“I'll cut to the chase,” Aaron said, his voice cold and firm. “You have two options: terminate the pregnancy now, and I'll compensate you generously for your trouble. Or, carry the baby to term and receive a substantial payment, but you will have no rights or contact with the child after birth.” Raina, a young fashion designer, discovers her husband's betrayal just as she learns she's pregnant. But in a shocking twist, she discovers the baby isn't her husband's due to a fertility clinic mix-up. The child belongs to Aaron Kingston, a reclusive billionaire who never wanted a family, just an heir through surrogacy. Now entangled in a complex situation, she must navigate this complex situation and find a way forward. But what happens when they start falling for each other?
Lihat lebih banyakRaina paced around her room, rehearsing the life-changing news. “You're going to be a father, Kai...No, too cliché.” She scrunched up her face. “I'm three weeks pregnant, Kai... Ugh, too blunt.”She murmured to herself, searching for the perfect words.
A week had passed since Kai returned from his business trip, but he had been avoiding their home. Today, she planned to confront him at his condo, determined to share the surprise that would change everything.
Three years of marriage had somehow turned them into strangers. With a deep breath, Raina grabbed her bag and headed out, only to be stopped in her tracks by her assistant, Jamie, who was waiting in the hallway.
“Good morning, Mrs. Ashborne.” Jamie greeted with a bright smile on her face.
Raina's eyebrows furrowed in surprise. “Jamie, didn't you request a week's leave?” she questioned.
Jamie shrugged, her expression nonchalant. “I just wanted to check in, make sure everything's okay. Where are you headed today?”
Raina hesitated before answering. “I was going to see Kai.”
Jamie's expression suddenly turned cautious. “Ma'am, I wouldn't advise that. You know how Mr. Ashborne gets when his work is interrupted. Why not wait until he's finished? He'll come home when he's ready.”
“But—” She began to protest,
“I understand your concerns, ma'am,” Jamie interrupted gently, “but you don't want to risk upsetting him, especially considering...recent tensions between you two. It's better to wait.” She emphasized.
Raina nodded slowly, letting Jamie's words sink in. She and Kai had been having arguments before his trip. With a small sigh, she abandoned her plan. “You're right, Jamie. I'll wait.”
Two days ticked by with no word from Kai and Raina's patience suddenly snapped. Unable to hold back any longer, she got into her car that evening and drove to Kai's condo with a mix of emotions swirling in her chest.
When she arrived, the condo door was slightly opened while a thin dim light spilled onto the hallway floor. Her heart skipped a beat as she hesitated, her hand reaching for the door handle. She pushed it open, her voice trembling as she called out, “Kai?” The only response she received was the creaking of the door as it swung open.
She stepped inside, her eyes scanning the dimly lit living room. Clothes were scattered all over the floor, his shoes kicked off in a corner, and the couch cushions were disheveled, to add to the scene, the air was thick with an eerie silence.
Her gaze drifted towards the bedroom door, where a faint chuckling sound filtered through. Her brows furrowed as she approached the door, her hand reaching for the handle. Just as she was about to turn it, the door swung open, and Kai swooped out, clad in a gray bathroom robe.
His hair was tousled and his eyes surprised. Quickly, he tossed her a smile, regaining composure. “Hey,” he said, his voice low, but for an instant, his eyes flashed with guilt.
Raina's eyes narrowed, her mind racing with questions. What was going on? And who – or what – ever made that chuckling sound.
“Hey,” Kai repeated, bringing her mind back to the present. “What are you doing here?” He asked, his eyes darting across the rest of the space.
Her eyes flickered with disappointment as she frantically tried to explain that she had something important to tell him., but his immediately cut her short. “Whatever it is can wait,” he said dismissively, his tone as sharp as a blade.
She blinked, stunned by his indifference. “Kai, I’ve barely seen you since you came back. Did I… did I do something wrong?”
“Are you in pain?” he asked abruptly, his expression cold.
“What?” she frowned, caught off guard. “No.”
