Before I knew it, the nausea won out, and I threw up—right on his chest.His reaction was immediate. He cursed under his breath and let go of me, standing back with a mixture of shock and disgust on his face. For a moment, he didn’t say anything, and then, without a word, he turned and stormed out of the room. I heard the door to the guest bedroom slam shut, and I was left alone, sick and bewildered.The next morning, I tried to explain. After a long shower and a bit of rest, I felt slightly better, but Ryan was still clearly annoyed. I could see it in the way he avoided my eyes and the tightness in his jaw when I tried to approach him.“Ryan, I’m sorry about last night,” I said softly, reaching for his hand. “I’ve been feeling so sick lately.
Emma's POV The receptionist greeted me with a polite smile and informed me that Ryan was in his office. I thanked her and made my way to the elevator, the prospect of seeing him and mending our strained relationship brightening my spirits.The elevator doors opened, and I walked down the corridor toward Ryan’s office. The corridor was unusually quiet, with only the soft hum of office equipment and the occasional murmur of distant conversations. I approached Ryan’s office door, feeling a mixture of eagerness and trepidation.When I arrived at his office, I was greeted by his assistant, who gave me a sympathetic smile as she showed me into Ryan’s private office. He was sitting behind his desk, frowning at his computer screen, clearly engrossed in whatever he was working on. He looked up when I entered, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of something—surprise, perhaps—cross his face. But then his expression shifted back to the same tired frustration I had seen that morning.“Emma,” he sa
Emma's POV The next few days were a blur of exhaustion and disappointment. I continued to feel unwell, the pregnancy symptoms making even simple tasks seem Herculean. Ryan was busy with the office and his grandfather’s condition, and our interactions were brief and strained. He seemed to be struggling to balance his professional life with the personal turmoil of his grandfather’s health, and my presence—my need for support and affection—seemed to only add to his stress.I did my best to be patient and to give him the space he needed while trying to manage my own emotional and physical well-being. I had scheduled follow-up appointments with my doctor, trying to stay on top of the health checks for both myself and the baby. But it was hard not to feel hurt by Ryan’s distance. He was preoccupied with his work and his family issues, and while I understood that he was under immense pressure, it didn’t make the situation any easier for me.One evening, as I sat alone in the living room, th
Emma's POV I remained frozen, my hands limp in my lap, staring at the space where he had been just moments ago. What had happened to him? To us? How had the man I thought I knew turned into this cold, insensitive stranger? He hadn’t always been like this. We had been in love once, hadn’t we? Or had I been fooling myself all along?A knot tightened in my stomach as his words replayed in my head. Abort the child for us, he had said, as though it were some minor inconvenience to rid ourselves of. My baby. Our baby. And yet, he wanted to erase it from existence as if it meant nothing. I blinked hard, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over. No. I would not cry. I would not allow myself that luxury.He’s just stressed, I reasoned with myself. He’s been acting strange ever since he returned from his grandfather’s. He must be overwhelmed with everything, that’s all. He doesn’t mean what he’s saying. He can’t. When things calm down, when I explain properly, surely he’ll see sen
Emma's POV Ryan was sprawled across the bed, his body tangled with another woman’s. His hands, the same hands that had once caressed me with tenderness, now gripped her with a lust I had never seen before. The woman—his secretary—let out a soft cry, but it was Ryan’s voice that hit me like a punch to the gut. The voice was hoarse and filled with lust. My heart ached. I felt as if my heart was being torn open!"Ryan...we shouldn’t...this isn't right... It’s not fair... It’s not fair for your wife...” the woman said. “She’s just a boring white swan,” he murmured, his voice filled with disdain. “How can she compete with a little devil like you? If it weren’t for her being the eldest daughter of the Wales family, and if I hadn’t needed to take revenge on her father, I never would’ve married her. Come, baby. Let's have another round...”His words were like shards of glass slicing through my heart. Revenge? It had all been for revenge? But why? Revenge of what? The weight of his betra
Emma's POV His shoulders slumped as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration, clearly grasping at anything that might offer him a reprieve. “I was… I was trying to escape from everything. The stress, the pressure, the health issues of my grandpa as well as you recently... I know it’s no excuse, but I made a terrible mistake. Please, Emma, just hear me out.”My heart felt as though it had been ripped from my chest. The tears I’d been holding back finally broke free, spilling down my cheeks as I shook my head in disbelief. “You had every chance to make things right, Ryan,” I said, my voice cracking. “You had every opportunity, to be honest with me, to be there for me. But instead, you chose this. You chose to betray me.”He reached out towards me, but I stepped back, the hurt too overwhelming to be ignored. “Emma, I’m so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I’ve been struggling, and I let my frustrations get the better of me. It was a horrible mistake.”“I don’t know if I can ever f
Emma's POV But as much as I wanted to scream, to lash out, I couldn’t. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me break. Instead, I turned and fled the apartment, my legs carrying me faster than I thought possible. My heart raced, my mind spinning with the horror of it all. How did it come to this? How had I been so blind?As I left the building, the cool night air hit my face, but it did nothing to numb the pain. My mind raced, replaying every moment, every word he had said. He wanted revenge. He wanted to destroy my father’s legacy, and now, it all made sense. He wanted to destroy everyone with my dad's blood flowing in their body... So even my child and I were a part of him... My child will also be a part of my dad's family. He had wanted me to abort the baby. My child—his child—was part of the family he despised.Is that why Ryan wanted me to abort...? It hit me like a ton of bricks. He had never wanted this child because it carried the blood of my father, the man he ha