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Chapter 040
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The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 041
Betrayal UnmaskedWith the shot, the first echo rumbled through the restaurant, and the rest of the world fell away from Isabelle. The screams that suddenly filled the air—what had once been an elegant dining room turned into panic, pure and absolute chaos. She felt a vice grip on her arm, tugging her in the direction of the kitchen."Move!" Morris's voice was a knife through all the noise—knife-edged, sharp, commanding.Instinct wrestled through Isabelle. Trust Morris? Run? Her gaze darted to Hawthorne. His face was twisted masquerade of rage. In that half second, she made her choice, allowing Morris to drag her through the panicked crowd.The doors of the kitchen burst open when they stumbled inside. Staff who had been huddled in fear scattered from their paths. Morris didn't slow, tugging Isabelle toward the back exit."Morris, what's going on?" she panted, as she struggled to keep up with him."The operation's been blown," he panted back. "Somebody tipped Hawthorne. We aren't safe
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 042
Hearts in TurmoilIsabelle stood at the large windows in the Fernandez mansion, looking out over the city skyline, though in her head, it was a tumble of emotions throwing her off balance as they ran externally to one another. The last couple of weeks had been a rollercoaster ride of emotions: Carlos's exoneration and Carlos's coming home had been a mix of relief and unexpected tension.She stood there, unconsciously rubbing her distended stomach, feeling the light movements of the child within. Gone were this child, once free, that epitomized her desperate bid for motherhood; they were replaced by a tangle of complicated relationships and unresolved feelings."Penny for your thoughts?" His voice broke into her reverie as Carlos caught up with her, curling his arms around her to lay his hands protectively over hers on her stomach.Isabelle managed a smile and leaned back into his embrace. "Just thinking about how much it has all change," she murmured.Carlos kissed her head. "Change i
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 043
Cracks in the FacadeOn the soles of her shoes, Isabelle smoothed at her silken dress as her eyes darted from one face to the next around their dinner guests. This was supposed to be a celebration party, all revolving around Carlos's exonerated state and his return to business as usual, but it felt like a powder keg ready for a spark."More wine, darling?" It was honey-sweet, the tone alone as sensual as the feel of his hand resting possessively on the small of her back, leaning close. She shook her head and forced a smile. "No, thank you. I'm trying to avoid too much alcohol, for the babies' sake."Carlos nodded assent, but the flicker of suspicion in his eyes was not lost on Isabelle. It was hawk-eyed watching since their fight about the Maldives trip—this new edge of desperation to his love.As Carlos sidled off to join one of his business friends, Isabelle's eyes pursued around the room until they fell upon a sight far too familiar. Her heart stopped for a beat as Morris seized he
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 044
Breaking PointTension filled Fernandez Mansion as Isabelle paced back and forth across the living room, her hands nervously cradling her swollen belly. She had kept out of Carlos's way all day, but there was no hiding from what was about to happen now—the impending confrontation that loomed above them like a threatening storm cloud. It had been grueling on her nerves for the past couple of weeks, and she felt like she was walking on eggshells around her home.Carlos strode in, his eyes flashing with hurt and anger. "We need to talk," he said very low, yet shaking with restraint. Isabelle took a deep breath, bracing her chest for what was to come. "Yes, we do," she replied softly."I saw you with Morris last night," Carlos began, his words clipped and accusing. "Don't even try to deny it. You were laughing, touching his arm. I saw the way you looked at him."Isabelle felt a spurt of anger. "We were just talking, Carlos. He's been helping me understand some of the legal implications of
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 045
Choices and ConsequencesThis sterile hospital waiting room was, to Carlos and Morris, a prison. Hours ago, Isabelle had been rushed into emergency surgery, and there still was no news. Here were two men who once were bitter enemies against each other now bonded by anxiety and fear for the woman they both loved.Carlos paced relentlessly; a man normally immaculate was now rumpled, his eyes red-rimmed from unshed tears. Morris sat rigidly in an uncomfortable plastic chair, his hands clasped so tightly that the knuckles turned white."This is all my fault," he mumbled finally, breaking a tense silence. "If I hadn't confronted her, if I had just kept my jealousy in check."The vulnerability in Carlos's openness tipped Morris's face upwards in surprise. "You can't blame yourself," he said softly. "Complications can happen in any pregnancy."Carlos turned to him then, a mix of gratitude and lingering suspicion etched on his face. "Why are you here, Morris? After everything that has happene
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 046
Uneasy ReconciliationStepping across the corridor, leaving the harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital across his path, Carlos strode up and down. With every pace, his glossy, designer shoes scuffed at the shiny, polished linoleum floor. It was as if every step he made required great effort to execute; his strides felt heavy from the weight brought upon him by the recent events.Dr. Kim had just emerged from the operating room, slightly fatigued, with that slight tinge of relief. "Mr. Fernandez," she called out, and Carlos whirled around, feeling the thump of his heartbeat in his chest. "Isabelle?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "She's stable," Dr. Kim said with a slight smile. "We managed to stop the bleeding. She is in recovery now."Carlos let out the shaking breath he had been holding and felt his knees weaken at the thought of the baby. "And the baby?""Your son's doing fine," replied Dr. Kim. "He is in the NICU but has good vitals. He is a fighter, just like his m
