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Chapter 36 – Confrontation in the Shadows
Last Updated:
2025-01-03 01:58:02
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Ties of a Contract Chapter 37 – On the Edge of Truth
AlexanderThe fluorescent hospital lights seem colder and crueler than they should. The sharp smell of alcohol and disinfectant invades my senses as I stride down the corridors with firm steps, but an uncontrollable, frantic heart.Each beat echoes like a drum in my chest while Dominic's words replay in my mind: "Sophia fainted. She's in the hospital."The mere thought of something happening to her or the baby tears me apart inside. My mind, already exhausted by doubts and conflicts, cannot endure another second of uncertainty."Alexander Hawthorne?" A nurse approaches me in the hallway, holding a clipboard."Yes, that's me! Where is Sophia? Is she okay? Is the baby okay?" My voice comes out louder than I intended, but I can't control my tone."Calm down, Mr. Hawthorne. Your wife is stable. She only had a drop in blood pressure, something common in the early stages of pregnancy. She's resting now, but everything is under control."I close my eyes for a moment, trying to draw air into
Last Updated : 2025-01-04Ties of a Contract Chapter 38 – Refuge in Silence
AlexanderThe days following the hospital visit pass like a blur of meticulously planned routine. Every morning, I wake up early and ensure Sophia has everything she needs. Breakfast is carefully prepared, following the nutritionist’s recommendations, and I personally deliver it on a tray, with a rose on the side, every single morning.Sophia looks paler than usual, but her eyes seem lighter. She’s spent so much time carrying the burden of Olivia’s lies, Eleanor’s manipulations, and, above all, the weight of my own doubts. Now, my priority is to ensure nothing else hurts her.Today, I enter the room with the tray while she’s sitting in the armchair near the window, a laptop on her lap. The soft morning sunlight bathes her face, and for a moment, I stop to admire the scene."Good morning," I say softly.Sophia lifts her gaze and gives me a shy smile."Good morning."I set the tray on the side table next to her."I hope you're hungry. I made sure they prepared something light but nutrit
Last Updated : 2025-01-05Ties of a Contract Chapter 39 – The Abyss Between Us
AlexanderThe white envelope rests on the coffee table like a bomb about to explode. The edges are slightly crumpled, reflecting the weight of what they carry. Dominic stands beside me, but he says nothing. The silence in the room feels almost physical—thick, suffocating.My hands tremble as I break the seal and pull out the DNA test results. My heart pounds in my chest, my lungs can’t seem to draw in enough air. Every printed letter on the paper seems to glow under the cold light of the desk lamp.Negative result. There is no genetic compatibility between Alexander Hawthorne and the fetus in question.The words pierce my chest like daggers. For a moment, the world around me goes silent. Dominic mutters something I can’t catch. My vision blurs, my mind struggles to process the brutal reality stamped on the paper."Alexander…" Dominic tries to speak again, but I raise my hand, cutting him off."Leave," I say, my voice rough and broken.He hesitates but obeys, leaving the office and clo
Last Updated : 2025-01-06Ties of a Contract Chapter 40 - Divided Paths
SophiaThe result is still engraved in my mind, like an immutable sentence that echoes endlessly. The cold, direct words on the paper, followed by Alexander's devastated look, still burn on my skin like a branding iron."Another mistake, Sophia? In how many of these mistakes will you be the innocent one?"Each syllable was a blow. Each pause, a knife digging deeper into my chest. I never, never had been with another man besides him after we got married. But now, doubt has poisoned everything we built, and there's nothing more I can do to convince him otherwise.My fingers tremble as I close the zipper of my suitcase for the last time. The room that was once my refuge now feels like a prison. The walls oppress me, the scent of his perfume is still on the pillow, on the clothes, in every corner of this space that, for a brief moment, was our home.A tear runs down my face as I look around one last time. It's funny how, in just a few seconds, a place can transform from a home into a fare
Last Updated : 2025-01-07Ties of a Contract Chapter 41 – Between Broken Lines
