บททั้งหมดของ I DIED RICH AND WOKE UP PREGNANT: บทที่ 11 - บทที่ 20

LilaWhen we got back to the office, the first thing I noticed was Mara’s face.She did not even try to hide it. Her lips were pressed tight and arms folded like she was holding back a full blown adult tantrum. Her gaze flicked over me and I smiled triumphantly. I was back and Theo had personally come to get me.Theo beelined for his office while I went to my desk and waited.Thirty minutes passed. Then an hour. I rearranged the icons on my screen thrice. Changed my wallpaper four times waiting to be assigned something to work on. I was deliberately avoiding the internet since I knew news of my death were plastered all over.Two hours passed and there was still nothing. Every time I heard footsteps approaching, I straightened, ready to work. But they were never for me.Why had Theo even asked me to come?If he didn’t want anything from me… that was also fine. Being ignored was a small price to pay for a paycheck.By the time it was five o’clock I felt like the afternoon had been 12

LilaTheo’s eyes narrowed as he leaned in. He did not touch me, but having him inches away from my face made my heart race just a little bit. I could now smell his cologne, something expensive like Orion’s but there was something warmer about it. “Who did that?” he asked, sounding angrier than I had expected and that surprised me that my answer came out like I was unsure.“No one,” I answered too quickly.Theo’s nostrils flared while his jaw tightened like he was biting back something. “Sera!”I stared past his shoulder, avoiding his eyes completely, “It’s nothing.”His voice dropped lower, “Don’t lie to me.”“I’m not..”“Yes,” he snapped, “you are.”He straightened suddenly and stepped back. I was relieved thinking he was already done with the questioning and I was free to go.But that feeling was temporary as he stepped back only to stalk around his desk to stand right in front of me.He leaned down, bracing both hands on the armrests of my chair. The leather creaked softly and I

Lila As I left, all I could think of was that Theo’s sister was something. She hadn’t been what I had expected when she said she was his sister.I had expected a female version of Theo but instead, she felt like a genuinely warm person but too perceptive for my liking. I decided not to dwell too much on the interaction. That was probably going to be the first and last time I was going to see her.When I got back to the office, I made sure to reapply my makeup in the lobby bathroom. It felt too cakey but necessary. I kept my head down as I passed Mara, avoiding any comments about my face. The folder pressed to my chest like a shield.Theo’s office door was open, which explained why Mara did not say anything to me. I knocked softly.“Come in.”His voice was back to its usual flat, commanding baritone. No trace of the man who had cornered me in the morning.He was at his desk, head bent over a tablet, stylus in hand. The mid-morning light cut across the room, highlighting the sharp line

LilaThe car that had been parked outside was gone by morning. I had watched for it all night. Every set of headlights that slowed outside made my breath catch but the car never returned. The absence did not exactly make me feel safe. Whoever they were, they knew where I lived, and they could come back anytime.I needed something to do. Something that didn’t involve watching the street obsessively. I started pulling things out, not sure what I was looking for. I found jewelry, old notebooks and planners but nothing substantial.From one of the many notebooks, a card slipped free and landed face up on the carpet.I stared at it, hopeful that I had found something.It was plain white and in a minimalist font.Dr. Alistair Thomas, MDOncology & HematologySt. Mary’s Memorial HospitalIt wasn’t a clue but a reminder. I hadn’t visited my mother in over a week and I strangely felt guilty. I had no money for the pending payments, but I could just visit and maybe ask for a grace period. It wa

LilaI woke up on Monday for the first time feeling… light. It surprised me and I felt like I had borrowed someone else’s good mood and forgotten to return it. Between my mother and the handsome doctor, I wondered who was responsible.Either way, I was humming while getting dressed.I caught my reflection in the cracked mirror above the sink, toothbrush hanging from my mouth, eyes brighter than they had been in weeks.“Don’t get used to it,” I told her. It was only a moment before the other shoe dropped.By the time I stepped into Starvos Global Holdings, I was dangerously close to believing I was actually going to have a good day.That illusion lasted exactly twelve seconds.Mara was at her desk when I arrived. She didn’t look up and all she said was, “He is back.”Two words. I stopped, my bag strap biting into my shoulder. “I’m sorry?”She finally lifted her gaze, “Our boss. He is back. He asked for you the moment he walked in.”The lightness in my chest immediately disappeared.The