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Home / Romance Short Story / Behind the Perfect Marriage / Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

All Chapters of Behind the Perfect Marriage: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

24 Chapters

Chapter 1

Kayla Campbell clutched her prenatal check-up papers and felt completely lost. She didn't expect to run into Luke Hudson and Stephanie Campbell in the hallway just as she was leaving the clinic."Luke, isn't today Kayla's appointment too? Wouldn't it be better if you were with her instead of me?" Stephanie asked.Luke noticed her shoelace was untied. Without hesitation, he knelt down and tied it into a perfect bow, his movements so practiced it was clear he'd done this countless times before."Look at you, you didn't even notice your shoelaces were untied. How am I supposed to trust you like this? As for Kayla, I've already told her to wait for me at home. Once I'm done here with you, I'll go with her to her appointment."Sunlight streamed through the window, catching Stephanie's slightly rounded belly. It made her look radiant, soft, and unexpectedly joyful."So you came with me first. Does that mean you... care about me a little more? Oh! I think our baby is kicking, Luke! Can y

Chapter 2

The faint scent of Stephanie's perfume still clung to Luke. Kayla shoved away the man she had loved for so many years, her eyes burning red as she screamed, "For Stephanie, you're willing to let our child grow up without a father? You worry about her reputation, but what about me? Doesn't my reputation matter at all?"Luke stayed silent for a long moment, swallowing hard, his voice rough and hoarse when he finally spoke."If Stephanie hadn't come to warn me at the gala, you might have..." Luke's voice faltered, heavy with guilt."So I really can't just stand by and watch Stephanie be dragged through the mud."At a gala three years ago, someone had slipped Kayla a potent drug. A group of thugs had almost taken advantage of her, and it was Stephanie who had alerted Luke, saving her at the last second.Afterward, Luke had given the Campbell family dozens of projects and even added five million dollars in cash as thanks. But he still felt it wasn't enough.For the past three years,

Chapter 3

When Kayla woke, Luke was sitting by the bed.He looked exhausted, probably from a sleepless night. His handsome face was shadowed with stubble, and he looked utterly worn out.The moment he saw her open her eyes, he grabbed her hand, his voice trembling."Kayla, you're awake. Do you know what the doctor said? Your mood swings have already seriously affected the baby. If anything happened to you or the baby, what would I do? You'll be the death of me!"Kayla felt dazed. She couldn't understand how the man before her could love her and their child so fiercely, and stab her heart over and over at the same time."The doctor says you need more vitamins. You love apples the most. I'll peel one for you, okay?"As he spoke, Luke rolled up his sleeves.He picked up the knife with practiced ease, handling it even more carefully than the multi-billion-dollar contracts he signed every day.As he carefully peeled the apple, exposing the glistening white flesh inside, Kayla remembered that

Chapter 4

In a daze, Kayla thought she heard Luke's furious voice echoing around her."What kind of security do we have at the villa? How did those people get in?"No matter what it takes, I will make anyone who hurts Kayla pay a hundred times over!"And take those online posts down immediately! What's that? The situation's too big? What's the Hudson family's PR department for then? Just take it from my accounts, fifty million, five hundred million—I don't care. I never want to hear another word against Kayla!"What do you mean her condition is serious? Neither Kayla nor the baby can be harmed. If anything happens, I'll make sure you all pay for it with your lives!"When Kayla finally woke, the first thing she saw was Luke. Tears were streaming down his face, almost as if he might break apart.The moment he saw her eyes open, he swept her into his arms like he'd just survived a catastrophe."Kayla, my love. Do you know how close you just came to scaring me to death? You're my life!"He s

Chapter 5

Stephanie gave a knowing look to the servant, and the divorce papers were immediately handed to Luke. His name and Kayla's were printed in bold, glaring letters.Luke's hands clenched. In a flash of anger, he ripped the papers in two. His voice was sharp, almost strangled."You can't divorce me. How could you even think of divorcing me?"Stephanie put on a concerned expression."Luke, you've treated my sister so well, and she still wants a divorce. Could it be that... she's fallen for someone else?"That was all it took. Luke completely lost control. He grabbed Kayla's wrist, gripping so hard it hurt."Luke, let go of me!""Never!"His eyes were bloodshot, his breathing heavy with rage."Whoever that man is, I'll kill him myself. And you... Kayla, you will never leave me. You're mine. Forever!"Of course, Luke never found this so-called other man. But from that day on, he no longer allowed Kayla to leave the house.He claimed it was for her and the baby's safety, but in trut

