All Chapters of The Surrogate-in-law: The Billionaire CEO's Deception : Chapter 131 - Chapter 140

Knox,Violet's grip around my wrist tightened, firm yet trembling, as if letting go would mean losing me again. Her palm felt warm against my skin, almost burning, and the subtle shake of her fingers made my chest tighten in a way I could not name. There was a smile on her face, soft and fleeting, but just for that moment it looked painfully vulnerable. As if something beneath her strong, controlled exterior cracked open for only me to see. It vanished too quickly, like she was afraid I might notice it.“Come with me. I have someone to introduce you to,” she said. Her tone carried a strange casualness, the kind people used with those they trusted deeply. Almost like telling an old friend to stop being difficult and follow along. The familiarity in her voice felt undeserved, yet it pulled me along despite the confusion twisting in my stomach.Mark followed us silently. He kept a short distance behind, shoulders slightly hunched, his gaze lowered as if he had surrendered himself to what

Knox,Violet placed a cup on the table and glanced at me as I walked toward Cyrus… my son… the one who didn’t know who I was.The resemblance hit me like a twist in the heart. Seeing another version of me, a small soul growing up somewhere in the world without ever knowing his father, made my chest tighten. A quiet disappointment spread through me in a slow, painful way.If those monsters hadn’t been there for me, if those people hadn’t ruined my life, would I have been there for him? At his birth? His first birthday? The first time he called someone Dad?How many days and hours did I miss because of all that? Thousands? I didn’t even know."How old is he?" I asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. My fingers trembled slightly as I reached out and gently wrapped them around his tiny ones. His small hand tightened around mine, and my breath caught."One year and seven months." Violet held up the cup of coffee toward me as she answered. There was a softness in her eyes, hidden beneath he

Violet,The direct sunlight brushed against my eyelids, coaxing me awake. I blinked slowly, letting my eyes adjust. Unlike most mornings, there was no small weight climbing over me, no tiny fingers poking my cheeks, no soft, constant mumbling demanding attention. The silence felt strange, almost suspicious, but peaceful.I stretched slightly and extended my arms instinctively, reaching for Cyrus. Instead of finding his warm little body curled beside me, my movement was cut short. My wrist was trapped. No, held.It took three seconds for my sleepy mind to catch up. Three slow heartbeats. Then everything from last night rushed back in a vivid wave. My gaze snapped to the man beside me.Knox.He was right there. Sleeping. His face relaxed in a way I had almost forgotten, lashes resting against his cheeks, his breathing steady and calm. For a moment, I just stared, afraid that if I moved too much, this image would disappear.It felt surreal.Just a week ago, I was still preparing myself f

Throughout the day, we were busy with the party. From early afternoon until the sky began to soften into evening, the penthouse was filled with movement and noise. All of my bodyguards were present, blending in surprisingly well, and some of the hotel staff from downstairs joined too. Laughter echoed across the rooms, glasses clinked, and music floated lazily through the air. For once, no one looked over their shoulder every second, and no one whispered about threats or danger.It felt like a small break, a precious chance to breathe after a long, suffocating period of my life. I could almost pretend that everything was normal, that we were just another family celebrating something ordinary. Although I did not get much time with Knox because Erica had been trying to spend as much time with him as she possibly could, the overall atmosphere warmed my chest. It felt like the family I had wished for during countless lonely nights. Everyone looked happy, or at least content enough to forg

Violet,I felt deeply conflicted about the conversation earlier. The Smith family was yet to be found, and many people who once worked for Silverfangs were still out there, scattered and hidden like fragments of a broken mirror.. Knowing all that, how could I even consider letting him stay away from me? If he still had his people, his structure, his old system of protection, I would have never worried this much. I would have trusted that instinctively. But now, except for Mark, I couldn’t trust anyone even for a moment, and that constant awareness sat heavy on my chest.Feeling absolutely torn, I rested my head against the pillow and stared at the ceiling. The faint reflection of city lights shifted slowly above me as cars passed far below. The room felt unnaturally quiet, as if it were listening to my thoughts, absorbing every fear I couldn’t say out loud. The door was still ajar, just slightly open. Erica had left not long ago, her footsteps measured, her posture stiff, her back s