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Chapter Thirteen
publish date:
2025-12-26 03:03:32
Latest chapter
The Bet That Ruined Us Author's Note.
Dear Ink Lovers, 🌸💞We have finally reached the end of this journey, and I cannot even begin to explain how grateful I am to every single one of you who stayed with this story from the first chapter to the very last word.This story took pieces of my heart while I was writing it, and I know it took pieces of yours while you were reading it. Shayla’s journey was never meant to be easy. It was meant to hurt, to heal, to break, and to rebuild. And through every chapter, you stayed with me.This book was not just a story to me. It was a journey full of emotions, sleepless nights, laughter, frustration, tears, and moments where even I did not know what was going to happen next. Shayla’s life, her pain, her strength, her love, her family… all of it became very real to me while writing, and seeing you connect with these characters made everything worth it.Your comments, your reviews, your reactions, your theories, and even your complaints made this experience unforgettable. There were day
The Bet That Ruined Us Epilogue 3
[RICARDO AND RUBY SILVA MANSION - EVENING]The Silva mansion was beautiful. Not quite as large as the Cross mansion. But still impressive. Elegant. Tastefully decorated.Ruby had gone all out for the dinner party. The one the three families hosted every year. Taking turns. This year it was the Silvas' turn.The dining room looked incredible. Long table set with fine china. Crystal glasses. Cloth napkins. Fresh flowers as centerpieces. Candles everywhere creating warm lighting.The smell of food was amazing. Ruby had hired caterers. Professional chefs. Everything was gourmet quality.The Cross family arrived right on time. SUV pulling into the circular driveway. Security team following behind in separate vehicles.Madonna jumped out before the car even fully stopped. She ran toward the front door. She knew exactly where she was going."Gabriel! Gabriella!" she yelled. "I am here!"The front door opened. Two eight-year-olds came running out. Twins. Boy and girl. Gabriel and Gabriella Si
The Bet That Ruined Us Epilogue 2
[GRAYSON CROSS MANSION - LIVING ROOM, SAME DAY, AFTERNOON]The massive flat screen TV was showing the news. Shayla's speech was playing again. They had been replaying it all day. Every news station. Every channel.The reporter was doing commentary over the footage. Talking about Dr. Shayla Cross's incredible journey. From college student to renowned surgeon. The ultimate American dream story.Grayson was sitting on the couch. Remote in hand. Watching the screen intently. He had already seen this speech live. He had been there in person watching from the crowd. But he could not stop watching it again and again."Aren't you tired of watching that?" Shayla's voice came from the doorway. Amused and slightly teasing.She had changed out of her red suit. She was wearing comfortable clothes now. Yoga pants and a soft sweater. Makeup washed off. Hair down. Just Shayla. Not Dr. Cross. Just his wife.Grayson looked over at her and smiled. That smile he reserved only for her."I can never get ti
The Bet That Ruined Us Epilogue 1
EIGHT YEARS LATER[S&S MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - GRAND OPENING.]The red carpet stretched out in front of the brand new medical center. Sleek. Modern. Glass and steel gleaming in the morning sunlight. The building was massive. State of the art. The kind of hospital that would change lives.S&S Memorial Hospital.Named for two women. Sarah Hale. The mother who had inspired a dream. And Shayla Cross. The woman who had made that dream reality.The crowd was enormous. Paparazzi lined both sides of the red carpet. Cameras flashing constantly. Creating that strobe light effect. Reporters shouting questions. Photographers jockeying for position. Security guards keeping everyone back behind the velvet ropes.News vans from every major network were parked along the street. Satellite dishes pointed skyward. This was big news. Dr. Shayla Cross opening her own hospital. The rising star surgeon who had come from nothing. Built herself into something extraordinary.And there she was.Walking down the red
The Bet That Ruined Us Chapter 177
Ruby and Ricardo arrived exactly on time.She waddled through the front door. One hand on her lower back. The other on her enormous belly. Ricardo hovered beside her.They brought even more gifts. Apparently Ruby could not stop shopping for baby Madonna. Every time she went anywhere, she bought something new.Clothes in every size imaginable. Toys. Blankets. Books. Stuffed animals. Everything a baby could possibly need and then some."You need to stop buying things, Rubbes," Shayla said. Laughing. Looking at all the bags. "Madonna has more clothes than I do now. She is going to outgrow half of them before she even gets a chance to wear them.""I cannot help it!" Ruby said. Already emotional. "Everything is so cute! I see tiny baby clothes and I have to buy them! It is a compulsion! I cannot stop myself!""Pregnancy hormones," Ricardo explained. Shaking his head. "She cries in the baby section of stores now. Just stands there sobbing over tiny socks. It is a whole thing."Everyone laug
The Bet That Ruined Us Chapter 176
[ONE WEEK LATER - GRAYSON CROSS MANSION, AFTERNOON]The black SUV pulled smoothly into the circular driveway. The engine purred quietly as Luke put the vehicle in park, turned the key. Everything went silent.Grayson opened the back door. Extended his hand to help Shayla out. She took it gratefully. Moved slowly and carefully.She was doing much better now. A week of rest had helped tremendously. But labor and delivery took a serious toll on the body. It would be weeks before she felt completely normal again.Ayven did not wait for help. He opened his door and jumped out. Stood there on the driveway looking at the mansion with the biggest smile on his face.His eyes were bright. Shining with happiness and excitement. He was finally home."Home sweet home!" he announced loudly. His voice carried across the lawn. Full of joy and satisfaction. "I missed this place so much! Every single room! Every single corner!"He spread his arms wide. Spun in a circle. Taking it all in. The beautiful
The Bet That Ruined Us Chapter Sixteen
Saturday morning dawned bright and clear, and Shayla woke up with a smile already on her face.Her phone notification had pinged at 6:47 AM with the alert she'd been waiting for all week: **Direct Deposit Successful - GC Group of Companies.**Her first salary.She'd pulled up her banking app with tr
Last Updated : 2026-03-18The Bet That Ruined Us Chapter seven
Shayla locked herself in the furthest bathroom stall and tried to remember how to breathe. In. Out. In. Out. Her hands were shaking so badly she had to press them flat against her thighs to make them stop. Her heart was hammering against her ribs like it was trying to escape her chest, and black s
Last Updated : 2026-03-17The 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 Updated : 2026-03-17The 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 Updated : 2026-03-17
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