My Billionaire Husband Gifted me a Surrogate for Christmas のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 31 - チャプター 40

Catherine’s P.O.VI snuggled up to the warmth of Xavier’s arms around me. The steady beat of his heart was familiar, comforting, like coming home after being lost for far too long.“You feel different tonight,” he murmured, his voice low, almost teasing. “I missed this… missed having you close.”I let out a soft breath, leaning into him. “I missed it too,” I whispered, my voice trembling slightly, though I hoped he wouldn’t notice. Relief washed over me, but it was tangled with a heavier, darker weight I couldn’t shake.“You’re quiet,” Xavier said, tightening his hold just a little. “What’s on your mind, Cathy?”I hesitated, chewing on the words I wanted to say but couldn’t. “Nothing… just tired, I guess,” I said finally, though it wasn’t entirely true.“You don’t sound like ‘nothing,’” he pressed gently, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “I know when something’s bothering you.”I swallowed hard, my stomach twisting. There was so much I wanted to tell him, but the guilt made my

Catharine’s P.O.VNew Year's Eve arrives in the blink of an eye and once again, I find myself getting ready for yet another party, this time one I want to avoid with every fiber of my being. I stand in front of my closet, staring blankly at the rows of dresses hanging there, and I can't help but remember my last conversation with Hunter.His words keep echoing in my mind, about what he told me about Xavier, about the transfer, about everything. But now I don't know if he's actually trying to help me or just poisoning my thoughts against Xavier. Maybe it was all just a game to him, a sick twisted game where I was nothing but a pawn.I pull out a simple black dress and lay it on the bed. The last few days had actually been peaceful in the house, surprisingly so. I've tried to make an effort to be more understanding, more accepting of the situation. Caroline is a sweet girl, I can admit that now. She's very friendly and her bubbly personality doesn't bother me anymore, or at least that's

Catharine's P.O.VAs the minutes drag on, I settled into the leather seat, I caught Xavier's eyes in the rearview mirror. He was smiling at me, that charming smile that had made me fall in love with him all those years ago. But now it just felt empty."Thank you for understanding, Cathy," Xavier said, his voice warm and appreciative. "Today is really important and I'm actually quite nervous about it. I really want things to work out with these investors. They could change everything for the company."I forced a smile onto my face, the kind of smile I had perfected over the past few weeks. The smile that said everything was fine when nothing was fine at all. "It's okay," I said softly. "I understand."But in my head, I was calculating. I was analyzing every single thing that had happened over the past few days, every small comment, every subtle change in Xavier's behavior. Something was definitely off and I was done pretending that I was the problem. I was done blaming myself for being

Catharine's P.O.VI was completely taken aback by Hunter's sudden statement. My mind was spinning, trying to process what had just happened, what it could possibly mean. But before I could even begin to untangle my thoughts, Hunter broke eye contact with me and turned away. He moved smoothly into the crowd, immediately engaging in conversation with a group of men in expensive suits, discussing something business related like nothing earth-shattering had just occurred.Just like that, the moment was over. Hunter had dropped a bomb into the middle of the party and then walked away, leaving me to deal with the fallout alone.I couldn't stand there anymore. I couldn't handle the curious glances from the people around me, the whispered speculation about who Hunter's mystery woman might be. I needed to get away, needed something to calm the panic rising in my chest.I turned around and headed straight for the drinks table on the far side of the room. My heels clicked urgently against the ma

Catharine's P.O.VI could tell that Hunter was still furious. His entire body was tense, coiled like a spring ready to snap. His jaw was clenched so tightly I could see the muscle jumping beneath his skin, and his hands were still balled into fists at his sides. He looked like he was about to do something rash, something that might make this whole situation even worse than it already was.I didn't want that. I didn't want Hunter to get into more trouble because of me, I didn't want him to do something he might regret later. So I reached out slowly and gently touched the back of his jacket, my fingers barely making contact with the expensive fabric. I gave a light tug, just enough for him to feel it, hoping he would understand what I was trying to communicate.I don't want any more trouble. Please.Hunter's shoulders shifted slightly and I saw him take a deep breath, like he was trying to rein in his anger. He didn't turn to look at me but I could tell he had received my message. The t