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Chapter 172

Author: Sharbie
last update Last Updated: 2025-03-13 03:40:39

The Christmas lights twinkled softly in Serena’s living room, casting a warm glow over the space. Snow was falling gently outside, covering the city in a soft white blanket.

The smell of cinnamon and vanilla filled the air, courtesy of the cookies Emma had baked earlier. It was supposed to be a peaceful evening.

But Serena was anything but peaceful.

She sat on the couch, one hand resting on her very pregnant belly, while the other rubbed her forehead. She was exhausted.

Nine months.

She had managed to keep her pregnancy a complete secret for nine whole months.

It hadn’t been easy—working from home, avoiding public appearances, making sure no one suspected anything. Emma had done an amazing job shielding her from the world. Even now, as her due date crept closer, Serena still wasn’t ready for the world to know.

And most importantly, she wasn’t ready for Ryan to know.

She sighed, leaning back into the cushions. Amy was sitting on the floor in front of the Christmas tree, her li
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  • The Billionaire’s Christmas Surprise    Chapter 173

    The cold air of the ice rink bit at Ryan’s skin as he skated across the smooth surface, his breath coming out in white puffs. The crowd was cheering, the sound of sticks hitting the puck echoed through the large arena, and his teammates were yelling for him to pass the puck. But none of it registered. His mind was somewhere else. Or rather, with someone else. Serena. The moment Amy’s innocent little voice had blurted out the truth over the phone, Ryan had felt the world shift beneath his feet. She had been carrying his child for nine months. Nine months. And she hadn’t told him. The thought kept slamming into him like a freight train, making his grip on his hockey stick tighten, his movements stiff and uncoordinated. “Ryan, focus!” Ethan’s voice rang from behind him. Ryan barely heard him. Ethan must have noticed, because the next thing he knew, his best friend skated up beside him and knocked him hard on the shoulder. “Dude, what’s wrong with you? You look like you jus

    Last Updated : 2025-03-13
  • The Billionaire’s Christmas Surprise    Chapter 174

    Ryan’s heart was pounding in his chest, but he forced his feet to move. He had stood frozen for too long. Serena still hadn’t seen him. She was focused on breathing through her contractions, her hand gripping the railing as she took slow steps forward. His throat was dry. His palms were sweaty. But he couldn’t waste another second. “Serena.” The moment he spoke, she froze. Her body tensed, her grip on the railing tightening. Slowly—so slowly—she turned her head toward him. Her eyes widened, her lips parting slightly. “Ryan?” Ryan exhaled sharply. God, she was beautiful. Even in a hospital gown, with exhaustion written all over her face, she looked like the most stunning thing he had ever seen. His chest tightened. She was about to give birth to his child. And she had tried to keep it from him. “Why?” His voice was hoarse, raw with emotion. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Serena immediately turned away. “Not now, Ryan,” she muttered, trying to keep walking. But Ryan wasn’t le

    Last Updated : 2025-03-13
  • The Billionaire’s Christmas Surprise    Chapter 1

    Serena’s POVI stormed into my flat and slammed the door behind me. "Damn it!" I yelled, throwing my bag across the room. Tears distorted my vision as I paced the living room, the agony in my chest excruciating. “How could Ryan have done this to me? Why now?" I muttered as tears streamed down my face. It was only meant to be a contract, but finding out Ryan was cheating on me with Kate, his first love from college, hurt more than I could have imagined. I hoped that over time, he would develop feelings for me. But suddenly, those expectations were dashed. We had only been married for six months, as part of a deal to assist him regain control of his firm.Ryan and I attended the same college. I was merely Ryan's friend, despite my desire for more. I adored him, but he was seeing someone else. I felt lucky when Ryan's uncle, who had been managing Ryan's firm on his behalf, asked that he marry so that his company could be passed back to him after college. Ryan had no choice but to

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  • The Billionaire’s Christmas Surprise    Chapter 2

    5 YEARS LATERSerena’s POVI walked into my bright, sunny workplace at Rocky’s Designs. The walls were painted a light yellow, and the shelves were filled with sketches and small flower pots. My large desk was at the centre, with a window behind it showing the city skyline. This was my firm. I developed it from the ground up, using only a few ideas and a lot of hard labour. "Good morning, Miss Serena!" Emma, my assistant, said with a wide smile as she entered behind me. She held a cup of coffee for me. “Good morning, Emma,” I said, taking the cup. “Thank you. Do we have a busy day today?""Oh, yes," she replied, gazing at her tab. “You have a meeting at 10 with the marketing team, a call with a client at 11, and a lunch meeting with Mr. Hayes." “Mr. Hayes?" I enquired, lifting an eyebrow. Emma nodded. "He wants to discuss the new project." I sighed, yet smiled. “Alright, let's get to it." As I sat down, I looked at the photograph on my desk. It was a picture of my four-year

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    Ryan's POV I left Rocky's Designs that day with my head racing. It had to be her. The name on the desk; Serena Winthrop. It was not a coincidence. Could the little girl be Serena's daughter? I could not quit thinking about her. We shared a past. How things ended drastically. And now, five years later, she is running a profitable business and maybe raising a child. I shook my head as I considered the child who could be—No, I needed answers and would get them. The following day, I arrived at the company early, determined to see her. I had a meeting with her staff to discuss a potential collaboration, but I wasn't going to finalise anything until I saw Serena.I wanted to know if she was the CEO and, more crucially, if the little girl was her daughter. The meeting started in a huge conference room. Her employees seemed eager to impress me, pitching ideas and tactics for how our companies could collaborate. But my attention was elsewhere. “Mr. Winters," one of them said, nervo

