All Chapters of The Bet That Ruined Us : Chapter 171 - Chapter 180

Four months passed in what felt like both an eternity and a blink.Four months of Shayla's belly growing bigger and bigger. The baby getting stronger. More active. Kicking constantly.Four months of weird pregnancy cravings. Pickles and ice cream at 3 AM. Chocolate-covered bacon. Spaghetti with peanut butter. Things that made no sense but Grayson got them anyway. Every single time. Without complaint.Four months of Shayla and Angel building their relationship. Mother and daughter. Growing closer every day. Shopping together. Cooking together. Watching movies together. Painting. Reading. Just being together.Four months of visiting Ayven every single day. Sitting at that observation window. Watching him lie there unconscious. Hoping. Praying. Waiting.The doctors said he was responding to treatment. His vitals were strong. His brain activity was good. Everything physically was healing properly.But he still had not woken up. Still lay there in that bed. Breathing through machines. Exis

[RECOVERY ROOM - VIP SUITE, TWO HOURS LATER]Shayla had been moved to a private recovery suite. The nicest room the hospital had. Because Grayson had insisted.The room looked more like a luxury hotel than a hospital. Big comfortable bed. Private bathroom with a shower. A sitting area with a couch and chairs. A mini fridge. A TV.And it had been decorated. Pink balloons everywhere. Pink ribbons. Fresh flowers. Roses and peonies and gardenias. The room smelled amazing. Looked festive and cheerful.Shayla did not even know when Grayson had arranged all this. But he had. Somehow managed to do it.Baby Madonna was in a clear plastic bassinet beside the bed. Sleeping peacefully. Wrapped in soft pink blankets.Angel was standing beside the bassinet. Just staring at her new baby sister. She hd not looked away in over an hour. She was humming a lullaby softly. Gently. Her face was full of wonder and love.Grayson was sitting on the edge of Shayla's bed. Petting her hair gently. Looking at her

Ruby's arms came around both of them. Pulled them close.And immediately burst into tears. Just started sobbing. Her whole face crumpled up. Tears streamed down her cheeks rapidly. Creating wet tracks through her makeup."My dynamic duo is awake!" she said through her sobs. Her voice was thick and choked. "Oh my God! I cannot believe it! This is the best day ever!"She was crying and laughing simultaneously. Making those weird hiccupping sounds that come from trying to do both at once.She squeezed the kids tighter. Kissed the tops of their heads. Left wet tear marks on their hair.Ayven pulled back first. Looked up at her with his eyebrows raised high. His expression was genuinely confused. Baffled even."Why is she crying?" he asked. His tone was so sincere. Like he truly could not comprehend what was happening. "Did someone die? Is something wrong? Why would you cry about me being awake? That is a good thing."Grayson started laughing. He could not help it. The sound burst out of h

[ONE WEEK LATER - GRAYSON CROSS MANSION, AFTERNOON]The black SUV pulled smoothly into the circular driveway. The engine purred quietly as Luke put the vehicle in park, turned the key. Everything went silent.Grayson opened the back door. Extended his hand to help Shayla out. She took it gratefully. Moved slowly and carefully.She was doing much better now. A week of rest had helped tremendously. But labor and delivery took a serious toll on the body. It would be weeks before she felt completely normal again.Ayven did not wait for help. He opened his door and jumped out. Stood there on the driveway looking at the mansion with the biggest smile on his face.His eyes were bright. Shining with happiness and excitement. He was finally home."Home sweet home!" he announced loudly. His voice carried across the lawn. Full of joy and satisfaction. "I missed this place so much! Every single room! Every single corner!"He spread his arms wide. Spun in a circle. Taking it all in. The beautiful

EIGHT YEARS LATER[S&S MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - GRAND OPENING.]The red carpet stretched out in front of the brand new medical center. Sleek. Modern. Glass and steel gleaming in the morning sunlight. The building was massive. State of the art. The kind of hospital that would change lives.S&S Memorial Hospital.Named for two women. Sarah Hale. The mother who had inspired a dream. And Shayla Cross. The woman who had made that dream reality.The crowd was enormous. Paparazzi lined both sides of the red carpet. Cameras flashing constantly. Creating that strobe light effect. Reporters shouting questions. Photographers jockeying for position. Security guards keeping everyone back behind the velvet ropes.News vans from every major network were parked along the street. Satellite dishes pointed skyward. This was big news. Dr. Shayla Cross opening her own hospital. The rising star surgeon who had come from nothing. Built herself into something extraordinary.And there she was.Walking down the red