Chapter 341

Chapter 341 For weeks now I had been watching her like a shadow, documenting every movement, every visitor, every secret conversation she thought was hidden behind the walls of my father’s mansion. Easily distracted. The video ended again. Silence returned to the study. I sat there for a long moment, staring at the blank screen, the glow slowly dimming as the phone slipped toward sleep mode. Something about tonight felt different. Heavier. My head began to throb faintly, a dull pressure forming behind my eyes. I rubbed my temples slowly. Too many hours staring at screens. Too little sleep. Too much thinking. That was all. I reached for the phone again and replayed the video. Beatrice smiled on the screen. “Surviving,” she said. “Yes.” “But not winning.” The words echoed inside my skull. Winning. My chest tightened slightly. Then the room tilted. Just slightly. A small, disorienting shift in the balance of the world. I blinked. The screen blurred for a second.

Chapter 342

Chapter 342 The pregnancy test still rested on the bathroom counter long after I had taken it. Two dark lines. Clear. Unmistakable. I hadn’t moved for several minutes. Maybe longer. Time had stopped making sense the moment those lines appeared. My fingers were still trembling slightly as I stared at the small plastic stick as though it held the power to rewrite my entire life. Because it did. “I’m pregnant…” The words felt unreal every time I whispered them. My hand drifted slowly to my stomach again, pressing lightly against the soft fabric of my shirt. Nothing felt different yet. Nothing had changed on the outside. But everything had changed. A life. A tiny, fragile life growing inside me. Joy rose in my chest so suddenly it almost hurt. A warm, radiant happiness spread through me, filling spaces inside my heart I hadn’t even known were empty. Nathan. The thought of him made my throat tighten. His smile when he found out. The way his eyes would light up. The way he

Chapter 343

Chapter 343He would demand answers. He might even go straight to Beatrice tonight.That could start a war we weren’t ready for.But hiding the truth from him wasn’t an option either.Nathan deserved to know.About the danger.And about the life growing inside me.I leaned back slowly in the chair, staring up at the dark ceiling.“How do I tell you?” I murmured quietly.The answer didn’t come immediately.But as the minutes passed, a small idea began forming in the back of my mind.Something gentle.Something private.A moment that belonged only to us.If I was going to change Nathan’s world tonight, it needed to happen somewhere special.Somewhere he would never forget.My gaze drifted toward the glass doors that led to the rooftop terrace.The idea settled into place instantly.A rooftop dinner.Simple.Romantic.Just the two of us under the night sky.By morning the decision had already been made.I spent the entire day preparing.The house staff noticed my unusual energy but wisel

Chapter 344

Chapter 344“Well,” he said, stepping closer, “this is definitely not the welcome I expected after a twelve-hour workday.”I laughed softly.“Is that a complaint?”“Not even remotely.”Nathan loosened his tie as he walked toward me, his gaze still scanning the rooftop.“You did all this yourself?”“Mostly.”“Impressive.”He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me gently against his chest. The familiar warmth of his embrace made my heart ache with affection.“What’s the occasion?” he asked.“Do I need one?”Nathan studied my face carefully.His eyes narrowed slightly.“You’re nervous.”I tried to smile.“I’m not nervous.”“You’re terrible at lying.”His thumb brushed lightly across my cheek.“What’s going on?”My chest tightened.This was it.But the words refused to come out yet.“Sit,” I said softly instead.Nathan raised an eyebrow but obeyed, taking his seat at the table.Dinner passed slowly.We talked about small things at first.Nathan told me about a frustrating meeting he

Chapter 345

Chapter 345Nathan’s arms were still wrapped tightly around me when the words left my mouth.“I’m pregnant… and there’s something else you must know.”For a moment, the rooftop terrace fell completely silent.The soft wind rustled the candles. The distant lights of Ravenswood flickered below us like a thousand quiet witnesses. Somewhere far away, a car horn sounded and faded into the night.But Nathan didn’t move.His arms loosened slightly around my waist, and he pulled back just enough to look at my face.His eyes searched mine carefully.The joy that had lit up his entire expression only moments earlier hadn’t disappeared, but now something else crept into it too.Concern.“Elena…” he said quietly.My throat felt tight.He studied me for another long moment.“You’re not joking, are you?”I shook my head slowly.“No.”Nathan exhaled, running one hand through his hair.He took a step back, then another, pacing once across the small rooftop before turning back to me.His emotions were

Chapter 346

Chapter 346 Nathan leaned back slowly in his chair, absorbing the information. “You’ve been spying on her?” “Yes.” “Without telling me?” “I needed proof first.” His expression darkened. “Elena—” “Please,” I said quickly. “Just listen first.” Nathan exhaled sharply but nodded. “Fine.” My fingers tapped the phone screen. “I recorded several conversations.” I pressed play. Beatrice’s voice filled the quiet rooftop. “You’re late.” Nathan’s eyes snapped toward the phone. “Who is that with her?” he demanded. “I don’t know yet,” I said quietly. The recording continued. “You said discretion was important.” Nathan leaned forward slightly. His jaw slowly began to clench as the conversation unfolded. “You said she was clever.” “She is.” “But clever doesn’t always mean dangerous.” “She’s emotional. Sentimental. Easily distracted.” Nathan slammed his hand against the table. “That woman—” “Wait.” The recording continued. “Still, we shouldn’t underestimate her. Rivers