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  • The Billionaire’s Christmas Surprise    Chapter 4

    Ryan's POV The drive to the hospital was tense. Serena sat stiffly in the passenger seat, clutching her phone like a lifeline. She kept looking at it, her lips pulled together. I wanted to reassure her, but I wasn't sure how. “What hospital?" I enquired, breaking the stillness. “Private Children's Hospital," she answered, her voice clipped. I nodded and sped up. We got to the hospital in record time. Serena got out of the car before I could turn off the engine, her heels clicking rapidly against the sidewalk as she rushed inside. I followed closely, unable to stop the sinking feeling in my chest.At the front desk, she enquired about her daughter with a mix of worry and authority. “Amy Winthrop. "Where is she?" “Room 208," the receptionist replied.Serena did not wait for any additional information. She turned and ran down the corridor, her urgency drawing me along. When we arrived at the front of the room, she came to a sudden halt and turned to me. Her eyes were full of c

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  • The Billionaire’s Christmas Surprise    Chapter 5

    Ryan sat in his car a few houses down from where Serena had parked, his hands firmly grasping the steering wheel.The small home, with its well manicured plants and comforting lights lighting inside, told him one thing; Serena had made her life here without him.He wasn't sure what to expect, but seeing the house triggered a peculiar combination of emotions; shame and longing. He watched Serena gently carry a sleeping Amy into the house. The sight of his daughter caused his chest to hurt. He had missed so much, years of her life that he couldn't reclaim. But right now, he wasn't there for Amy. He needed to see Serena.Ryan waited until the lights in the house darkened, then calculated how long it would take Serena to tuck Amy into bed. His mind raced, and memories of their time together came flooding back. When they were only pals, her laughter would lighten even his worst days. After they married, she gazed at him as if he were her entire universe. But then, he had thrown every

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  • The Billionaire’s Christmas Surprise    Chapter 6

    Ryan returned to his apartment in the early morning hours, the sun just beginning to rise. His head felt heavy, and his body ached from the intensity of the emotions that had surged through him last night. As he entered his apartment, he froze. Kate was sitting on the couch, her legs crossed, her arms folded tightly against her chest, glaring at him.“How did you get in?” Ryan asked, his voice strained, still reeling from the night he had spent with Serena.Kate’s gaze flickered with annoyance as she stood up, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor.“Your mother gave me the spare key. I’ve been waiting for you. Where the hell have you been, Ryan? You were supposed to be at my place last night!” She leaned forward, her tone demanding. Ryan closed the door behind him and let out a long sigh. He didn’t want to deal with this right now. He just wanted to go to bed. “I was at the office. You know how it is. Long night. Lots of work.”Kate’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t imm

    Last Updated : 2025-01-31

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  • The Billionaire’s Christmas Surprise    Chapter 174

    Ryan’s heart was pounding in his chest, but he forced his feet to move. He had stood frozen for too long. Serena still hadn’t seen him. She was focused on breathing through her contractions, her hand gripping the railing as she took slow steps forward. His throat was dry. His palms were sweaty. But he couldn’t waste another second. “Serena.” The moment he spoke, she froze. Her body tensed, her grip on the railing tightening. Slowly—so slowly—she turned her head toward him. Her eyes widened, her lips parting slightly. “Ryan?” Ryan exhaled sharply. God, she was beautiful. Even in a hospital gown, with exhaustion written all over her face, she looked like the most stunning thing he had ever seen. His chest tightened. She was about to give birth to his child. And she had tried to keep it from him. “Why?” His voice was hoarse, raw with emotion. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Serena immediately turned away. “Not now, Ryan,” she muttered, trying to keep walking. But Ryan wasn’t le

  • The Billionaire’s Christmas Surprise    Chapter 173

    The cold air of the ice rink bit at Ryan’s skin as he skated across the smooth surface, his breath coming out in white puffs. The crowd was cheering, the sound of sticks hitting the puck echoed through the large arena, and his teammates were yelling for him to pass the puck. But none of it registered. His mind was somewhere else. Or rather, with someone else. Serena. The moment Amy’s innocent little voice had blurted out the truth over the phone, Ryan had felt the world shift beneath his feet. She had been carrying his child for nine months. Nine months. And she hadn’t told him. The thought kept slamming into him like a freight train, making his grip on his hockey stick tighten, his movements stiff and uncoordinated. “Ryan, focus!” Ethan’s voice rang from behind him. Ryan barely heard him. Ethan must have noticed, because the next thing he knew, his best friend skated up beside him and knocked him hard on the shoulder. “Dude, what’s wrong with you? You look like you jus

  • The Billionaire’s Christmas Surprise    Chapter 172

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  • The Billionaire’s Christmas Surprise    Chapter 171

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  • The Billionaire’s Christmas Surprise    Chapter 168

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  • The Billionaire’s Christmas Surprise    Chapter 166

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