All Chapters of ONE WILD NIGHT : Chapter 71 - Chapter 73

Maya’s POVIf someone had told me months ago that bed rest would be one of the hardest battles of my life, I would have laughed. But here I was — sitting on the couch Caroline insisted I stay on, surrounded by pillows, wearing the loosest dress known to mankind, and feeling like both a prisoner and a ticking time bomb.Thirty-eight weeks and five days pregnant.Nine months of fear, hope, pain, terror, love — all boiling into this aching, swollen moment where everything was finally still.And I hated the stillness.The house was too quiet.My thoughts were too loud.And my body felt like it belonged to someone else — heavy, slow, unpredictable. Every time the baby shifted, I held my breath. Every time a contraction fluttered and died, frustration clawed up my throat.False alarms were cruel. You brace for battle, and then the battlefield dissolves into emptiness, leaving only adrenaline and exhaustion.Alex walked in with my lunch — again.For two weeks, he hadn’t let me lift anything

Alex’s POVThe email arrived at 6:47 AM, right before my alarm. The soft chime felt louder than usual, sharp in the quiet morning room. I reached for my phone slowly, trying not to wake Maya, but she already moved. Even half-asleep her hand went to her belly, as if guarding our daughter.“What is it?” she mumbled, eyes still shut.I didn’t answer right away. I read the email once. Then again. My heart sped up.Finally, I whispered, “Pemberton Industries wants to hire us.”Her eyes opened at once. “The Pemberton Industries?”“Yes,” I said, hardly believing it myself. “They want a six-month consulting deal. Fifteen thousand dollars.”Maya blinked, then slowly sat up. “Fifteen thousand?” she whispered. “That’s almost two months of income for us.”I nodded, feeling something warm rise in my chest — hope.“Roberto must have recommended us,” I said. “He worked with them before.”Fifteen thousand meant we could pay Caroline back. Finish the baby room. Cover medical bills. Breathe again.“Whe