All Chapters of Pregnant After The Contract Ended : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Naomi’s POVThe sky was still a bruised purple when my eyes snapped open. I hadn’t slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the man in the brown jacket. I saw Lucas’s cold, dark eyes. I saw the golden cage of the mansion waiting to swallow me whole.I knew I couldn't stay. Not another hour. Not another minute.I stood up, my legs feeling like jelly. The morning sickness was there, a dull ache in my throat, but I ignored it. I had to be faster than my fear. I packed my small bag in less than three minutes. I didn't have much to begin with—just a few clothes, my parents' old photo, the ginger snaps, and the small envelope of money from Mrs. Gable.I looked around the tiny, ugly hotel room. It was a terrible place, but it had been my first taste of freedom."Goodbye," I whispered.I slipped out of the room and down the creaky stairs. The man at the front desk was snoring, his head resting on a folded newspaper. I didn't hand in my key; I just laid it quietly on the counter and stepped o

Naomi’s POVThe van ride felt like it lasted forever. My back ached, and my head felt heavy, but I didn't dare sleep for long. Every time the driver pulled over at a rest stop, I pulled my hood lower and looked out the window with a pounding heart. I saw families eating ice cream and truckers drinking coffee. They looked so normal. I felt like a criminal, even though my only "crime" was wanting to keep my baby."Next stop, the ferry terminal!" the driver called out.My heart leaped. The ferry terminal meant the border. If I could get across the water to the neighboring country, I would be under a different government, a different police force, and a different set of laws. Lucas Ashford was a king in our city, but his crown lost its shine once you crossed the ocean.I got off the van with my small bag clutched against my chest. The air here smelled different—salty and cold. I could see the giant white ferry sitting in the harbor, looking like a floating mountain.I walked to the ticket

Lucas’s POVThe sky outside the jet window was no longer dark; it was a screaming, flashing void of white light and gray rain. The plane felt like a toy caught in the mouth of a giant beast. Every time the wind hit us, the metal groaned, a sound so loud it vibrated in my teeth."Mr. Ashford! I’m losing the left engine!" the pilot’s voice crackled over the intercom, filled with a terror I had never heard before. "The lightning—it hit the wing! I have to find a place to land! Any place!"I didn't care about the wing. I didn't care about the engine. I was staring at my phone screen, at the words Elias had sent. Someone else was waiting for her."Who?" I whispered, my voice lost in the roar of the wind. "Who is with you, Naomi?"Suddenly, the world tilted. The floor of the jet dropped away. My stomach pressed into my throat as we began a vertical fall. Oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling, dancing like plastic ghosts in front of my face."Brace for impact!" the co-pilot screamed. "Brace!

Two Months Later…Evelyn’s POVThe hospital hallway was too white. It was too clean. It smelled like bleach and death. For sixty days, I had walked this same floor. For sixty days, I had sat in the same uncomfortable chair, watching my son sleep a sleep that looked like it would never end.Lucas lay on the bed, his body thinner than I had ever seen it. The machines around him made a constant beep... beep... beep sound. It was the only way I knew he was still alive. His face, once so full of command, was now soft and pale.The Ashford empire was shaking. Without Lucas, the board of directors was like a pack of wolves. They were fighting over who would lead. The stock prices were falling. The "Ashford" name, which used to mean power, now meant "uncertainty.""Mrs. Ashford?"I turned my head. It was Valentina. She was wearing a black dress that was far too short for a hospital, and she was carrying a designer bag. She wasn't crying. She hadn't cried in weeks."Is he still out?" Valentina

The sound felt like a final goodbye to my peace. I knew that by sending this, I was leaving a trail. I was giving them a way to find me."I'm sorry, little bean," I said, walking back to my room. "I have to try. Even if he never loved me... he deserves to know he’s a father."The Hospital – 3 Days LaterEvelyn’s POVI was sitting by Lucas’s bed when a nurse came in."Mrs. Ashford? There is a woman outside. She says she has something for you. She says her name is Abigail."I stood up quickly. Abigail. Naomi’s friend.I ran to the waiting room. Abigail was standing there, looking defiant. She didn't look impressed by the luxury of the hospital. She looked like she wanted to punch me."Where is she?" I asked, my voice trembling."I don't know where she is," Abigail said firmly. "And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. You people are poison.""Please," I begged. "Look at my son. He’s dying."Abigail looked toward the ICU doors. Her face softened just a little. "Naomi sent me a letter. She