Semua Bab BILLIONAIRE’S REVENGE BRIDE: Bab 31 - Bab 40

Ariana’s POVBy Next Morning,the alarm chimed softly beside me, but my body was already half-awake, drifting out of sleep with the uneasy awareness that today wasn’t an ordinary workday.I need to visit the Hospital.The word echoed in my head as I lay still for a moment, staring at the pale ceiling, one hand instinctively finding my stomach beneath the sheets.For my Antenatal.For a second, fear fluttered in my chest as every visit carried a strange mixture of reassurance and vulnerability and a proof that something miraculous was happening inside me… and a reminder of how much could still go wrong.I sat up slowly and careful not to wake Slade. He slept on his side, one arm flung across the pillow like he owned the entire mattress in his dreams. For a man who ruled boardrooms and corporations, he looked absurdly human when he slept.I smiled softly.Then reality tugged me back.I slipped out of bed, showered quickly, and dressed in one of my new blazers, structured enough to make m

Ariana’s POVI walked back to my desk with lighter steps than I’d had all morning.For the first time since I stepped into the company, my chest didn’t feel so tight. Talking to Nina had stitched something back together inside me, something I hadn’t realized was still torn.Maybe things were finally starting to settle.That hope lasted barely six seconds,when I reached my desk and froze.My sketches were gone.Not even gone but ruined.My tablet lay where I’d left it, but the screen was filled with jagged lines slashed violently across my designs and the entire silhouettes had been scribbled over in thick black strokes,my color palettes were erased and replaced with messy smears that looked almost deliberate.My breath left me in a rush.No.No, no, no.My hands trembled as I scrolled through the files.All of my three sketches were destroyed.My vision blurred instantly.I hadn’t even saved any backups yet.My chest tightened until it hurt.“Who would do this to me” I weepedAcross t

Ariana’s POVThe floor buzzed differently after the meeting.People spoke in hushed voices now, glancing at me with curiosity instead of dismissal. Chairs scraped, tablets were tucked away, and the designers slowly dispersed back to their cabinets like nothing monumental had just happened.But something had changed.I felt it in the way shoulders straightened when I passed.In the way Lily kept grinning like she’d won something personal.In the way Clara avoided looking at anyone at all.I returned to my desk, set my tablet down carefully, and pretended to organize my files. My heart was still racing with the adrenaline humming beneath my skin.You survived that.NoYou won.Across the room, Clara stood abruptly and grabbed her bag, her movements sharp and angry. She headed toward the hallway that led to the private design rooms.Before doubt could creep in, I stood.“Lily,” I murmured, “I’ll be right back.”She glanced up instantly. “Ariana”“I won’t cause a scene,” I promised quietl

Ariana’s POVSaturday arrived with an unsettling silence and I woke early, long before even the sun had fully risen, and lay staring at the ceiling while Slade slept beside me.His friend is coming today.I slipped out of bed quietly, showered, and dressed in something simple. By the time I came downstairs, the staff were already moving with quiet efficiency with fresh flowers arranged in the living room, the guest wing prepared.It felt… deliberate.As if the house itself knew someone important was arriving.Slade joined me in the kitchen moments later, sleeves rolled up, coffee in hand.“You didn’t have to wake this early,” he said.“I couldn’t sleep,” I admitted.His gaze lingered on me for a second too long. “She won’t be here until noon.”I nodded. “I know.”We didn’t say anything else.The morning passed slowly. I tried to distract myself with reading and scrolling through designs on my tablet, pretending my chest wasn’t tight.At exactly twelve fifteen, the sound of tires crunc

Slade’s POVAriana lay beside me with her body still, breath measured, but I knew better than to believe she was asleep. She had that particular silence when her mind was racing and when she was building walls instead of resting against them.I stared at the ceiling long after the lights were off, listening to the distant hush of the city and the quieter, more unsettling sounds of the house itself. The mansion had always been silent in a controlled way but tonight, it felt occupied.Amanda’s presence had settled into the walls far too quickly, like dust finding familiar corners.When Ariana finally shifted, turning slightly away from me, something tightened in my chest. I wanted to reach for her, to reassure her without words, but instinct told me not to. She needed space more than comfort right now and perhaps I did too.By morning,I left the bedroom early, careful not to wake her, and headed downstairs with my phone already buzzing in my hand. Three missed calls and One voicemail.M