Semua Bab The Price of His Betrayal : Bab 101 - Bab 110

The executive lodge was nothing short of breathtaking, a modern architectural marvel tucked within the heart of the city’s elite business district. Towering glass walls embraced the building like crystal panels, letting in a flood of natural light that danced on polished marble floors. A serene water feature trickled at the center of the lobby, flanked by tall indoor palms and curated art pieces that whispered wealth without needing to scream it. Every corner spoke of luxury, class, and power.It was almost as though someone had taken the essence of the Blake mansion, the chandeliers, the expansive halls, the sophistication, and distilled it into a contemporary kingdom of its own. The difference was this one didn’t belong to a man. It belonged to her.Christian stepped inside, his shoes clicking against the pristine tiles. He stopped halfway, his gaze slowly sweeping across the interior. He hadn’t expected this. His mouth parted slightly, his breath caught, and for a brief moment, he

Suddenly, the door creaked open, drawing every gaze toward it. Adrian stepped in, dressed in a crisp, dark shirt that brought out the sharp lines of his jaw and the quiet strength in his frame. There was a calm authority about him, a quiet storm behind those steady eyes.He walked straight to Crystal’s side, each step deliberate, pulled not by obligation but by something deeper. Love. As he reached her, he paused. His gaze softened, settling on her pale, fragile face with a tenderness that could melt stone.“Looks like you’re having a meeting,” he said, his voice a soothing balm, calm, smooth like velvet, with a trace of playful warmth that hinted at deeper emotions beneath the surface. He gently lowered the tray he carried, as though presenting a fragile gift, not just food.“I brought you lunch… remember? This was what you were craving last night,” he said, his tone low and intimate, carrying a silent message meant only for her. A subtle smile tugged at his lips, not one of amusemen

Months had gone by, and Christian still couldn't recover from the pain burning inside him. Time moved, the world continued spinning, but for him, everything had stopped. His days had no color, his nights no rest. He had become a prisoner in his own body, trapped, suffocating in a shell of the man he used to be. The once-glorious Christian Blake, who used to command rooms and make empires tremble with a word, now sat in silence, staring at the walls that once echoed with life. His face was pale, gaunt. The sharp bones of his jaw now jutted out as though chiseled from despair. His eyes were sunken, shadowed by sleepless nights and unwept tears. He hadn’t eaten in days. Barely drank. The world outside his study room might as well have stopped existing, and if it hadn’t been for the sound of thunder and the soft creak of wood, even he wouldn’t have known he was still alive. He buried himself there, for weeks, letting guilt and grief devour him like a sickness without cure. His home, if

Crystal ran her hand over the silk of her dress, smiling faintly as she adjusted the collar. The baby was growing fast. Her stomach was no longer a whisper of pregnancy, it was a bold, undeniable statement that life was blooming inside her. Months had passed, and with each one, her excitement grew louder, stronger, brighter.She looked stunning, but it wasn’t the glow of makeup or lighting. It was the glow of peace, of survival, of becoming. Her eyes held a joy she never thought she’d feel again.She stepped aside to grab her bag for the conference and paused, just for a breath, to take it all in. The luxury apartment, the gentle scent of lavender in the air, the sound of Adrian’s voice humming softly in the background as he prepared breakfast. Everything felt so full now. So right.And yet… her thoughts, uninvited but welcome, drifted back to that version of herself who once walked the hallways of the Blake mansion like a shadow.She closed her eyes.She remembered the cold floors. T

They turned slowly.Christian stood a few feet away, barely illuminated by the hallway lights. He looked older in this lighting. Not physically, but emotionally. As though time had crept up behind him, weighed his soul down, and left his eyes raw with memory.His hands were in his pockets, stiff. His mouth opened slightly, then closed again.Crystal instinctively stepped back, closer to Adrian. Not out of fear, but caution.Christian lifted a hand gently, as if to say, Please… just a moment.Adrian stiffened, his jaw tightening. But he didn’t speak. He felt Crystal’s hand in his firm, steady state.Christian’s eyes locked on her belly first. Then rose slowly to meet hers.“I watched your speech,” he said, voice husky, frayed with emotion. “Every single word.”Silence.“You were… everything I never let you be.”Crystal said nothing. Her eyes remained unreadable, but not cruel.Christian looked at Adrian next, then back at her. “I know I don’t belong here. I’m not here to start anything