AlexanderThe silence in the penthouse is deafening. The panoramic windows reveal the city outside, bright and bustling, but inside everything feels stagnant, dead. My only company is the echo of my own thoughts and the nearly empty whiskey bottle beside me.Every sip that burns down my throat feels like acid, but not enough to erase the image of Sophia walking away, her eyes filled with tears and her voice breaking as she said, "I know this baby is yours. Even if any damned test says otherwise."Those words haunt me. They’ve clung to my skin like scars that will never fade.The ultrasound she left on the bed is now in my hand. The blurred image of the small being who was supposed to be our child consumes me from the inside out. I close my eyes and press my forehead against the cold paper. I failed her. I failed the baby. I failed myself.A soft knock on the door interrupts my torment."Alexander?" It’s Dominic. His voice is full of caution but also firm."Go away, Dominic," I say, my
Last Updated : 2025-01-08Ties of a Contract Chapter 42 - Two Hearts, One Destiny
SophiaThe sound of dishes clattering echoes through the small café kitchen. Steam rises from the pans, and the heavy aroma of grease mingles with the sweet scent of freshly brewed coffee. My white T-shirt, already tight due to my growing belly, is smeared with tomato sauce, but I barely notice. My fingers tremble as I try to balance two cups of coffee and a tray of pie slices."Sophia! Table three has been waiting for five minutes!" shouts my boss, Mr. Garret, a man in his fifties with a thick mustache and a stern look."I'm coming!" I reply, trying to keep my voice steady.Sweat drips down the back of my neck as I weave between the cramped tables, a practiced smile plastered on my face. With every step, I feel the tension in my belly beneath the apron. I'm only a few weeks along, but it already feels like I'm carrying a heavy weight. Maybe it’s the worry. Maybe it’s the fear.Earlier today, before my shift started, I went to the doctor for a routine ultrasound. The doctor's words st
Last Updated : 2025-01-09Ties of a Contract Chapter 43 – Between Wounds and Promises
Chapter 43 – Between Wounds and PromisesSophiaAlexander stands in the middle of my tiny living room, a displaced figure in this cramped and simple space. He looks like a giant in a world not made for him. His broad shoulders slump, his eyes are tired, and there is a weight of guilt so heavy on him that I can almost touch it.I cross my arms over my chest, more out of instinct for self-protection than anything else. My belly is already starting to show under my loose T-shirt, and I feel an extra burden as I try to stand firm before him.“So you needed proof, Alexander,” I say, my voice coming out firmer than I expected. “You needed to investigate, seek documents, confront people… to believe me. When from the start it was so obvious who was behind everything.”He lowers his head, his shoulders drooping even further. The image of the powerful, relentless man he has always been crumbles before my eyes.“Sophia, I…” He lifts his head, and his blue eyes meet mine, filled with regret. “I w
Last Updated : 2025-01-10Ties of a Contract Chapter 44 – Confrontation
Chapter 44 – ConfrontationSophiaThe silence in the penthouse is almost comforting. For the first time in weeks, I feel like I can breathe without the weight of the world crushing my chest. I’m sitting on the couch, holding a cup of hot tea in my hands, while Alexander works in the next room. He insists that I rest, but my mind won’t stop. I’m still getting used to being back here, to the familiar smell of this place, to the memories it holds.I place one hand on my belly and close my eyes. There are two of them. Two little hearts beating inside me. The responsibility scares me, but it also gives me the strength to keep going.The sound of the doorbell echoes through the living room, and my tranquility vanishes like smoke.“I’ll get it!” I call out, before one of the security guards can interfere.I walk over to the door and open it, but I regret it the instant I do.Leo.He’s there, his face flushed, his eyes red with anger and perhaps something else. Alcohol? He looks different, mo
Last Updated : 2025-01-11
Latest chapter
Ties of a Contract Chapter 45 – Olivia’s Fury
