Lies of a Pregnant Bride のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 21 - チャプター 30

In the CEO's office on the eighty-third floor of Blackwood Group.Ethan sat at his desk, those deep, unreadable eyes lost in thought.Knock knock.After a quick rap, Brian pushed the door open and strode in."Mr. Blackwood, here's the info you asked for." He set a sealed envelope on the desk.Ethan didn't reach for it right away."All confirmed?" His voice came low and even, giving nothing away."Yes, sir. Everything checks out. Records show Sophia grew up in Canada.""Father's Rowan Lane, university professor. Mother's Farrah Reynolds, clinic doctor. Both settled there now..."Brian ran through the basics."In here, photos from her childhood up, plus school transcripts."Ethan slit the envelope and pulled out a stack of pictures.One showed a little girl who could pass for a young Sophia, grinning wide at the camera with a pinwheel toy clutched in her hand."These authenticated?"Brian hesitated. "Yes, sir. All genuine."Ethan glanced at him. "Alright. You're dismissed."Once Brian w

Ethan swung back into the living room and spotted Sophia out cold on the sofa.Must've worn herself out.She lay curled on her side across the wide leather cushions, her dress hugging every curve like a second skin.The hem had ridden up from the position, baring a stretch of smooth thigh that caught the eye.Ethan eased closer without a sound, stopping by the sofa, his gaze tracing her without permission.From the delicate curve of her ankle up the graceful line of her calf, along the dip of her waist to the pale sweep of her neck.Had to admit, Sophia was stunning, the kind of beautiful that held you hostage.He couldn't help wondering.Had he fallen for her back then just because she turned heads like that?Ethan sank onto the empty spot beside her, staring at her peaceful face, his thoughts a tangled mess.A fog hung in his head, thick and stubborn, blocking the view and stirring up frustration.He thought of her constant efforts to please him these past days, that depression repo

Julie huddled under the staff exit's overhang, umbrella clutched tight as rain splashed her pant legs."This damn weather—won't pour till I'm clocking out. What a pain!"She grumbled, yanking out her phone to call her boyfriend, Miles.It rang forever, right on the edge of voicemail, before he finally grabbed it.But what hit her ears first? Shuffling cards. Then, seconds later, his slurred drawl."Yeah?" Miles wedged the phone between his ear and shoulder, shuffling the deck with both hands, cig dangling from his lips.Julie didn't need to guess—he was at the poker table again. Her temper flared hot."It's pouring cats and dogs out here. Can't snag a ride. Come get me, now!""Now?" He smacked his lips, annoyed. "Game just kicked off!"Julie gripped the phone harder. "So I'm worth less than a lousy hand?"Dead air for a beat. "Fine, fine. On my way."Click. Gone.Julie stared at the screen, biting her lip, a lump rising in her throat.She and Miles were small-town sweethearts, met ove

Five a.m. on the dot, a gentle buzz hummed from her wrist.Sophia was a light sleeper—the smartwatch had vibrated for under three seconds before her eyes fluttered open.She'd set it that way to avoid waking Ethan with a blaring alarm.She silenced it quick and shifted careful, trying to slip free from his arm without a stir.But that strong band of muscle weighed heavy across her waist, his breaths coming slow and steady.Sophia tipped her head back, shooting him a playful glare, then inched away bit by bit.Just as she was about to break loose."What's going on?" Ethan's gravelly murmur rumbled from above, laced with that sleepy drawl.Sophia caught his eyes already open and quit the stealth, nudging his arm aside easy. Her tone stayed all soft, though. "Did I wake you?"Ethan glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand—05:03.He frowned a touch. "Up this early? Something on the docket?""Yeah, gotta be at the main house by seven.""For what?""Heading out with Victoria to St. Gr

Sophia stood frozen on the roadside, watching the Blackwood car peel away, kicking up a gust that whipped her hair into a mess.Her face stayed even as she tucked the stray strands behind her ear, scanning the bustle around her. Turned out, she'd been dropped in the heart of a thriving shopping district."Not bad," she muttered to herself. "At least it's not some deserted backroad."In her simple long dress, with that knockout face and poise, she turned heads left and right amid the crowd, folks doing double-takes.But she couldn't have cared less. She fished her phone from her bag, thumb hovering over "Ethan" in her contacts.A few seconds of waffling, then she locked the screen.Nah. No point letting a spat throw her off game.With where they stood now, even if she ran crying to him and won a pity pat, he'd maybe dote a touch extra somewhere else to make up.Victoria was still his mom. Airing the dirty laundry? That'd shove their mother-in-law standoff front and center, making her B