Lahat ng Kabanata ng Crown and Consequences- Falling for the hunted billionaire: Kabanata 41 - Kabanata 50

AriaI woke up before the sun even thought about showing its face. I had spent so many hours awake until sleep finally stole me and yet, I was up before everywhere even became bright. My body ached from all the tossing and turning, and the baby kept rolling around like it was training for the Olympics. I laid there for a minute, staring at the ceiling and trying to talk myself into going back to sleep, but my mind was already racing so I slipped out of bed, threw on an oversized hoodie and some leggings, and tiptoed down the stairs. It was almost like the garden was calling me because it always smelled nice. In the mornings, it smelled like wet grass and roses and I could really use something that didn't smell like Rico’s cologne.The second I stepped outside, the cool air hit my face and I felt a little more human. I walked slowly with one hand on my belly and I took deep breaths savouring the fragrance. The sky was starting to turn that soft gray-blue, and the birds were just wakin

Rico I had parked one street away at about fifteen minutes earlier . I kept the window slightly low, watching the little white house like a creep. I heard every word of her phone call as she made it to her room this morning. I had a feeling I couldn't endure. It was almost like I could sense danger so I followed her from a distance. I stayed far enough back that even Dane never spotted me. I told myself I was only keeping her safe. Truth is I didn’t trust her to handle any bad situation well. When Dane called, he sounded very scared. “Is she okay?” “Yes, she is. But you need to get here.” I didn't want her to know that I had actually followed them so I waited five full minutes before moving. I turned the corner, drove into the yard and pulled up. “Oh my God.” I gasped the moment I saw her. I took long strides towards her, wondering what had really happened. “Aria, are you okay?” I asked but in response, she avoided my gaze. “Talk to me.”He wasn't responding and it looked

Aria “I’m gonna be sick.” The words barely left my mouth before Rico had me off the bed and into the bathroom. My knees hit the tile hard and I leaned over the toilet, throwing up nothing but sour bile and pure terror. He knelt behind me, one hand gathering my hair, the other rubbing slow circles between my shoulder blades. I hated how good it felt. I hated that I needed it. When there was nothing left I just stayed there, forehead pressed to the cool seat, crying so quiet my throat hurt. He didn’t say anything. He just kept rubbing my back like he could erase the morning if he tried hard enough. I don’t know how long we sat like that and the floor was beginning to be too cold against my legs but I didn’t care. He finally spoke, voice rough. “Do you really think I could do that? Don’t you think I want the truth too?” But I couldn’t answer. My head was pounding so hard I could swear I saw stars. He dragged a hand through his hair and started talking. And today for the first

Rico’s POVAria was sitting on the edge of the bed when I walked back into her room later that evening. The lights were dim and the curtains had been pulled down and she looked… tired. She had eye bags and wrinkles around her eyes and they weren't there before all of these. Her shoulders were stiff and her eyes distant as her fingers rubbed circles over her stomach.“You’re back early,” she murmured without looking up.“Yeah, I wanted to talk to you,” I said.That made her raise her head but her expression didn’t change even though I saw the hand still on her stomach like she was preparing for something heavy.I walked over and sat beside her and for a moment, I didn’t speak because I didn’t even know where to start from. Everything had been moving too fast around us and she was still trying to breathe through the trauma of what she’d seen so I had to be careful with my words.But if I didn’t say this now, I probably never would.“Aria…” My voice sounded rougher than I intended. “Th

Aria's Pov.I didn’t want to stay upstairs and pretend I wasn’t hearing the low rumble of voices coming from Rico’s study. I didn't know who the third party was but I could definitely hear Dane. The three of them had been in there for almost an hour, and every time the house fell quiet, my stomach twisted and even though they weren't necessarily loud, I could tell it had to do with the case. “Okay,I need air” I said to myself and slipped out of the chair I had been trying to write. I went out into the hallway and down the stairs and out into the back garden. Immediately the cool breeze hit me, I was grateful I stepped out. In that moment, it felt like the only place in this house that wasn’t suffocating.I followed the path, dragging my fingers lightly over the hedge as I walked, the sound of the small fountain trickling somewhere behind me. I spotted a small stone bench tucked under one of the trees and decided to sat down and catch my breath. I closed my eyes for a moment and I le