LOGINShare
Chapter 47 – The End of an Era
Last Updated:
2025-01-14 10:45:55
Related chapters
Ties of a Contract Chapter 48 – Between Promises and Forgiveness
AlexanderThe cold hospital lights flicker above my head as I walk down the narrow hallway leading to Sophia’s room. My heart feels heavy in my chest, an anchor of guilt and fear preventing me from breathing properly. The doctor’s words still echo in my mind: “If her blood pressure rises again, we might not be able to save all three of them.”I wasn’t there when she needed me most. Olivia got into that apartment—our home—and turned everything into a nightmare scene. And while Sophia struggled to breathe, to protect our children, I was busy fighting against a woman who should never have had any power over us.I stop in front of the room’s door. I close my eyes for a second, take a deep breath, and turn the doorknob.Sophia is awake, partially sitting up in bed, propped on white pillows that look huge around her. The monitor beside her emits soft beeps, and the sound of our babies’ heartbeats echoes in the room, rhythmic, like a fragile and precious melody.She slowly turns her head to
Last Updated : 2025-01-15Ties of a Contract Chapter 49 – A New Beginning
AlexanderMorning sunlight bathes the hospital entrance as I walk out carrying Sophia in my arms, feeling her still-fragile body lean against me. She quietly protests, saying she can walk, but I tighten my hold around her, relishing the soft brush of her hair against my neck.“You’re not lifting a finger, Sophia. Your only mission now is to rest and let me take care of the three of you,” I say, fixing her with a firm look.She sighs, but a timid smile teases her lips.“You’re exaggerating, Alexander,” she murmurs, resting her head on my shoulder.“If exaggerating means making sure nothing else happens to you, then I accept,” I reply, softly kissing her forehead.The driver opens the car door, and I climb in with her still in my arms, settling her carefully on the seat. Her delicate perfume surrounds me, mingling with the morning breeze. During the ride back to the penthouse, Sophia holds my hand the entire time, her frail fingers interlaced with mine. Sometimes she seems about to let
Last Updated : 2025-01-15Ties of a Contract Chapter 50 – Promises and Preparations
AlexanderWhile Sophia rests in the bedroom, I dedicate my time to creating a perfect space for our babies. I hire a team of decorators, and together we transform one of the rooms in the penthouse: I choose soft shades of beige and aqua because we still don’t know the babies’ genders, although Sophia says she feels they will be two boys. The colors spread across the walls, lending a cozy, light atmosphere. Two identical white cribs stand side by side, while a comfortable armchair awaits moments of affection—whether for rocking them or simply gazing out at the city through the window.“It turned out so cozy,” murmurs one of the decorators, delicately adjusting a mobile of small golden stars.I hang pictures with inspiring phrases and select plush rabbits and bears for the shelves. When everyone leaves, I remain there in silence, in the middle of the room, taking in every detail. It’s impossible not to imagine what it will be like to hear the babies’ gentle cries, their laughter, their
Last Updated : 2025-01-15Ties of a Contract Chapter 51 – Discoveries and Preparations
AlexanderThe morning starts with the sun shining through the clinic’s windows, filling the waiting area with soft light. I’m seated beside Sophia, holding her hand. She’s gently resting her hand on her round belly, looking calm, but I know that inside she’s anxious. Today we’ll confirm something she’s suspected for a while: whether we’re having two boys.“Alexander, are you nervous?” she asks quietly.“A bit,” I admit, smiling to reassure her. “But in a good way.”The hum of other families waiting for appointments mingles with the air conditioning. There are couples, grandparents, older siblings running down the hallway. It’s a typical scene, yet it now carries a special charm because we’re part of it. When the nurse calls our names, we stand together. I offer my arm to Sophia to steady her. She walks more slowly, focusing on her balance as her belly has grown so much in these past months.Inside the examination room, the doctor applies the cold gel to her skin and starts the ultraso