SophiaThe afternoon sun softly filters through the large windows, bathing the living room in a golden light. I’m sitting on the couch with a book open on my lap, but I can’t focus on the words. I’ve tried to write as well, but nothing comes to mind. My fingers slide instinctively over my belly, trying to soothe the anxiety that never seems to fully vanish.Alexander left early for a series of important meetings. I told him to go without worry, assuring him I’d be fine. And I am. At least, I was until now.The intercom rings, breaking the silence. I stand up slowly and walk to the device.“Mrs. Hawthorne?” The doorman’s hesitant voice comes through. “There’s a woman here saying she’d like to speak with you. She introduced herself as Olivia Sinclair.”My heart stops for a second. Olivia.“She said she’s here in… peace,” the doorman quickly adds.Part of me screams to send her away. To not let her set foot here again. But another, more rational part believes that maybe she truly has com
Ties of a Contract Chapter 45 – Olivia’s Fury
SophiaThe afternoon sun softly filters through the wide windows, bathing the living room in a golden light. I’m sitting on the couch, with a book open on my lap, but I can’t focus on the words. I also tried writing, but nothing comes to mind. My fingers instinctively move over my belly, trying to calm the anxiety that never fully goes away.Alexander left early for a series of important meetings. I told him to go without worrying, assuring him I would be fine. And I am. At least, I was until now.The intercom rings, breaking the silence. I get up slowly and walk over to the device.“Mrs. Hawthorne?” The doorman’s hesitant voice comes through. “There’s a woman here saying she wants to speak with you. She introduced herself as Olivia Sinclair.”My heart stops for a second. Olivia.“She said she’s here in… peace,” the doorman adds quickly.Part of me screams to send her away. Not to let her set foot inside here again. But another part, more rational, thinks maybe she really has come to
Ties of a Contract Chapter 44 – Confrontation
Chapter 44 – ConfrontationSophiaThe silence in the penthouse is almost comforting. For the first time in weeks, I feel like I can breathe without the weight of the world crushing my chest. I’m sitting on the couch, holding a cup of hot tea in my hands, while Alexander works in the next room. He insists that I rest, but my mind won’t stop. I’m still getting used to being back here, to the familiar smell of this place, to the memories it holds.I place one hand on my belly and close my eyes. There are two of them. Two little hearts beating inside me. The responsibility scares me, but it also gives me the strength to keep going.The sound of the doorbell echoes through the living room, and my tranquility vanishes like smoke.“I’ll get it!” I call out, before one of the security guards can interfere.I walk over to the door and open it, but I regret it the instant I do.Leo.He’s there, his face flushed, his eyes red with anger and perhaps something else. Alcohol? He looks different, mo
Ties of a Contract Chapter 43 – Between Wounds and Promises
Chapter 43 – Between Wounds and PromisesSophiaAlexander stands in the middle of my tiny living room, a displaced figure in this cramped and simple space. He looks like a giant in a world not made for him. His broad shoulders slump, his eyes are tired, and there is a weight of guilt so heavy on him that I can almost touch it.I cross my arms over my chest, more out of instinct for self-protection than anything else. My belly is already starting to show under my loose T-shirt, and I feel an extra burden as I try to stand firm before him.“So you needed proof, Alexander,” I say, my voice coming out firmer than I expected. “You needed to investigate, seek documents, confront people… to believe me. When from the start it was so obvious who was behind everything.”He lowers his head, his shoulders drooping even further. The image of the powerful, relentless man he has always been crumbles before my eyes.“Sophia, I…” He lifts his head, and his blue eyes meet mine, filled with regret. “I w
Ties of a Contract Chapter 42 - Two Hearts, One Destiny
SophiaThe sound of dishes clattering echoes through the small café kitchen. Steam rises from the pans, and the heavy aroma of grease mingles with the sweet scent of freshly brewed coffee. My white T-shirt, already tight due to my growing belly, is smeared with tomato sauce, but I barely notice. My fingers tremble as I try to balance two cups of coffee and a tray of pie slices."Sophia! Table three has been waiting for five minutes!" shouts my boss, Mr. Garret, a man in his fifties with a thick mustache and a stern look."I'm coming!" I reply, trying to keep my voice steady.Sweat drips down the back of my neck as I weave between the cramped tables, a practiced smile plastered on my face. With every step, I feel the tension in my belly beneath the apron. I'm only a few weeks along, but it already feels like I'm carrying a heavy weight. Maybe it’s the worry. Maybe it’s the fear.Earlier today, before my shift started, I went to the doctor for a routine ultrasound. The doctor's words st
