My Best Friend’s Uncle… and My Baby Daddy のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 61 - チャプター 70

We had spent a bit of time in the hospital due to my fainting spell. The doctor said it was due to high blood pressure—a direct result of the sheer stress of almost losing Finn in that fire. He instructed me to be on absolute bed rest, a command I knew I could probably fight Eric on if I really wanted to, but the truth was, I was exhausted. I got to resting. Now that my baby was back in my arms, safe and sound, I finally felt at peace. Eric, though, had been more attentive than I had ever seen him. He was trying his best to be helpful in his own way—bringing me plates of fruit, feeding me, and taking Finn whenever I looked like I needed to close my eyes for a moment. I could see that the ordeal had taken a heavy toll on him too. Even though he was constantly trying to be the tough, unshakable man the world expected him to be, he was still human. Those rare moments of vulnerability we shared managed to bring us closer together than we had been in a long time.

The day had finally arrived: Eric’s birthday.I had spent the last few hours finalizing the decorations. I chose a theme of gold and black—classic, timeless, and sophisticated, just like the man himself. The greenhouse had been transformed. Fairy lights twinkled against the glass panes, reflecting off the gold streamers like fallen stars. I could already imagine the look on his face, that rare, genuine smile I worked so hard to earn.“No... no, that goes over there,” I directed one of the staff members, pointing to where the 'Happy Birthday' banner needed to hang perfectly straight.“Can I have cake, Mommy?” Finn’s small voice piped up from below, followed by a tug on my skirt.“No, honey. It’s for your Daddy’s party,” I said, trying to be reasonable.Finn’s face transformed instantly. His brow furrowed, his bottom lip poked out, and he let out a frustrated hu

I woke to the distant, rhythmic sound of a rooster crowing, the sky outside still a deep, bruised purple. It was barely six o’clock, that quiet hour where the world feels like it belongs only to the people awake to see it. I felt incredibly loved, sandwiched between the two most important men in my life. Finn was a warm weight against my side, snoring softly, while Eric’s heavy arm was draped across us both like a shield. “Hey,” Eric’s voice broke the silence—a deep, husky rumble laced with sleep that vibrated through the mattress. “Good morning,” I whispered back, turning my head to find him already staring at me. “Morning.” I reached out, weaving my fingers through his dark locks. He let out a long, contented sigh, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment. But then, the playfulness in his gaze returned. “Hold on a minute,” he murmured. He moved with practiced, silent grace, lifting a sleeping Finn and shifting him toward the edge of the bed. He tucked a heavy pillow between our son

It had been two days since I made the conscious decision to return back to work. The initial rush of motivation was still there, but the reality of the task was starting to set in. I initially wanted to contact Marcus for help with the job. I knew his network was vast, and with one phone call, he could probably help me land a role in a firm that actually respected my skills. But knowing Eric’s jealous and petty streak, I resisted the urge. I didn't want to start my new professional life by triggering a territorial war at home. I wanted to do this by myself, and that was why I was currently sitting on the living room floor, my laptop a heavy weight on my legs, as I spent the morning emailing companies and trying to find a lead.I was using my maiden name, not Eric’s last name. I had two very specific reasons for that. First, I didn’t want Eric finding out yet—or worse, Eleanor. If she knew I was trying to re-enter the corporate world, she’d find a way to belittle the effort or block my

I sat there, my mind spinning in a thousand different directions as I tried to process what had just happened. How could Eleanor have won? How could she have stepped in and taken what belonged to him so easily? It didn't make sense. The woman who had caused so much chaos was now being handed the company in a sliver platter. I couldn't help but feel that this was all my fault. The guilt started to claw at me, a cold, heavy weight in my chest. If I had just stayed in Austria, if I had never shown up to that wedding, none of this would be happening. If I had stayed away or simply ignored the messages, Eric wouldn’t be losing the legacy he had worked so hard to build. I felt like a curse, a dark cloud that had followed him and rained down destruction on everything he touched. “Eleanor,” I heard him utter. It wasn’t even a question. He just said the name like a single, blunt word. It hung in the air, vibrating with a tension that made the hair on my arms stand up. “Yes, Mr. Kingsto