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Lahat ng Kabanata ng RIGHTFULLY MINE : Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

185 Kabanata

What-ifs

ZOE’S POV I went back to the office after lunch with the conversation I'd had with Austin still lingering in my mind. Owen was at his desk quietly going through documents when I walked in. He looked up when I entered. His expression was neutral, polite. A little too polite.I closed the door behind me quietly. "Hey” I said trying to ease the awkwardness.He nodded once. "Hey."“I’m sorry, Owen.” I said walking over to him. “I didn’t mean to leave you like that. I just… had to go. You know why.”He looked up his eyes calm but unreadable. "You don’t need to explain, Zoe. I get it. You’re only doing what you have to do."Still, I pressed forward. "No, I do need to explain. I had to take that opportunity. The more time I spend with Austin, the more likely I am to get closer to Jamie. Everything I do now… it’s for him. You know that."He sighed resting back in his chair. "I know. I was just looking out for you. You didn’t seem well earlier, and I thought maybe you'd let yourself rest. Tha

She could get away with it. Again

ZOE’S POV “How did this happen?” I whispered. I stood by the bed staring down at Nick. He was motionless, pale and his head was heavily bandaged.“What did the doctor say? Is he going to be okay? Will he wake up soon?”I asked a bunch of questions turning toward Owen who stood a few feet behind me calm in posture but not in the eyes.“Zoe,” he said softly moving closer. “You need to breathe. The doctors are still running tests. They’re doing everything they can. We’ll know more soon.”I nodded, though nothing about his words made me feel better.“We think he was lured there,” Owen added, voice low. “And then attacked.”My chest tightened. I turned back to Nick looking at the bruises that peeked out from under his hospital gown and the cuts on his face.Why? Why would someone go this far?Before I could ask more the door opened and the doctor stepped in with a serious look on his face. I stood up quickly clutching the bed rail.“Doctor?” My voice trembled. “How is he?”He sighed. The

It had to be done

CHLOE'S POV“…It’s done, it's been taken care of.” the man said his voice low and steady over the phone. “You don’t have to worry.”I sat still in the dim light of my bedroom one leg crossed over the other, my hand clenched tightly around the phone. My heart was pounding under my silk robe but my voice came out as calm as a still lake.“The recording, did you delete it from his phone?”“Yes,” he replied without hesitation. “We wiped the phone clean.”“And his body?” I asked, sharper now, leaning forward slightly. “Did you make sure no one could find him?”There was a pause. I heard the faint rustle of movement maybe the shifting of gravel under boots.“We were about to,” he said “but we had to leave the scene fast when we saw headlights. Another car was coming. Didn’t want to risk being seen.”My breath caught. “So you left him there?”“Don’t worry” he said quickly. “There’s no way he'd survived. We made sure of that. And the place we left him—it’s more like a dump, an abandoned wareh

That's a gamble

ZOE'S POVI ended the call and placed the phone gently on the table. My fingers were trembling but not from fear.From rage.“She knows something,” I said, turning towards Owen, who stood with his arms crossed, watching me carefull.He didn't ask for clarifications. He didn't need to.“She's involved in this. I could hear it in her voice the second I mentioned Nick was still alive. Her shock wasn't just surprise—it was panic.” My jaw tightened. “She tried to have him killed.”Owen exhaled slowly and nodded. “If she's involved, them she'll try to finish the job. She wouldn't risk Nick waking up and spilling everything.”“She won't wait long,” I added, my voice hardening with conviction. “That call rattled her. I'm sure she thought he was dead and gone. Now she'll act fast, hastily—without planning like she usually does.”“That's exactly why we said it.” Owen said walking over to the window. I nodded slowly. “A bluff… but a necessary one.”We hadn’t told the doctor to lie. Nick really

Finally, a seal to my place here.

CHLOE'S POV I sat calmly in the hospital passageway legs crossed, perfectly poised. The smell of disinfectant filled the air and nurses went by without paying much attention. That was good. I wanted to blend in like just another concerned visitor. But I wasn’t here for concern. I was here for control. When I finally saw Zoe and Owen walking down the hall, a sense of satisfaction grew inside me. There it was…the look on Zoe’s face. Confusion. Apprehension. Like she was watching something fall apart that she thought she had perfectly planned. They weren't expecting me. Not now. Not after all this time.Zoe's pace quickened. She approached me with that usual still, accusing stance. “Why are you here?” She asked, her voice already tight before she was close enough to whisper. Owen stood behind her, quiet, watchful. Like always. I tilted my head slightly offering Zoe a soft smile. “I came to check on Nick,” I said lightly as if I were talking about an old friend, not a man I once tri

