Novels by blessarabooks

RILEY'S POV After my shower, I changed into a simple pair of jeans and a loose blouse before picking up my phone from the bedside table.I had a message from Leonardo: I know you need space. I won't force you to come back. But when you're ready to talk, I'll be here.I read it twice, then let my thumb hover over the reply box.There were too many things I wanted to say, and none of them felt simple enough to type. I wanted to ask why he had waited two weeks before telling me. I wanted to tell him how much it hurt to hear everything from Natalia instead of him. I wanted to hear him say that none of this had changed what he felt for me. Most of all, I wanted to tell him that I missed him.I opened the keyboard and typed the words. I miss you. I stared at them for several seconds before deleting them.I typed again: I'm still angry. I deleted that too.In the end, I locked my phone and slipped it into my pocket.I was not ready to talk to Leonardo, no matter how much a part of me wanted

NATALIA'S POVThe surprise on Leonardo's face when I suggested repeating the pregnancy test was something I would have paid to see again.For a moment, he had looked as though he didn't know how to react. He had expected me to hesitate. Perhaps he had even hoped the second test would expose me. Instead, I had walked into that hospital without fear.And when the doctor confirmed the pregnancy, the disappointment that settled over Leonardo's face was impossible to miss. He had wanted the test to prove me a liar. Instead, it had only made everything more complicated.We drove back to the mansion in silence.I didn't try to start a conversation. Whatever was occupying Leonardo's mind, I had no intention of interrupting it. He looked defeated, his attention fixed somewhere far beyond the road ahead.The moment we arrived, he went upstairs without saying a word. I watched him disappear before retreating to my room.I had barely settled on the edge of my bed when there was a knock at the do

RILEY’S POVI reached Grandma's house and stood at the entrance for a moment, suddenly unsure whether coming here had been the right decision. The estate was enormous and beautifully maintained, but I barely noticed any of it. All I wanted was somewhere I could breathe without having to think about Leonardo, Natalia, or the question that had been tearing me apart since I left the mansion.I walked up to the gate and knocked. The security opened it and looked at me with mild surprise before offering a polite smile. “Good morning, ma'am. Can I help you?”“I came to see Madam Blackwood.”“Of course. Please come in.”He stepped aside and informed one of the maids of my arrival. She came to meet me a few moments later and led me through the elegant sitting room toward the private part of the estate.The moment Grandma saw me, surprise crossed her face. “Riley?”I tried to smile, but I couldn't.Her expression changed immediately. “Child, what happened?”I opened my mouth, but the words wo

RILEY’S POV I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the floor. Natalia's words kept replaying in my head.A knock came at the door, followed by Leonardo's voice. “Riley.”I didn't answer and another knock followed, harder this time.“Riley, open the door. Let me explain.”“Explain?” I called back. “You had two whole weeks to explain to me, Leonardo. Two weeks, and you said nothing. I don't want to hear it now.” “I didn't know how to explain something I wasn't certain about.”I looked down at my hands. “And now you suddenly do?”There was a brief silence before he answered. “I've been trying to understand what happened between Natalia and me. The truth is, I still don't know.”My chest tightened. “So you don't even know if you slept with her?”“No, I don't.”The answer landed harder than I expected. My mind went back to Natalia standing downstairs, calm and composed as she announced that she was carrying Leonardo's child. “What if she's telling the truth?” I asked.“I don't know wh

Leonardo was the first to move. “Riley.” He walked toward me, but I instinctively took a step back. He stopped immediately, his expression tightening when he saw the look on my face.“It's not what you think.”My eyes moved from him to Natalia and back again. “Is what she said true?”I waited for him to deny it. I wanted him to tell me Natalia was lying, that there was no child, that none of this was real but Leonardo didn't answer.His jaw tightened before he finally said. “I remember everything that happened on the terrace. After that, I don't remember anything else.” My chest tightened. “What do you mean you don't remember?”“I don't remember anything after we lost consciousness.”I looked at Natalia. She stood several feet away, watching me with an unreadable expression. Then I looked back at Leonardo. “So you don't know if she's telling the truth.”His silence answered for him and I couldn't stand there anymore. “I need to go to my room.”“Riley—”I turned before he could say

LEONARDO’S POVI found Clarisse in the servants' corridor later that afternoon. The moment she saw me, she stopped and lowered her head.“Come with me.”She followed without question. I led her into one of the smaller sitting rooms and closed the door behind us. Once we were alone, I turned to face her.“Tell me what happened after you carried me to my room.”Clarrise hesitated, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her uniform. “Sir?”“You heard me.”She swallowed before answering.“After we got you into your room, you looked like you were going to be sick. Natalia said she would take you to the bathroom. She told me to leave and said she'd come out after making sure you were all right.”I studied her carefully. “That's all?”“Yes, sir.She sounded nervous, but nervousness proved nothing. She could have been telling me the truth. Or she could have been lying to protect Natalia, or to herself.“You may go.”Clarisse dipped her head and left.I remained where I was, replaying her