Last Updated : 2025-01-15Ties of a Contract Chapter 52 – Between Fear and Hope
AlexanderI wake up with a start in the middle of the night. Something feels strange, as though a premonition takes hold of me even before I fully open my eyes. It takes me a few seconds to grasp what’s happening, until I hear Sophia moan softly beside me. When I switch on the bedside lamp, I see her face contorted in pain, lips parted, breathing irregularly.“Sophia?” I call, my voice filled with urgency.She looks at me, trying to sit up in bed, one hand firmly clutching her belly. I can see sweat on her forehead and a trembling at the corner of her lips. The scene looks like something the doctor had warned us about—contractions coming too soon.“It hurts so much, Alexander… It feels like the contractions have started. I’m scared,” she says, panting, gripping my hands, her eyes wide.A knot forms in my throat. We’re at the 33rd week of pregnancy, and the doctor had emphasized it would be ideal to reach at least the 34th week to minimize the risks of a preterm birth. I quickly get to
Last Updated : 2025-01-15Ties of a Contract Chapter 53 – An Early Miracle
AlexanderNurses come in and move quickly, setting up IV bags, steroid injections to help develop the babies’ lungs, repeatedly checking her blood pressure. Each time the pain intensifies, she squeezes my hand so hard my fingers start tingling, but I don’t complain. It’s how she fights.The hours seem endless. Night falls and dawn comes again in a confusing blink. The doctor tries to delay labor as long as he can, but Sophia’s blood pressure remains high. I see the exhaustion etched on her face, the deep shadows under her eyes, her pale expression. The situation is becoming unsustainable.“We need to perform a C-section,” the doctor says, looking at me urgently. “Or we risk losing everyone.”My heart turns cold at those words. I knew it was dangerous, but hearing “lose everyone” shatters my soul.“All right,” I mumble, voice husky. “Do whatever it takes to save my family.”Preparations are swift. I take a moment to put on the surgical gown, cap, and mask. My head spins, and all I can
Last Updated : 2025-01-15Ties of a Contract Chapter 54 – At the Edge of the Abyss
AlexanderI wake up with a jolt, and for a moment I’m not sure where I am. When the white, cold lights come into focus, I realize I spent the night sleeping in a hard chair in the hospital corridor. My muscles ache, and my head throbs from the mix of exhaustion and fear that’s gripped me since Sophia was admitted. There’s a suite reserved downstairs, meant for Sophia and the babies once they’re released from the ICU, and I could have stayed there—there’s a very comfortable couch. But I preferred to stay here in the corridor, where I can be closer to Sophia, Noah, and Oliver.I gather my strength and stand up. Someone must have put a blanket over me—maybe one of the nurses, moved by my situation. I look at the clock on the wall: just past seven in the morning. Everything here seems so sterile, so different from the warmth I used to feel when I’d wake up next to Sophia in our bed. She’s in the ICU, recovering from high blood pressure and all the trauma of the premature birth. My sons, O
Last Updated : 2025-01-15Ties of a Contract Chapter 55 – Between Life and the Abyss
AlexanderTime passes, and the desperation intensifies. After what might have been half an hour or an eternity, the door opens. This time, it’s the doctor coming out, her expression grave, though not entirely grim. My eyes question her silently.“We’ve managed to stop the bleeding for now,” she says bluntly. “But the situation is still delicate. She’ll remain sedated for a while so her body can recover.”I close my eyes, and a sob of relief escapes me. I thank the doctor, unsure what to say. My words come out muddled, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is that Sophia is still with us, even if she’s fighting on a razor-thin line between life and death.“May I see her?” I ask, almost pleading.She nods and leads me to the room. Sophia lies there, paler than I’ve ever seen her, hooked up to oxygen tubes, IV fluids, monitors beeping every second. I sit in the chair beside her and hold her cold hand, pressing it to my lips. It’s such a painful contrast to the vitality she’s always shown.