The "Good News"

AUSTIN’S POV “You're dressed up? I was not expecting that” I said walking into the room and putting my keys down. “I’m guessing you're feeling better?” Zoe was sitting on the bed fully dressed. Her hair in a messy bun and she had a little box with a ribbon sitting in her lap.She smiled at me her expression unreadable. “I feel a little better” she said quietly. “Here… open this first.”I blinked. “What is this?”“Just open it.” she insisted holding the box out to me.I took it with a cautious smile pulling at the soft ribbon. The lid lifted easily, and inside I saw a white plastic stick. I frowned, trying to place it. I’d seen it before, but…My eyes slowly widened when I saw the two bright pink lines.I looked up at Zoe. “Wait… is this…?”She was already grinning. “Yes, Austin. I’m pregnant.”The air seemed to leave the room. I stared at her stunned into silence for a moment then looked back at the test like it might vanish if I blinked. My chest tightened but in the best way pos

Something deeper shattered

CHLOE'S POV It had been almost a week since I told Austin I was pregnant—and I don’t think I’d ever experienced such peace. Or love. Not like this.I’ve been starting the day with breakfast in bed and waking up to the smell of pancakes or eggs. Austin handled everything—Jamie’s breakfast, his school prep, drop-offs. The moment I told him something shifted in him. He was softer and more attentive.Like this morning.He walked in with a tray containing eggs, toast, fresh fruit and a cup of tea. The tray almost fell as Jamie bounced beside him on the bed excited to kiss my belly again like he had been doing every morning now.“Here you go, darling,” Austin said placing the tray on my lap. “Now, remember, you’re not lifting a finger, okay? If you need anything at all just call one of the staff from the landline.”He sat beside me looking into my eyes like I was made of glass. “Do you remember the time for your appointment? I want to clear my schedule early so we’re not rushing.”I smiled

Old habits

ZOE’S POV My heels clicked softly on the floor as Owen and I stepped into Austin’s office building. It had been years but somehow everything still looked almost the same. The air felt familiar. The walls, the furniture, all of it pulled at a corner of my memory I’d sealed off long ago.We were here for a meeting with an investor, yet my heart beat faster than it should have. Maybe it was the memories, maybe it was what I knew and what Austin didn’t. Either way, I wasn’t just here to discuss business today.Owen glanced sideways at me. “You okay?”I took a moment to respond. I looked around the room, my old desk is now someone else’s. A place I once sat with dreams in my head and a secret in my heart. I felt like my old self.“Yeah,” I finally said clearing my throat. “I just didn’t think I would walk into this place again.”Before Owen could respond Austin stepped out from his private office with that wide smile that had come to feel more and more strange lately. He was beaming with

An Ugly truth

ZOE’S POV “I think you might be right,” Owen said dropping an envelope on my desk. “She's been to the hospital alone. Twice.”I looked up at him slowly, then at the envelope. My heart immediately started beating faster.He added, “Photos are in there. I had him follow her yesterday and the day before. Same hospital. No driver. No Austin.”I didn’t say anything at first. Just reached for the envelope like it might burn me. It felt like the beginning of a truth I’d been dying to pull into the light.“I knew it” I whispered my fingers working quickly now, looking at the photos from inside.The first one was of Chloe coming out of the car in big sunglasses and a scarf that didn't conceal her much. She was clearly trying not to be recognized. The timestamp in the corner confirmed the visit was just yesterday morning.The next photo was even more telling—she was walking out of the hospital alone, a hand pressed to her stomach. Her face looked pale. Worn. Not the face of a glowing, joyful,

A terrifying silence

AUSTIN’S POV I sat alone at the table playing with my coffee. Chloe had called earlier saying she needed to see me to discuss something important.She didn’t say what it was about.Just, “Can we meet?”It was rare. Chloe never called me out of the blue. Especially not without business in between.So I came early. I couldn’t help it. I was shaken by her voice. Not in a panicked way. Just… Serious.I checked my watch again.Then I saw Chloe walking toward the table, her eyes scanning the room until they found me. She looked put together, but tense.“Sorry for the wait” she said taking a seat.“I actually got here a little early” I replied putting the coffee aside. “You’re not usually one to ask.”She forced a smile. That unsettled me.“You okay?” I asked, leaning forward.She sighed. “Austin… I know I might be overstepping by getting involved in what happens between you and Zoe. Especially a private matter that has to do with your marriage. I know that. But this… this is beyond that. S

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