The Billionaire's Accidental Surrogate のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 11 - チャプター 20

Clara adjusted her sunglasses as she walked out of the baby boutique, two shopping bags in her hands. The tiny clothes inside made her smile - she'd bought neutral outfits as they didn’t know the sex of the baby yet. So much had happened recently and she just wanted to get her mind off a lot so she decided to go shopping, even though Devon had insisted they didn't need anything yet.The coffee shop across the street looked inviting, and her doctor had said one cup a day was fine. She settled into a corner table, her security guards taking positions nearby but trying to look casual.She was stirring her decaf latte when she heard it."Clara."Her blood turned cold. That voice. She looked up and there he was - James Horton, walking toward her with that same confident stride she used to love. Her guards immediately moved to block him, but Clara held up her hand."It's okay," she said quietly. "Let him through."James slid into the seat across from her, flashing that charming smile that u

The afternoon sun filtered through the lace curtains of Nana's sitting room, casting gentle shadows across the polished wooden floor. At eighty-one years old, Eleanor Cage still maintained the elegance that had made her the heart of the Cage family for decades. She sat in her favorite armchair, a delicate china teacup balanced in her weathered hands, steam rising from the Earl Grey tea she'd been enjoying with her son.Richard Cage, now in his late fifties, bore the weight of years of business success and personal regrets on his shoulders. His salt-and-pepper hair was perfectly styled, but his eyes held a sadness that spoke of strained relationships and missed opportunities. He sat across from his mother, occasionally glancing at his phone, hoping for the call that might bridge the gap between him and his eldest son.When the phone finally rang, Nana's face lit up with the kind of joy that only grandmothers possess. She recognized Devon's number immediately."De

The hospital room felt different now that everyone had left. The tension that had filled the air just moments before was replaced by an uncomfortable silence. Clara lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling, while James sat on her bed beside her, his eyes never leaving her face.He reached out slowly and touched her cheek with the back of his hand, his fingers gentle against her skin. "How are you feeling, baby? Really?"Clara closed her eyes at his touch, memories flooding back of all the times he had been tender like this, before everything went wrong. When she opened them again, she found him watching her with those dark eyes that had once made her feel like she was the only woman in the world."I'm fine," she said quietly, but her voice carried the weight of everything she wasn't saying.James leaned closer, his hand still on her face. "You look tired. You've been through a lot."Clara stared at him for a long moment, studying his face, searching

The silence in Devon's car was thick as he drove Yvonne back to her penthouse. The events at the hospital kept replaying in his mind, and he found himself gripping the steering wheel tighter than necessary.Yvonne had been watching him from the passenger seat, studying his tense jawline and the way his knuckles were white against the steering wheel. She could practically feel the anger radiating from him, and it thrilled her. This was exactly the reaction she had hoped for when she'd whispered those words about Clara needing privacy with her "boyfriend.""Devon," she said softly, reaching over to place her hand on his thigh. "You seem tense."He immediately moved his leg away from her touch, his eyes never leaving the road. "I'm fine."Yvonne smiled to herself. She loved it when he played hard to get. It made the eventual victory that much sweeter. In her mind, she was already planning their wedding, already imagining herself as Mrs. Devon Cage. It was on

Clara laid in her hospital bed, staring at the white ceiling. The beeping of the machines around her was the only sound in the room until she heard familiar footsteps approaching. She didn't need to look to know who it was. Sarah's perfume always gave her away."Hey girl," Sarah said softly as she walked into the room, pulling a chair closer to Clara's bed.Clara turned her head and saw her best friend's face. Sarah looked tired, worried, and something else - angry maybe? Clara let out a long sigh."I know you have a lot to say," Clara started, her voice weak from everything that had happened."Please, it's fine," Sarah interrupted, sitting down heavily in the chair. She looked at Clara for a long moment before speaking again. "Devon asked me not to say anything to you."Clara's eyes widened. "Devon? What does he have to do with any of this?""Everything," Sarah said, leaning forward. "What happened to your feelings for him?"The question hit Clara like a punch. She felt her heart ski