“Are you dying?”
“No—”
“Then it can wait.” He concluded, his tone curt.
Her face burned with anger and hurt. “You're really going to brush me off like that?” she spat, her voice rising.
He took a step forward blocking the door. “Go home, Raina.”
Her eyes narrowed, her mind racing with suspicion. “Who's in there?” she demanded, her tone sharp and firm.
“No one.” He said with a lazy and unconvincing smile.
Without thinking, she shoved past him and flung open the door. Her heart sank as she took in the sight before her. Her assistant, Jamie sat on the bed, the sheet clutched to her chest, her expression calm—almost smug.
Raina staggered back, her voice barely above a whisper. “Jamie...W-What’s the meaning of this?” She stuttered, her mind racing with questions.
Jamie opened her mouth to speak, but Raina cut her off, her anger boiling over. “This is the reason you’ve been covering for him, this is why you asked for the week off, isn’t...” She choked, tears crawling down her cheeks. “You're my assistant, Jamie! I trusted you!”
Her face showed no emotion, but the corner of her lips twisted into a small, mocking smile. “You trusted me with your schedule. Not with your husband.”
Tears blurred Raina’s vision as she turned to Kai, her voice trembling. “How long?” She sobbed.
Kai’s face was devoid of remorse. “Does it matter?” he said coldly.
Her fury erupted. “You’re disgusting!” she spat. “Both of you!” she screamed.
Kai stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “Raina, let's not make this any more dramatic than it needs to be.” he smirked.
Her gaze snapped to him, her tears forgotten in her rage. “You're enjoying this, aren't you?!”she spat.
He shrugged, his tone annoyingly calm. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t.”
Her eyes widened in shock as he strode over to the dresser, pulled out a folder, and tossed it at her feet. “Divorce papers,” he said coldly. “Sign them, and let's be done with this farce.”
Raina’s knees buckled, her world crumbling as she looked up at him, he was barely anything like the man she fell in love with. Kai...you don’t mean this. Please, we can—”
“We’re done, Raina,” he interrupted. His voice was cold, final. “And for the record, I never really felt anything for you. You were just...convenient.”
Convenient? She thought. The words hit her like a ton of bricks, but Kai wasn’t finished yet.“Pack your things and get out of the house.” He said coldly as his voice dripped with hate.
Raina blinked, her tears morphing to disbelief. “The house?” She barely said, “you mean ourhouse?”
“No, my house,” he snapped, his eyes narrowing, “My name’s on the deed, remember? So technically, it’s mine, and you’re just a guest.”
“I paid for half of that house, Kai! You know that!” Her voice cracked as anger swelled up in her chest.
“And you’re welcome for staying there as long as you did,” he shot back with a sneer. “But your time’s up, pack your bags and leave, or I’ll throw you out myself!”
The words echoed in her mind as the room spun, her world collapsing around her. “No, this can’t be…”
EpilogueThe prison cafeteria reeked of overcooked beans and the dried sweat of the inmates. Metal trays clattered through the room as inmates filed through the line.Kai sat at the far end of a long, scratched table, his hair now looked very rough and unkempt and his eyes hollow.Prison had stripped him of everything… hihis its, his money but more of all his pride. All that remained was a man clinging to the scraps of who he used to be.“Hey, pretty boy,” a sneering voice cut through the din.Kai looked up to see three bulky inmates approaching, their tattoos crawling up their necks, their knuckles already tightening. He tried to look away, to focus on his food, but one of them slammed a fist onto the table, rattling his tray.“You think you’re better than us, huh?” another spat.Kai opened his mouth to retort, that old arrogance sparking for a second.. but the words never came.What could he say? After all he was no better than any one of them.Then, from nowhere, the first punch la
