All Chapters of Pregnant After The Contract Ended : Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Lucas’s POVThe meeting at the office had been a victory, but the air in my car felt heavy as I drove back to the mansion. I had the papers. I had the proof. I had finally broken the golden chains that Victor Rossi had wrapped around my neck.As the tall iron gates of the Ashford estate opened, I expected to see a moving truck. I expected to see Valentina’s expensive suitcases piled up on the gravel. I expected the silence of a house that was finally cleaning itself of poison.But as I pulled into the driveway, I saw a crowd of people near the front fountain.Two security guards were standing there, looking panicked. In their arms was a limp figure in a red silk robe. It was Valentina. Her head was hanging back, her long hair dragging in the dirt. Her skin was not its usual rosy color; it was the color of gray stone."What happened?" I shouted, slamming my car door shut.My mother, Evelyn, was standing on the porch steps. She was holding a handkerchief to her mouth. She looked confuse

Valentina’s POVThe mansion was quiet when I returned. It was not the loud, angry quiet of the morning I was forced out. It was a heavy, respectful quiet. The tires of the car moved slowly over the gravel. The engine stopped.I sat in the back seat and kept my eyes closed. I made my body feel heavy. I made my hands cold. I had to be perfect."We are here, Valentina," Victor whispered. My father’s voice was soft. He was playing his part perfectly, too. He sounded like a man whose world was falling apart.The door opened. I felt the cool night air on my face. Then, I felt Lucas.He didn’t say anything. He reached into the car and lifted me out. He was strong. I wanted to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. I wanted to laugh and tell him I had won. But I stayed limp. I kept my head against his shoulder. I breathed slowly, making a small, weak sound in my throat.He carried me toward the porch. I could feel his heart beating against my chest. It was fast. He was stressed. He was wo

I looked at Mrs. Gable. She was standing by the door, watching me. I gave her a look—a quick, sharp look that told her I was still the boss. Then, I turned back to the door as Lucas came out."I’ll be back by dinner," Lucas said. "I promise. I’ll bring the specialist from the city to look at you again. We will make sure you have the best care.""Okay," I said. I let my lip tremble. "I’ll try to be brave. For you."He nodded and walked out. He didn't kiss me. He didn't touch my hair. But he had stayed the night. That was enough for day one.I looked at the breakfast tray. I wasn't hungry, but I ate the toast. I needed to be strong. I had a lot of work to do. I had to make sure this illness lasted a long, long time. I had to make sure Lucas never had a moment to think about anything—or anyone—else.Evelyn’s POVI was in the garden when Lucas came out of the house. He was walking fast, heading for his car."Lucas!" I called out.He stopped and waited for me. He looked like he had aged fi

Naomi’s POVThe sun was high over the mountains. It was a beautiful, warm day. I had opened the windows of the cottage to let the fresh air in.Leo was on the floor. He was crawling everywhere! He was so fast now. He would wiggle his little body and move across the room like a tiny explorer. He was wearing a soft yellow romper, and his dark hair was messy."Slow down, Leo!" I laughed. I was sitting at the table, peeling potatoes for soup. "You're going to tire yourself out."Leo looked at me and gave me a big, toothless smile. He let out a happy little "Da-da-da" sound. My heart squeezed. He sounded so much like Lucas when he laughed."Yes, you're a big boy," I said softly.I turned back to my potatoes. I was thinking about the winter. I needed to buy more wood for the fire. I needed to make sure Leo had warm blankets. I was happy. For the first time in a long time, I felt safe. The city felt like a dream that was far away.Leo moved toward the corner of the room. There was an old woo

A doctor walked out. He was wearing a green suit. He was taking off his gloves. There was a small spot of blood on his mask.I stood up. I couldn't speak. I just looked at him."Are you the mother of the little boy?" he asked."Yes," I whispered. "Is he...?"The doctor looked at his clipboard. He didn't look happy."We stopped the bleeding," he said. "The nail went through a major artery in the palm. He lost a very large amount of blood for a child of his age. We have given him a transfusion.""Is he going to be okay?"The doctor sighed. "He is very weak. And because the nail was rusty and dirty, we are very worried about infection. He has a very high fever now. The next twenty-four hours will tell us everything. He is in a coma, Madame. His body is trying to heal, but the shock was very great.""Can I see him?""Only for a minute. He is in the Intensive Care unit."I followed the doctor down a long, quiet hallway. We went through more doors. It was cold in this part of the hospital.