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 047
Through the kitchen window, Morris watched seven-year-old Jacob Jr. kicking a soccer ball around the backyard. He seemed to have no regard for the fact that the sun was already below the horizon. Bursts of laughter from the young boy resounded in the air and, for one moment, it didn't lose the ability to warm up Morris's heart in light of the complicated arrangement of their family.A rap at the door drew Morris out of his reverie. Allison entered, her face pulled into equal parts exhaustion and determination. "Hey," she said softly. "How was he today?"Morris came up with a tired smile. "Good. We worked on his math homework, then he wanted to practice soccer. He's getting pretty good."The silence was awkward between them, heavy with unspoken words and lingering resentments. It was now seven years since this co-parenting arrangement was established, yet all of the hurdles seemed sometimes to never be totally out of the way."Jacob's coming by tomorrow to take him to the science museu
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 048
It had been an inundation of emotions and realizations during the past couple of months, after which Carlos stood more vulnerable than he ever did. He realized that it was time for him to right his misdeeds with Isabelle, to show her the man he really wanted to be.He took a deep breath and then dialed his assistant. "Anna, need you to clear my schedule for the next week, and book two tickets to Bora Bora. Whatever's most exclusive you find."As he hung up the phone, doubt crawled in like a shadow. Would Isabelle even accept his invitation? Things with her had been strained of late. Their relationship was barely hanging by a thread, but he had to try.That evening, Carlos went home earlier than usual, carrying a bouquet with Isabelle's favorite flowers—lilies. He met her in the nursery, gently swaying their babies, Sophia and Alex, to sleep."Isabelle," he whispered, not to wake up the kids or her. "Can we talk?"She looked up in evident surprise. It was not very often that Carlos man
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The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 86
The End Morris sighed and looked at the floor, “Carlos, I. . . I owe you an apology.” He was feeling regretful standing in front of the Fernandez family’s large living room. ”I’ve been wrong about you for far too long. ” The man, who once was called the ruthless billionaire Carlos Fernandez, stared at Morris in surprise. The passage of time had made him bitter and a little less cruel; the man had a glimmer of humanity in his gaze. "Morris, we have both sinned, and maybe it is time that we let that go, and start afresh." ,. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . Two days later, there was a tense atmosphere in the Fernandez mansion as the family got ready for the last day in court. Isabelle walked around the room, her twins, Sophia and Alex watched their mother with concern. They were teenagers, still they were not dumb enough not to feel the gravity of the situation although not wise enough to understand it fully. “Mommy, are we going to be okay?” Sophia asked, her face registered with concer
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 85
Price of Redemption In the airport lounge as they waited for their flight back home, Carlos turned to Isabelle, out of the blue it seemed, deadly serious."We need to talk, Isabelle," he said, with the voice just loud enough despite the background noise of the terminal.Isabelle put down her magazine, knowing whatever he would say next carried weight. "What is it, Carlos?"He paused again and looked over to the kids, who were all busy with their phones and snacks, apparently noticing nothing of the tension palpably drawn between their parents. Then he turned back to Isabelle, his fierce gaze softening. "This trip. I realize now more than ever how much we have run away from facing things. I mean, we have been so ensnared with the trial, that we paid no heed to how much we needed each other."Slowly, Isabelle nodded and put the magazine aside. Of course they would have had to discuss it sometime. This vacation had been an escape route for the time being, but they had not been able to
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 84
Isabelle's POV A Change of SceneryCarlos had grown distant and busy, and Isabelle could barely remember the last time that they had really spoken.The children were affected by this too—reportedly. Alex, who was otherwise so cheerful and full of life, grew into a quiet individual who spent more time in his room compared to before. Sophia watched her parents with a worried look in her eyes, which seemed to pick up on an air of tension.She knew something had to give. They couldn't go on much longer this way, dancing around each other and barely holding together as a family unit. One evening while they sat around the dinner table almost in complete silence, Isabelle cleared her throat to speak."I think we need a break," she said, her voice slicing through the tension. "A real break. I've booked us a vacation; just the four of us. We leave tomorrow." Carlos's head jerked up from over his plate, his eyes flashing with surprise. "A vacation? Now? Isabelle, with the trial coming up, I d
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 83
