All Chapters of The Billionaire's Secret Baby After Divorce: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Bella's POVThe morning sun poured through the curtains, soft and golden, spilling across the bed. I turned my back to it, pulling the sheets higher over my shoulder as if that would keep the day at bay. My chest was heavy, my heart pressed down still by the memory of last night’s conversation on the porch with Cole's mother. No matter how many times I tried to brush them away, they wouldn't disappear from my head.Cole had been gentle today. He's been patient, endlessly patient. He’d coaxed me to come downstairs, to eat breakfast with the family. But my resolve had been firm. I shook my head each time, insisting that the room was enough for me. I couldn’t stand the idea of seeing everyone’s eyes, wondering if they would look at me the way his mother had. Wondering if behind their kind smiles, they were thinking the same thing, that I should give him children, that I was withholding the one thing that mattered.So I stayed. I ate my breakfast in bed with Cole beside me, pretending as

Bella's POVThe city lights stretched far below as Cole’s car slid smoothly into the private drive of our beautiful home. We had been back from Texas for weeks now, long enough to slip back into the normal routine of our lives, the kind of rhythm I used to crave. Quiet mornings, Cole reading the paper across from me at breakfast, or discussing his plans for his day during breakfast, evenings spent with his arm draped over my shoulders as we read in silence. Normalcy.Normalcy, however, had become a strange thing. It wasn’t so much peace as it was the absence of storms. But even in that absence, I could feel the air pressing heavy on my lungs. I told myself it was my imagination, but somewhere deep down I knew that peace never lasted long in my world.So, when Eric’s message came through my phone that afternoon, I almost didn’t read it. His name alone had the power to twist something sharp inside my stomach. I’d promised myself, promised Cole that I would never answer him again. But th

Bella's POVI barely remembered the drive back. The blur of streetlights, the dark ribbon of road, the echo of Eric’s kiss still burning on my lips. It all dissolved into static. By the time I reached our estate, my chest was so tight it felt like I had been holding my breath for hours.The gate slid open automatically, but my hands trembled on the wheel. I didn’t even steer properly into the driveway. Tires screeched against the pavement as I stopped the car diagonally, half across the lines. I killed the engine, shoved the door open, and stumbled out as if the car itself might suffocate me if I stayed inside.The house loomed above me, warm light spilling from the tall windows. For a moment, I hesitated at the threshold. My reflection flickered in the glass of the door, a pale face, wide eyes, lips swollen from something I wanted to pretend hadn’t happened.But then I heard it. Cole’s voice.It came from deeper inside, rolling out in its usual warm baritone. The sound rooted me for

Bella's POVThe moment Cole’s voice rang out in the hallway, I felt my heart lodge in my throat. The phone was still warm in my hand, my palm damp with sweat, and my mind was spinning so fast I could barely think straight.“Who were you talking to?” he asked again, taking a step closer. His brows drew together in that way that always meant he wasn’t just curious, he was suspicious as well.Panic tightened around me like a noose. Martha’s words were still ringing in my head, her threats pounding like drums. I’ll tell Cole everything.I had to think fast. I couldn’t let him see through me.So, I plastered a soft smile onto my face, even though it felt like glass cracking under pressure. “That was… one of my managers from Belle’s Beauty UK,” I answered, my voice sounded better than I felt.Cole’s frown eased slightly, though his eyes stayed fixed on me. “Belle’s Beauty UK?” He folded his arms across his chest, his tone edged with curiosity. “At seven in the morning?”My pulse spiked. “It

Bella's POVMartha sat quietly at first, watching me from across the room. I stood by the window, looking out, pretending to admire the gray stretch of clouds above York City. My body was here, but my mind… my mind wanted to be anywhere else.I could feel her eyes on me, the way she always looked at me now, as though she could see through me. It was unsettling, her pity, her constant worrying, her inability to understand that I didn’t want to feel this way anymore. I didn’t want to feel anything.“Bella,” she said softly after a while, her voice trembling, “you should sit. You’ve been standing since the doctor left.”I didn’t turn to look at her. “I’m fine,” I murmured, crossing my arms.She got up anyway, moving closer. “You’re pale. You haven’t eaten since you arrived—”“I said I’m fine, Martha.” My voice came out sharper than I intended. She flinched slightly, but didn’t back off.“I know you’re trying to be strong, but this isn’t something you can just ignore. She’s—”“She’s alive