Our journey recapThe silence was awkward for a beat. Raina sat in the chair near his bed, her hands knotted in her lap. She hadn’t the room all night, even after the doctors reassured her he’d be fine, her and Margeret both.He could still feel her fingers trembling against his during the worst of the pain.“You should go home. Rest,” Aaron said quietly, not looking at her.“I’m not tired.”“Your eyes say otherwise.”She offered a weak smile. “And yours say you’re a terrible patient.”Aaron chuckled softly, then winced and pressed a hand gently to his side. Raina moved without thinking, sitting forward, her hand brushing against his arm instinctively.“You shouldn't joke yet,” she murmured, her eyes searching his face. “You could’ve died, Aaron.”His gaze dropped to where her fingers lingered on his wrist. There was a pause, something unspoken in the air.“You were worried about me,” he said, lifting his head slowly.Raina frowned, about to deny it—but the words caught in her throat
The morning sun slipped through the tall curtains, casting a warm into Raina’s room.She stirred awake slowly, her mind still wrapped around the memory of last night… the kiss. Aaron’s kiss.The warmth of it still lingered on her lips, so vivid, so alive, as though it had happened just a breath ago.She lay there for a long moment, staring at the ceiling, her heart betraying her with how it fluttered at the memory. It felt so perfect. So right. And for the first time in a long time, the war inside her chest had gone quiet.But she couldn’t let herself drown in the emotions of it, not again.She had to be careful, even if every part of her screamed to trust him.With a sharp exhale, she pushed herself upright, brushing a hand through her hair. Focus, Raina.She reached for her phone on the nightstand, and swiped it open.A few notifications blinked across the screen… emails, messages, headlines. She scrolled idly, until one headline caught her breath in her throat.“Businessman Kai Ash
The crowd in the hall hushed in anticipation, all eyes fixed on Mr. Kingston, all waiting for him to say who the heir to the Kingston empire would be.Aaron felt his chest tighten, his hands trembling slightly, although he didn't let it show.Even if he always behaved sometimes like he didn't want it, or didn't care, it has always been his goal, to be head of the empire.On the other end of the hall, Lucas stood, his expression remained unreadable still, masking the pressure boiling up within.Mr. Kingston’s gaze swept over the audience, his voice deep and commanding, resonating through the entire hall.“And so,” he continued, pausing long enough to let the silence stretch taut, “I have made my decision.For too long, the rivalry between my sons has threatened not only their bond but the stability of what we’ve built. Yet recently, I’ve seen a change… an undeniable shift.I've seen a willingness to work together, to find strength not in division but in unity.”He lifted his glass, the
The celebration was in full swing when Aaron led Raina through the grand hall. Music drifted softly from a live ensemble, and the air carried the scent of expensive wine and fresh orchids.Aaron, ever the gentleman, guided Raina to a quieter corner before excusing himself to fetch drinks. “I’ll be right back,” he said with a reassuring smile, his hand lingering against hers for a second longer than necessary. Then he disappeared into the crowd.Left on her own, Raina inhaled slowly, steadying herself. The grandeur of the Kingston Estate brought back memories of her time here.When Aaron left here in a filth of rage and almost lost his life, when she first met Lucas and Elise.She was still absorbing it all when a familiar presence approached.“Raina.”The voice was soft yet firm and it belonged to Margaret Kingston.She was dressed in an elegant gown of deep emerald, she carried herself with the grace of a woman who knew her influence was absolute.Her expression, however, was not ste
Aaron sat behind the broad mahogany desk in his study, the late afternoon light spilling through his tall windows and casting warm feel into the room.He had been buried in paperwork from his company.He had spent so much time attending to the drama around him, he lost track of some major happenings at his company.His mind only half on the documents in front of him, when a discreet knock broke the silence.“Come in,” Aaron said, looking up.One of the household staff stepped inside, carrying a silver tray. Upon it lay a single sealed envelop. The servant approached and bowed slightly.“A letter, sir. Delivered directly from the Kingston estate.”Aaron raised a brow, curiosity softening his expression. He set aside his pen and took the envelope, recognizing the insignia of his father’s house pressed in wax. With careful fingers, he broke the seal and unfolded the parchment.It was an invitation from his father.He squinted his eyes, going through the letter word for word.The triumph
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