Last Updated : 2025-01-15
Latest chapter
Ties of a Contract Capter 112 - Heart Codes
NoahThe silence in the elevator is deafening. Giulia is beside me, still in her blue wedding dress, a small travel bag at her feet. My ring - her father's ring - weighs on my finger, a constant reminder of this new reality."You have a beautiful place," she comments when we reach the penthouse. Her eyes scan the glass panels that reveal Manhattan at night."I never spend much time here," I admit, carrying her bag. "Usually sleep at the office."She smiles, that smile I'm beginning to realize means she's discovered something about me."That's why TechVision's sofas are so comfortable.""Would you... would you like to see the place?" I offer, suddenly aware that this woman now lives with me.The tour is quick. Gourmet kitchen I never use, minimalist living room, office with three monitors."And this," I hesitate at the last door, "is the master bedroom. You can have it, I'll use the guest room.""Noah," she touches my arm lightly. "We don't need to make this stranger than it already is
Ties of a Contract Chapter 111 - Algorithms and Alliances
NoahThe Plaza's presidential suite has transformed into an improvised operations center. Monitors display real-time stock quotes while Oliver coordinates security over the phone. In less than an hour, I'll be married. The idea seems surreal - I, who built my life based on precise calculations, about to marry a woman I met less than 48 hours ago."The stocks have risen 3% since the announcement," Allison reports, tablet in hand. "The market is reacting positively to the 'romance'. Social media is buzzing with the story."The press release was precise: TechVision CEO and technology researcher met during a field test of a new app. Whirlwind romance. Intimate wedding. The kind of modern fairy tale that the public loves to consume."Security has identified three photographers trying to infiltrate," Oliver informs. "And two supposed cleaning staff with fake credentials."My phone vibrates. Morrison: "Congratulations on the wedding. Say hello to the bride for me. Her father also had a rushe
Ties of a Contract Chapter 110 - Arrangements
NoahGiulia's reflection in my office window distracts me while I try to explain the situation to the board. She sits discreetly in the corner of the room, pretending to examine her tablet, but I can notice how her eyes occasionally meet mine in the reflection."Let me see if I understand," Marcus massages his temples. "You're getting married. In a week.""Tomorrow," Giulia softly corrects, without raising her eyes from the screen. "The trust has a temporal clause."Something about the way she pronounces each word with precision fascinates me. It's the same care she showed when debugging the app - methodical, precise, surprising."Tomorrow?" Marcus's voice rises an octave. "This is...""Necessary," Oliver interrupts, entering the room. He carries a folder I recognize: our parents' marriage documents. "And it wouldn't be the first time a Hawthorne marries for convenience."Giulia raises her eyes, finally. The blue of her iris captures the evening light in a way that makes me lose my tr
Ties of a Contract Chapter 109 - Checkmate
NoahThe cafe is emptier than the first time. I choose a table in the back, where I can see both the entrance and the emergency exit - a habit I inherited from our father after everything that happened with Morrison years ago.Allison has already sent three messages about falling stocks. I ignore them all. Right now, I need to focus on something more important: the woman who just walked through the door.Giulia is different. She's traded the periodic table t-shirt for a simple dress, but the colorful glasses remain. She locates me immediately, as if she knew exactly where I would be sitting."So," she says, sitting down. "Noah Hawthorne.""You knew from the beginning?"She takes a flash drive from her pocket, placing it on the table."Not exactly. But when I fixed your app, I recognized some patterns. My father used to say that codes are like fingerprints - each programmer has their signature.""And you recognized his.""The foundation of your system," she confirms. "Which made me res
Ties of a Contract The Algorithm of Destiny