Chapter 6

Katie was still hesitating when Luke burst into the room.The moment he heard from his staff that his mother had gone to the villa, he abandoned the meeting he was in and rushed back without a second thought. It was only when he saw Kayla standing there, unharmed, that he finally let out a breath.The next second, Stephanie threw herself into his arms. She covered her swollen, reddened cheek and cried pitifully, tears streaming down her face."Luke, Kayla accused me and said the baby I'm carrying is an illegitimate child. I saved her back then, and now she's trying to destroy me. She's pushing me into a corner with no way out. If that's how it's going to be, I might as well die."She turned as if to run out, but Luke caught her arm and pulled her back.Kayla watched the man she had loved for so many years. Even though her heart had already turned to ash, she could not stop a small flicker of hope from rising. She hoped he would finally tell the truth. That he would give her, and t

Chapter 7

Kayla began to take the initiative with Luke. She would even take his hand and guide it to her belly."I heard that babies who grow up listening to their father tell stories become smarter," she said softly.For the first time in ages, Kayla was no longer cold or distant. She was showing affection, even joy, about the baby. Luke was over the moon. He spent the entire day holding his wife, unwilling to let her go.When Stephanie complained that her stomach hurt and asked Luke to stay with her, he refused without a second thought, saying he was too busy with work.But the moment Kayla mentioned craving mac and cheese, Luke canceled his meetings, went into the kitchen himself, and cooked a full spread just for her. He even promised he would come every night to tell the baby a bedtime story.Stephanie finally snapped.She intercepted Kayla while she was walking in the backyard, her hatred spilling out through clenched teeth."You shameless wench. You stole eighteen years of my life,

Chapter 8

The Celestial Bliss jewelry line had long been Hudson Group's flagship brand. Last year alone, sixty percent of the company's total revenue came from that series.When they released the preview for the new collection, "Moonlit Delight, " it triggered a rush of preorders. Industry experts predicted it would become the most profitable jewelry launch of the past fifty years.What no one knew was that the entire "Celestial Bliss" series had been designed by Kayla.On the other end of the line, the man's breathing grew noticeably heavier."I'll come to Harbor City myself within the hour. Wait for me."Once Kayla got the answer she wanted, she finally let out the breath she had been holding.She deleted the call log, then smashed Stephanie's phone and tossed the broken pieces into the trash.Outside the door, the family doctor was still pleading anxiously."Mrs. Hudson, please let me take a look at you. If Mr. Hudson asks later, I really won't know what to say."Just as Kayla hesita

Chapter 9

"Luke? Luke!"For some reason, Luke felt constantly on edge the whole time he was accompanying Stephanie at the hospital. Kayla's face kept replaying in his mind, the way she had shoved him away, her eyes cold and merciless.Stephanie called his name several times before he finally reacted. Restless, he grabbed his jacket and stood up.Her eyes instantly turned red-rimmed. She clutched his sleeve, looking pitiful and fragile."Luke, are you really going to leave me here alone at the hospital? I'm carrying your child.""The baby you're carrying isn't mine."If this were before, Luke would have gone along with Stephanie's deception. In public, he had always felt obligated to protect her reputation.But now, he suddenly didn't want to anymore.He could repay a favor. He could tolerate her tears and her helplessness and help her hide the truth for a while. But he couldn't let her treat his indulgence as something she was entitled to.The child in Stephanie's womb was not his.The

Chapter 10

What should have been a forty-minute drive was forced down to half that time.The moment Luke stepped into the villa, a thick, metallic stench of blood hit him head-on.When he passed the pool, the water had already been drained. But along the edge, there were traces of dark stains of blood that were still wet."What happened?"A servant collapsed to the floor, trembling so badly he could barely speak. After stammering for a long time, he still couldn't explain a single thing clearly.The panic in Luke's chest only grew heavier."Where is she?"The servant knew Luke was asking about Kayla. He also knew how important she was to him. That knowledge only made him shake harder.Luke didn't wait any longer. He turned and ran straight toward the basement.It was already late autumn. With every step closer to the basement, the temperature dropped, until even Luke couldn't stop himself from shivering.Only then did he truly realize what kind of environment he had forced his wife to l

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