All Chapters of Pregnant After The Contract Ended : Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

"Mr. Ashford! Mr. Ashford!"I opened my study door to find Mrs. Gable standing there. She looked terrified."What is it now? Did they get over the wall?" I asked."No, sir. It's the phone. It hasn't stopped ringing. The lawyers, the board of directors, the Rossi family... they are all demanding to speak with you. And the media... they have drones now, sir! They are flying cameras over the garden!"I walked to the window and looked up. Sure enough, a small black drone was hovering near the roof, its red light blinking like an evil eye."Get the security to knock it down," I said, my teeth clenched."Lucas, you have to do something," Charlotte said, coming into the room. She was holding a tablet. "Look at this. They are saying Valentina’s father has fled the country because he is afraid of you. They are saying you are holding her hostage in the hospital.""Let them say what they want," I said."We can't!" Charlotte cried. "The stock price is dropping. If people think you are a criminal,

The sun rose slowly over the big mountains. In the city, the sun was always loud. It hit the tall glass buildings and made everything look sharp and busy. But here, in the small hospital room, the light was soft. It was pink and gold. It felt like a quiet promise that things were going to be okay.Naomi did not sleep. She did not even blink for a long time. She stayed on the floor next to the bed. Her chin was resting on the white blanket. Her hand was holding Leo’s hand. His fingers were so small. They felt like tiny birds in her palm. Every time his chest moved up and down, Naomi felt a little bit of hope."Mama..." Leo whispered.His voice was very thin. It sounded like dry leaves moving on the ground. But to Naomi, it was the most beautiful sound in the whole world. It was better than any song. It was better than any music."I’m here, Leo. I’m right here," she said. Her voice was shaking because she was happy and tired at the same time. She reached out and touched his forehead. Th

Julian did not say anything else. He watched her buy a piece of bread and some tea. But his mind was working fast. He had worked in the city before. He had worked in big hospitals for rich people. He knew that look. He knew the look of a woman who was hiding.After Naomi went back to the room, Julian went to his office. He locked the door.He sat at his desk and opened his computer. He began to type words. Rich families. Missing wife. Secret marriage.He looked at many stories. But then, he saw a name.Ashford.He remembered the news from the city. Everyone talked about the Ashford family. They were very rich and very powerful. He saw a story about a "missing wife."He clicked on a photo. It was an old photo from a big party. The woman in the photo was wearing a very expensive dress. Her hair was perfect. She was standing next to a tall man who looked very cold and mean.The photo was a bit blurry. The woman in the hospital room was very thin and tired. But the face was the same. The

Naomi’s POVThe morning air inside the hospital felt heavy. It smelled like lemons and medicine. I did not like it. I wanted to smell the pine trees. I wanted to smell the wood smoke from my own fire.I looked at Leo. He was sleeping in the big white bed. He looked much better. His cheeks were not red anymore. They were pink and soft. I reached out and touched his hand. It was cool. The fever was gone."We are going home today, Leo," I whispered. "I promise."I started to pack our things. We did not have much. I had an old bag with a few of Leo’s clothes and a small blanket. My hands were shaking. I was not sick, but I felt weak. I felt like the walls were closing in on me."Naomi, you must sit down," Martha said. She walked into the room with a piece of toast. "You are shaking like a leaf in the wind. You need to eat.""I cannot eat, Martha," I said. I folded a small blue sock and put it in the bag. "I feel like people are watching us. Did you see the nurse in the hallway? The young

Sometimes, in the middle of the night, I would think about Naomi. I would think about the girl who liked to draw and drink simple tea. I remembered the night she left. I had been so angry. I told her she didn't matter.I had been a fool. I didn't love her, but she was the only person who was real. Everyone else in this city was a shark."Lucas? Are you listening?" Mother asked."Yes," I said. "I'm listening. I'll think about the trip."My phone buzzed. It was a message from my secretary. “Mr. Ashford, the investigator you hired months ago is on the line. He says the search is over.”I picked up the phone. I had hired a man to find Naomi a long time ago, just to make sure she wasn't telling secrets to the newspapers."What is it?" I asked."Mr. Ashford," the man said. "I have checked everywhere. There is no sign of her. She is not in the country. She is gone. My report is finished.""Fine," I said. I felt a strange pinch in my heart. "Stop the search. I don't want to hear her name agai