CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT: The Offer

ANASTASIA’S POV:

I shift on the edge of the bed, my fingers interlaced with Hugh's. We’ve been waiting for this moment, the doctor's approval for discharge, so we can finally leave the confines of the hospital and step back into the world outside.

Hugh stands beside me, his expression a mix of relief and determination. He has a plan, one he believes is a safe option for me and our unborn child; that we should stay in his penthouse with a doctor at my side twenty-four seven until I give birth. He glances at me, his eyes softening with affection, before turning his attention back to the door.

Just as we’re about to make our exit, the door swings open, revealing Luna Cersei. Her presence fills the room with an aura of reluctant understanding, her features a delicate balance of concern and resolve.

I lower my gaze out of shame, while Hugh's gaze hardens with curiosity.

"Mom, you’re still here," he asks. "Where's dad?"

Luna Cersei’s lips press into a thin line before she speaks, her v