My heart raced as Adrian wheeled himself towards his home, and I walked beside him, trying to process the amount of emotions from the steamy moments we had just shared in his office.
Seeing him in a wheelchair brought a mix of tenderness and determination—I was here to help him, despite the situation and dangers that lurked to harm him.
I wasn't going to have it.
"You're quiet," Adrian's voice broke the silence between us, pulling me from my thoughts.
I managed a soft smile, trying to gather my thoughts. "Just trying to process everything," I admitted quietly, my gaze shifting towards the front door.
Adrian nodded in understanding, his expression thoughtf
Adrian's PovStella was standing there, holding a baby in her arms. Her expression was soft, filled with warmth, and for a second, I almost believed everything was fine.But something was off.The doctors stood to the side, silent, their expressions a bit unreadable. A strange tension seemed to be in the room.Gabriella’s voice broke through the silence. “Adrian, come and see your daughter,” she excitedly spoke.I took a slow step forward, but before I could get any closer, one of the doctors stepped in front of me.“Mr. Lockwood,” he said carefully, his voice low, “we need to speak with you.... in privately.”Something about his tone made my stomach twist.I turned to Stella, who stood nearby completely unaware of the storm brewing behind her. My parents stood frozen, their gazes flickering between me and the doctors. Even Sebastian, for all his arrogance, looked uneasy.Reluctantly, I allowed the doctors to pull me aside.I wasn’t sure what I expected, but it wasn’t the words that c
Adrian's PovI sat in the wheelchair, my hands gripping the armrests tightly as Gabriella’s screams of pain filled the room. The beeping of monitors, the rushed movements of the nurses, the doctor's firm instructions, all of it blended into the background. Then the door burst open.Sebastian strode in, his presence instantly shifting the air. His jaw was tight, his eyes locked onto Gabriella with an intensity that made my stomach churn.“Sir, you’re not allowed in here,” the doctor snapped, stepping toward him.Sebastian barely acknowledged her. His gaze flickered to me before he spoke. “I’m the father of the baby; I should be here.”Gabriella’s head whipped toward him, pain forgotten for a moment as fury overtook her face. “You are not the father!” she screamed, her breath ragged. “Now get the hell out!”I would be lying if I didn't say I didn't expect this, in fact I did expect this.I clenched my fists, forcing my expression into something controlled, something that mirrored outr
Stella's Pov. I paced nervously outside the hospital room, my hands fidgeting with the hem of my jacket as the sounds of Gabriella’s labor echoed through the closed door. Adrian had gone in, of course. She’d asked for him to be there, to hold her hand while she brought their baby into the world. I bit the inside of my cheek, my mind racing. Gabriella had to have planned this. There’s no way she didn’t—having the baby now, just before Adrian and I were supposed to leave for the trip. She was always doing something to keep us apart. Such a bitch. I tried to shake off the thought, but it lingered, settling in like a bitter taste I couldn’t get rid of. I wanted to hate her for it. But more than anything, I hated how powerless I felt standing out here, waiting. Adrian’s going to be a father. A father. Pride swelled in my chest. I was happy for him—of course, I was. But a sinking feeling quickly followed, pulling me down. It wasn’t me in that room with him. It wasn’t my baby he’d be
Sebastian's pov.I sat inside the room, checking my watch for the hundredth time. Any minute now, he'd arrive. Adrian's time had finally run out, and the Lockwood empire was about to change hands.A smirk played on my lips as I thought about Adrian, off on his business trip with Stella. How convenient. When he returns, he'll walk right into the shock of his life. Everything he thinks he owns will now be mine.My mind wandered to Gabriella, heavily pregnant with what Adrian believes is his child. Oh, brother, if only you knew. Soon, she'll be handing that baby over to me instead.I've always been jealous of my big brother, something that I'd never like to admit. How he'd always manage to be the favorite. Outperform m
I'm nestled comfortably in bed, propped up against a mountain of pillows, with Adrian's strong arm wrapped around me. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and pastries fills the air, mingling with Adrian's cologne."Open up," Adrian says softly, holding a forkful of fluffy scrambled eggs to my lips. I oblige, savoring the taste and the intimacy of the moment.It's been four days since we arrived for this "business trip," though we've spent more time in this room than anywhere else. I can't help but smile, thinking about how attentive and loving Adrian has been. It's almost easy to forget the complications waiting for us back home."What's that smile for?" Adrian asks, his eyes twinkling with amusement.I lean into him, resting my head on his shoulder. "Just thinking about how perfect this is. How perfect you've been."Adrian kisses the top of my head. "You deserve to be pampered, my love. The three of you do," he adds, his free hand gently caressing my swollen belly.As if on cue, I fee
Gabriella's pov I pace the length of my room, fury coursing through my veins. How dare he? How dare Adrian go on a two-week business trip with that homewrecker Stella while I'm seven months pregnant with his child? Our child. The audacity of it all makes me want to scream. My hand absently rubs my swollen belly as I try to calm myself. This stress can't be good for the baby, but I can't help it. Things cannot go on like this. I need to do something, and fast. "Damn you, Sebastian," I mutter under my breath. His incompetence is infuriating. Instead of getting rid of Stella like he was supposed to, all he managed to do was come up with some half-baked scheme about a fake father. Useless. I should have known better than to trust him with such an important task. I should have done it myself from the beginning. I stop in front of the full-length mirror, studying my reflection. Despite the pregnancy, I still look good. Better than Stella, surely. So why is Adrian so damn infatuated with