All Chapters of Terms and Temptations: The CEO spoils me silly: Chapter 101 - Chapter 110

Emma’s POV The city skyline was a blur of golds and blues as Xander and I arrived at the rooftop gala hosted by one of his company’s oldest partners. The elevator doors slid open to reveal an explosion of chandeliers, laughter, and the clink of crystal glasses. The space smelled of champagne, power, and too much perfume. Still, the view? Stunning. “Stay close,” Xander murmured into my ear, his hand firm on my lower back. “They’re sharks in tuxedos.” I smiled. “You say that like I didn’t marry the biggest shark of them all.” His smirk was swift, sexy. “I’m a reformed shark. Mostly.” --- The evening unfolded like a scene from a dream: beautiful people in beautiful clothes, soft jazz humming beneath the conversations. And yet, even amid the glitter, I couldn’t shake the odd sense of being watched. A prickling at the back of my neck. A shift in the air. “Something wrong?” Xander asked, handing me a flute of ginger ale. Still avoiding alcohol, just in case. I hesitated. “No. Just…

Xander’s POV There were things I didn’t say out loud. Not because I didn’t want to, but because some emotions were too big for words. Like the way I watched Emma sleep every night. Her face relaxed, her hand resting over her belly protectively — our baby, our secret. No one else knew. Not the media, not the board, not even our close circle of friends. Just my parents, Danielle, and me. And her. Sometimes, I thought she still didn’t fully believe it was real. Sometimes, I didn’t either. --- The past few weeks had been chaos in disguise. The outside world was moving at full speed — her career blooming again, Belle & Hue whispering promises of redemption. My company expanding, negotiations, mergers, headlines. It was a storm of progress and pressure. But every time I stepped into our home and saw her—glowing, focused, brave—I remembered what mattered. Her. Us. And now, them. I never thought I’d crave domesticity, but with Emma, it wasn’t domestic. It was divine. --- On

Emma’s POV I didn’t sleep. Even with Xander’s arm wrapped protectively around me, my thoughts raced like fire through dry leaves. Bella’s voice haunted every corner of my mind—her fear, her desperation, her guilt. And that one ominous phrase: I think they’re coming after me next. By morning, I had already chosen the location. A quiet café in lower Manhattan, one with large windows, multiple exits, and good lighting. I told Xander everything, and he didn’t try to stop me. But he insisted on coming too. “We do this together,” he said, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Always.” --- Bella was already seated when we arrived—hood up, sunglasses on, fidgeting with her straw like it was the only thing tethering her to reality. She looked thinner, her skin dull, shadows beneath her eyes. When she saw me, her breath hitched. “Emma,” she breathed, like saying my name was both relief and punishment. Xander took the seat beside me, his protective presence like armor. “I wasn’t s

Emma’s POV We didn’t wait. There wasn’t time to sit around and hope Diane and Robert would self-destruct. People like them didn’t fall apart on their own — they had to be pushed. Hard. And this time, we weren’t just reacting. We were setting the rules. Xander called a family meeting that morning. It wasn’t dramatic or drawn out, just quiet resolve over coffee and toast in the sunlit dining room. “I want full security detail on Emma,” he said, glancing at Khal and Sophie. “No questions. No exceptions.” “What’s going on?” Sophie asked gently. Xander looked at me, letting me decide how much to say. “They’re digging into my pregnancy,” I told her. “And they’re planning something. We don’t know exactly what yet, but we’re close.” Sophie’s expression darkened. “They’ll have to go through us first.” And just like that, I didn’t feel so alone anymore. --- We moved quickly. Marcus, Xander’s PI, pulled together a timeline of movements — Caleb’s presence near my appointments, Rob

Emma’s POV I never expected the news to break like this. It wasn’t a press conference. It wasn’t a carefully worded release from Blake & Rowe’s PR team. It wasn’t even a leaked tip. It was a photograph. Just one. Me and Xander, walking hand in hand outside the doctor’s office. His hand cradling my small but growing bump. My smile—soft, tired, and unmistakably maternal. That was all it took. By noon, it was everywhere. “Billionaire CEO’s Bride Expecting First Child” “Emma Davis-Blake’s Quiet Glow—A New Life, A New Beginning” “From Scandal to Serenity: The Fairytale Continues” The internet did what it always did. It roared. --- At first, I froze. I sat on the couch in Xander’s office, the tablet in my lap, my name trending, my inbox overflowing, and a nervous flutter in my chest that I couldn’t blame entirely on the baby. “Are you okay?” Xander asked, walking in. I looked up at him, unsure how to answer. “I don’t know,” I whispered. “This was supposed to be ours a l