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Chapter 152

Author: Lia's Ink
last update publish date: 2026-03-14 06:37:42

[UNKNOWN SAFE HOUSE - ALBERT AND VICTORIA'S LOCATION]

"We need to go back!"

Victoria Cross was pacing back and forth across the hardwood floors. Back and forth. Back and forth. Like a caged animal. Her hands were shaking. Her voice was getting louder with each repetition.

"We need to show our faces! We need to let Volkov know we are alive! He is going to wipe out the entire family to get to us! Our son! Our grandchildren! And I will not let that happen!"

Albert Cross sat on the leather couch. H
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  • The Bet That Ruined Us    Chapter 174

    Ruby's arms came around both of them. Pulled them close.And immediately burst into tears. Just started sobbing. Her whole face crumpled up. Tears streamed down her cheeks rapidly. Creating wet tracks through her makeup."My dynamic duo is awake!" she said through her sobs. Her voice was thick and choked. "Oh my God! I cannot believe it! This is the best day ever!"She was crying and laughing simultaneously. Making those weird hiccupping sounds that come from trying to do both at once.She squeezed the kids tighter. Kissed the tops of their heads. Left wet tear marks on their hair.Ayven pulled back first. Looked up at her with his eyebrows raised high. His expression was genuinely confused. Baffled even."Why is she crying?" he asked. His tone was so sincere. Like he truly could not comprehend what was happening. "Did someone die? Is something wrong? Why would you cry about me being awake? That is a good thing."Grayson started laughing. He could not help it. The sound burst out of h

  • The Bet That Ruined Us    Chapter 173

    The hospital had moved them all to a bigger suite. Much bigger. Grayson had insisted.He had not even asked how much it would cost. Had just signed whatever papers they put in front of him. Handed over his black card. Told them to make it happen immediately.This was not a regular hospital room anymore. This was luxury accommodation that happened to be inside a medical facility.Two massive beds dominated the space. Not hospital beds with rails and plastic mattresses. These were king-sized beds with premium mattresses and soft expensive linens. The kind of beds you would find in a five-star hotel. White sheets. Fluffy pillows. Comfortable and inviting.A full sitting area took up one corner. Leather couches. Matching chairs. A coffee table. Everything arranged like someone's living room.The bathroom was enormous. Walk-in shower with multiple shower heads. Deep soaking tub. Double vanity. Marble countertops. Heated floors.There was a kitchenette along one wall. Mini fridge. Microwave

  • The Bet That Ruined Us    Chapter 172

    [RECOVERY ROOM - VIP SUITE, TWO HOURS LATER]Shayla had been moved to a private recovery suite. The nicest room the hospital had. Because Grayson had insisted.The room looked more like a luxury hotel than a hospital. Big comfortable bed. Private bathroom with a shower. A sitting area with a couch and chairs. A mini fridge. A TV.And it had been decorated. Pink balloons everywhere. Pink ribbons. Fresh flowers. Roses and peonies and gardenias. The room smelled amazing. Looked festive and cheerful.Shayla did not even know when Grayson had arranged all this. But he had. Somehow managed to do it.Baby Madonna was in a clear plastic bassinet beside the bed. Sleeping peacefully. Wrapped in soft pink blankets.Angel was standing beside the bassinet. Just staring at her new baby sister. She hd not looked away in over an hour. She was humming a lullaby softly. Gently. Her face was full of wonder and love.Grayson was sitting on the edge of Shayla's bed. Petting her hair gently. Looking at her

  • The Bet That Ruined Us    Chapter 171

    The labor and delivery room was bright. Too bright. Harsh fluorescent lights overhead. Medical equipment everywhere. Monitors beeping. Machines humming.Shayla was on the bed. They had gotten her changed into a hospital gown. Had her connected to monitors. Fetal heart rate monitor. Contraction monitor. Blood pressure cuff.A female doctor came in. Older woman in her late fifties. Confident and experienced. She had kind eyes behind her glasses."Hello, Mrs. Cross. I am Dr. Huston . I am going to be delivering your baby today." She washed her hands at the sink. Put on gloves. "Let me just check how dilated you are."She examined Shayla quickly. Efficiently. Then she looked up with slightly wide eyes."You are at eight centimeters already. This baby is coming fast. Very fast. How long have you been having contractions?""Maybe thirty minutes total?" Shayla gasped out between contractions. "They started suddenly. Really intense right from the beginning.""That is fast labor. Second babies

  • The Bet That Ruined Us    Chapter 170

    Four months passed in what felt like both an eternity and a blink.Four months of Shayla's belly growing bigger and bigger. The baby getting stronger. More active. Kicking constantly.Four months of weird pregnancy cravings. Pickles and ice cream at 3 AM. Chocolate-covered bacon. Spaghetti with peanut butter. Things that made no sense but Grayson got them anyway. Every single time. Without complaint.Four months of Shayla and Angel building their relationship. Mother and daughter. Growing closer every day. Shopping together. Cooking together. Watching movies together. Painting. Reading. Just being together.Four months of visiting Ayven every single day. Sitting at that observation window. Watching him lie there unconscious. Hoping. Praying. Waiting.The doctors said he was responding to treatment. His vitals were strong. His brain activity was good. Everything physically was healing properly.But he still had not woken up. Still lay there in that bed. Breathing through machines. Exis

  • The Bet That Ruined Us    Chapter 169

    [GRAYSON CROSS MANSION GARDENS - AFTERNOON]The mansion gardens were beautiful. Sprawling green lawns. Flower beds bursting with color. Tall trees providing shade. A perfect peaceful oasis.Shayla had set up a picnic area. Blankets spread on the grass. Pillows for comfort. Baskets of food. Painting supplies. Everything they needed for a relaxing afternoon.Ruby had arrived earlier. Driven over with Ricardo who then left to go handle some business. Her baby bump was visible under her flowy dress. About four months along.The three of them sat together. Shayla, Ruby, and Angel. Just enjoying the sunshine and each other's company.They had decided to paint. Something fun and creative. Something Angel would enjoy.Ruby was terrible at painting. Absolutely awful. She held up her canvas proudly. Showed what she had created.It was supposed to be a rose. But it looked like a red blob with a green stick. The petals were uneven. The proportions were all wrong. It was objectively terrible.Shay

  • The Bet That Ruined Us    Chapter Twelve

    Shayla stumbled back to her office, her heart hammering so hard she thought it might crack through her ribs.His hand on her wrist.That simple touch had detonated something inside her she'd spent seven years trying to bury.She pressed her back against her office door the moment it closed, her brea

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-17
  • The Bet That Ruined Us    Chapter eleven

    The rain was freezing.Within seconds, Shayla was soaked through, her t-shirt clinging to her skin, her jeans heavy with water. Her hair fell out of its ponytail, curls plastered to her face and neck.But she kept walking.Down the driveway. Past the fountain. Toward the gate that was already openin

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-17
  • The Bet That Ruined Us    Chapter nine

    The hospital waiting room smelled like antiseptic and fear.Shayla paced back and forth, her heels clicking against the linoleum, her purse clutched so tightly in her hands that her knuckles had gone white.They'd told her Ayven was stable. That the allergic reaction had been caught in time. That he

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-17
  • The Bet That Ruined Us    Chapter Fourteen

    Grayson's answer threw Shayla completely off guard."He was flirting with you."The words were simple, direct, lacking any of the corporate deflection she'd expected."But I handled it well," Shayla countered, trying to inject reason into the conversation. "That's not something to lose billions of d

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-17
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