NoahThe reflection in the mirrored glass of my office shows exactly what the board expects to see: impeccable suit, assertive posture, the young CEO who turned data analysis into gold. What they don't see are the disguised dark circles, the result of another sleepless night reviewing codes. From the 45th floor of TechVision, New York seems like a model, a complex data system pulsing beneath my feet.On the main wall, our mission in silver letters: "Transforming Data into Human Solutions". It was mom's idea - she always knew how to transform cold concepts into something closer to people."Mr. Hawthorne," my assistant calls for the third time, her efficiency slightly shaken by my distraction. "The app test is scheduled for this afternoon.""I'm going myself," I respond, ignoring her surprised expression. Allison has worked with me for five years and still gets surprised when I decide to do field work."But sir, the board...""Allison," I gently interrupt, "what's TechVision's first rul
Ties of a Contract Chapter 108 - The Algorithm of Destiny
NoahThe reflection in the mirrored glass of my office shows exactly what the board expects to see: impeccable suit, assertive posture, the young CEO who turned data analysis into gold. What they don't see are the disguised dark circles, the result of another sleepless night reviewing codes. From the 45th floor of TechVision, New York seems like a model, a complex data system pulsing beneath my feet.On the main wall, our mission in silver letters: "Transforming Data into Human Solutions". It was mom's idea - she always knew how to transform cold concepts into something closer to people."Mr. Hawthorne," my assistant calls for the third time, her efficiency slightly shaken by my distraction. "The app test is scheduled for this afternoon.""I'm going myself," I respond, ignoring her surprised expression. Allison has worked with me for five years and still gets surprised when I decide to do field work."But sir, the board...""Allison," I gently interrupt, "what's TechVision's first rul
Ties of a Contract Chapter 107 - New Beginnings
AlexanderThe house is quiet. The twins are sleeping soundly after a busy day at the park, and Claire took all the case documents to her office. For the first time in months, it's just Sophia and me.The night is especially beautiful, with a gentle breeze swaying the porch curtains. It's almost surreal to think about how we got here, after everything we've faced. Sophia is on the porch, wrapped in a light blanket, watching the moon. I approach quietly, offering a glass of red wine - the same label we drank the night we made our agreement."What are you thinking about?" I ask, sitting beside her."About how everything has changed," she responds, snuggling into my chest. "Who would have thought that meeting about my father's debts would bring us here?"I smile at the memory. "You walked into my office determined to negotiate. I never imagined you'd leave with a marriage proposal.""An arrangement," she laughs softly, her fingers playing with the wine glass. "You needed to improve your i
Ties of a Contract Chapter 106 - The Price of Truth
"UNMASKED EDITORIAL EMPIRE: Decades-Long Manipulation and Crime Scheme Exposed"• The New York Times"Matthew Morrison and James Cooper Arrested in Federal Police Operation"• Washington Post"Richard Bennett, Editorial Magnate, Found Dead in Bangkok: Suicide or File Destruction?"• The GuardianSophiaThe morning sun streams through the windows of our new home. It has been three months since that night at Sarah’s farm, and I’m still learning not to look over my shoulder every five minutes.Oliver and Noah are playing in the backyard—a fenced and monitored space, but still a place where they can just be children. Alex watches them from the balcony while working on his laptop, occasionally looking up to smile at me.My phone vibrates with a message from Claire:"It’s on TV. Do you want me to record it?"I turn on the television in time to see James being led into court. His last words before accepting the plea deal echo in the headlines: “I was just following orders, but that’s no excu
Ties of a Contract Chapter 105 - Last Refuge
Chapter 103 - Last RefugeSophiaThe rain lessens as I drive down the dirt road. In the back seat, the twins have finally fallen asleep, Noah still clinging to the rain-soaked dinosaur. Through the rearview mirror, I confirm that Alex and Claire are still following us.The headlights illuminate an old building. A farmhouse, isolated and apparently abandoned, except for the small beam of light escaping from one of the windows."This is it, my loves," I whisper, although the boys continue sleeping.Alex parks alongside, and Claire exits first, typing something on her phone."Security system deactivated," she informs. "You can come in."We carry the boys inside. The house is surprisingly cozy inside, with furniture covered by white sheets and an old fireplace."No one knows this place," Claire explains, closing the curtains. "It was my sister's refuge. Where she kept her discoveries.""And where she died," Alex softly completes.Claire nods. "Morrison found her here. Or rather, my father
