All Chapters of Scars of Love,Flames of Betrayal: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Chapter 31: Close To Breaking Point Zara’s POV Three days. It had been three days since I walked out of Josh’s office and told him not to contact me. Three days of silence that felt like an eternity. I spent most of my time curled up on Green’s couch, alternating between crying and staring blankly at the TV. The baby had been moving less than usual, but I figured it was just stress. Everything was stress lately. “You need to eat something,” Green said, setting a plate of scrambled eggs in front of me. “You haven’t had a real meal since Monday.” “I’m not hungry.” “Zara, you’re eating for two. The baby needs nutrition even if you don’t feel like eating.” I picked at the eggs halfheartedly, managing a few bites before pushing the plate away. My stomach felt unsettled, like everything inside me was twisted into knots. “Have you heard from him?” Green asked, sitting down beside me. “No. I told him not to contact me, and for once, he’s actually listening.” “Is that what

Chapter 33Josh’s POVThe conference room felt like a courtroom, and I was the defendant. I’d arrived fifteen minutes early for the 9 AM Nakamura meeting, hoping to get ahead of whatever damage Robert had done. Instead, I found him already there, sitting at the head of the table—my usual seat—chatting easily with the three Japanese executives like they were old friends.“Josh!” Robert stood up with false enthusiasm. “Perfect timing. We were just discussing the revised proposal.”I forced a smile and shook hands with the Nakamura team. Mr. Tanaka, their lead negotiator, gave me a polite but reserved nod. That alone told me something was wrong. Three weeks ago, he’d been enthusiastically praising our partnership.“Gentlemen, thank you for meeting with me,” I said, deliberately taking the seat at the opposite end of the table from Robert. “I understand there have been some concerns about the project timeline.”“Among other things,” Mr. Tanaka said carefully. “Mr. Miller has been very for

Chapter 35 Josh’s POV The gun in Robert’s hand looked surreal, like a prop from a movie that had somehow ended up in Zara’s living room. But the wild look in his eyes told me it was very, very real. “Robert, put the gun down,” I said slowly, keeping my voice steady despite the terror coursing through my veins. “Shut up!” Robert’s hand was shaking, the gun wavering between me and Zara. “You were about to ruin everything. Everything I’ve worked for.” “How did you even know I was here?” My mind was racing, trying to figure out how to get everyone out of this safely. Zara was on the couch, frozen in shock, her hand protectively over her baby bump. Green had backed up against the wall, her phone clutched in her hand. “I followed you.” Robert’s laugh was bitter. “Did you really think I wouldn’t notice you sitting in your car for an hour? I was parked right across the street.” “So you followed me here to threaten my pregnant girlfriend with a gun? Very rational, Robert.” “I wasn’t pl

Chapter 37Zara’s POVThe hospital felt cold and sterile at 3 AM, the fluorescent lights harsh against my tired eyes. Josh kept his arm around my waist as we approached the nurse’s station, both of us still trying to process the midnight phone call that had dragged us here.“We’re here for Katy Brooks,” Josh said to the nurse. “We got a call about an accident?”The nurse checked her computer. “Room 412. Fourth floor. Are you family?”“No, but apparently I’m her emergency contact,” I said, still not quite believing it.We took the elevator in silence. My mind was racing with questions. Why was I Katy’s emergency contact? After everything she’d done—the betrayal with Robert, the blackmail attempt with Josh, the way she’d tried to destroy my life—why would she keep my name as the person to call in an emergency?Room 412 was quiet when we entered. Katy lay in the hospital bed, her head wrapped in bandages, machines beeping softly around her. She looked small and vulnerable, nothing like t

Chapter 39Josh’s POVThe office could survive without me for a week. Hell, it had survived worse—Robert’s hostile takeover attempts, my extended absences, the Nakamura deal drama. What it couldn’t survive was me losing Zara because I was too stubborn to prioritize what actually mattered.“I’m taking the week off,” I announced to Zara over breakfast the morning after our celebration. “No work, no clients, no emergencies. Just us.”She looked up from her pancakes, surprise evident on her face. “Really? You’re taking a whole week off?”“Really. I want to focus on us. On preparing for the baby. On making sure you’re happy and healthy.” I reached across the table to take her hand. “And I want to talk to you about something important.”“Okay,” she said slowly, a smile playing at her lips. “That sounds serious.”“It is serious. Zara, I want you to move in with me. Officially. Not just staying here for a few days or visiting—I want this to be your home. Our home.”Her eyes widened. “You want