Ties of a Contract Chapter 41 – Between Broken Lines
AlexanderThe silence in the penthouse is deafening. The panoramic windows reveal the city outside, bright and bustling, but inside everything feels stagnant, dead. My only company is the echo of my own thoughts and the nearly empty whiskey bottle beside me.Every sip that burns down my throat feels like acid, but not enough to erase the image of Sophia walking away, her eyes filled with tears and her voice breaking as she said, "I know this baby is yours. Even if any damned test says otherwise."Those words haunt me. They’ve clung to my skin like scars that will never fade.The ultrasound she left on the bed is now in my hand. The blurred image of the small being who was supposed to be our child consumes me from the inside out. I close my eyes and press my forehead against the cold paper. I failed her. I failed the baby. I failed myself.A soft knock on the door interrupts my torment."Alexander?" It’s Dominic. His voice is full of caution but also firm."Go away, Dominic," I say, my
Ties of a Contract Chapter 40 - Divided Paths
SophiaThe result is still engraved in my mind, like an immutable sentence that echoes endlessly. The cold, direct words on the paper, followed by Alexander's devastated look, still burn on my skin like a branding iron."Another mistake, Sophia? In how many of these mistakes will you be the innocent one?"Each syllable was a blow. Each pause, a knife digging deeper into my chest. I never, never had been with another man besides him after we got married. But now, doubt has poisoned everything we built, and there's nothing more I can do to convince him otherwise.My fingers tremble as I close the zipper of my suitcase for the last time. The room that was once my refuge now feels like a prison. The walls oppress me, the scent of his perfume is still on the pillow, on the clothes, in every corner of this space that, for a brief moment, was our home.A tear runs down my face as I look around one last time. It's funny how, in just a few seconds, a place can transform from a home into a fare
Ties of a Contract Chapter 39 – The Abyss Between Us
AlexanderThe white envelope rests on the coffee table like a bomb about to explode. The edges are slightly crumpled, reflecting the weight of what they carry. Dominic stands beside me, but he says nothing. The silence in the room feels almost physical—thick, suffocating.My hands tremble as I break the seal and pull out the DNA test results. My heart pounds in my chest, my lungs can’t seem to draw in enough air. Every printed letter on the paper seems to glow under the cold light of the desk lamp.Negative result. There is no genetic compatibility between Alexander Hawthorne and the fetus in question.The words pierce my chest like daggers. For a moment, the world around me goes silent. Dominic mutters something I can’t catch. My vision blurs, my mind struggles to process the brutal reality stamped on the paper."Alexander…" Dominic tries to speak again, but I raise my hand, cutting him off."Leave," I say, my voice rough and broken.He hesitates but obeys, leaving the office and clo
Ties of a Contract Chapter 38 – Refuge in Silence
AlexanderThe days following the hospital visit pass like a blur of meticulously planned routine. Every morning, I wake up early and ensure Sophia has everything she needs. Breakfast is carefully prepared, following the nutritionist’s recommendations, and I personally deliver it on a tray, with a rose on the side, every single morning.Sophia looks paler than usual, but her eyes seem lighter. She’s spent so much time carrying the burden of Olivia’s lies, Eleanor’s manipulations, and, above all, the weight of my own doubts. Now, my priority is to ensure nothing else hurts her.Today, I enter the room with the tray while she’s sitting in the armchair near the window, a laptop on her lap. The soft morning sunlight bathes her face, and for a moment, I stop to admire the scene."Good morning," I say softly.Sophia lifts her gaze and gives me a shy smile."Good morning."I set the tray on the side table next to her."I hope you're hungry. I made sure they prepared something light but nutrit