Double CrossIsabelle's POV While Carlos and I pretty much were picking our way carefully through a brittle truce, truth got entangled—an undercurrents of mistrust and suspicion run too deep underneath.Morris was back in our lives, busy with Carlos, planning an appeal that hung over us all like the sword of Damocles. I played the supportive wife, but my stomach twisted with each glimpse of the two of them huddled together in strategy sessions. Not to forget Allison—always there to remind me things were not just as they seemed.Somehow, Allison had wormed her way back into Carlos's favor. Now, she just made herself useful in ways that left me wondering at her motives. There wasn't much I could do, though, I didn't have a lot to argue with results for. We needed all the help we could get.Yet something in the way she smiled at Morris, maybe something about it, in her eyes' glitter, when she thought herself unobserved jarred on me. I could see that she was plotting something. I only wo
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 82
Unlikely AlliesIsabelle's POV As I came home after the trial, the silence was palpable. Carlos and I had sort of reached a compromise to work things out, but the chasm of distance between us now seemed larger than before. We tiptoed around each other, trying not to detonate the fights that had become all too frequent. The weight of everything that had happened hung over us like a dark cloud, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to give.It was late in the day, but I found Carlos in his study, nursing a glass of whiskey. His face seemed to hold more etchings of worry lines than even a few days ago. Hesitating at the door, unsure if I should intrude, before I could retreat he looked up and caught my gaze."Isabelle," he said, his voice soft, almost vulnerable. "Come in."I walked into the room and sensed the tension in the air. "What's on your mind?" I inquired, attempting to keep my tone light.Carlos let out a sigh and raked a hand over his hair. "It's everythin
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 81
Hidden AgendasIsabelle's POV The silence was so thick, so palpable, you could cut it with a knife in that courtroom. Then the voice of the judge finally broke the quiet, reading the verdict. It was almost as though time had slowed down—draggy, very long words. There it was, folks; the last words: "Not guilty." The disbelief was hard to digest. Wave upon wave of relief washed over me, and then I was numb the next moment.We had finally won, and we were clean for sure this time. But something didn't feel quite right in this wave of relief. What was wrong?Carlos turned to me with a mix of victory and exhaustion on his face. "We did it," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion.I nodded to him with a try at a smile. "Yeah, we did."In a flash, Morris was beaming reassuringly upon Carlos, shaking his hand, and at my side. "That is a victory for all of us," he declared, quite assured and composed in voice but with eyes that gave a flicker, the very doubt which was gnawing at me.As
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 80
Courtroom DramaIsabelle's POV Carlos had already been downstairs in his suit, impeccable, with an artfully done-up tie, sitting at the kitchen table with an empty, long stare into his coffee. His suit was impeccable, the tie artfully neat, but in his eyes, I could feel the tension. This trial was getting to all of us, I thought, but with Carlos, it felt like it was bearing down on him the most."Ready?" I asked softly, trying to sound surer than I was.He looked up at me then, his expression a mix of determination and exhaustion. "As ready as I'll ever be."We rode to the courthouse in dangerous, silent words. I felt there was some unseen poison spreading between the two of us. The pressure of our relationship overworked by the months tugged tighter and tighter until finally, the impending trial was just enough. Across the chasm in my mind, stretching between us, I could feel the impossible divide to bridge; at least that was what I felt right now.By the time we got there, the cou
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 79
Race Against TimeIsabelle's POV Among other things, this document we just received was something game -changing, this last bit of evidence, which would finally shift the tide in our favor. But as much as it brought hope, it also put an immense sense of urgency into the situation. We knew our opponents—all those dark figures who had set this whole scandal up in the first place would move heaven and earth to discredit or suppress it. Every second counted.That evening, we all sat in the living room. The air was heavy with tension; the fear was unsaid. I could see the worry etched on everyone's faces: Carlos, Jack, Sophia, Alex, even Morris, who had rapidly turned into an indispensable part of our efforts."We have to authenticate this evidence now," Morris said, his voice steady, but urgent. "If we don't, they'll find a way to discredit it before we can ever present it." Carlos leaned forward, his elbows propped on his knees, and deep stress lines etched on his face. "Do we have the
The Unexpected Surrogate for the Ruthless Billionaire Chapter 78
Damage ControlIsabelle's POVHere I was in my old familiar role as the squall of accusation and scandal reared its ugly head all over again, trying to hold everything together. An apparent impulsive act on the part of Carlos to issue a press statement without consulting any of us boomeranged. Far from quietening the rumors, it stirred the embers and set them even higher in the public perception of our family.Early the next day, the dawn was breaking right after the news along with a hundred calls, emails, and messages. In my mind, a thousand thoughts raced, but then I realized that I really had no time to panic; I needed to act."Carlos, we need to talk. I almost bumped into each of his study doors. His eyes were black with fatigue, his features etched with stress. The weight of the world seemed to be sitting on his shoulders."What's there to talk about, Isabelle? The damage is done."I took the deep breath of courage to say, "Yes, but we can still manage the narrative. We can't le
