All Chapters of Falling For My Father's Best Friend : Chapter 141 - Chapter 150

The car ride home from the picnic was silent, the air thick with unspoken emotions, a palpable tension that hung heavy between us.I kept my eyes fixed on the window, watching the gray London streets blur past, the city lights a hazy glow in the distance. Mateo's hand never left my thigh, his touch warm and steady, a silent reassurance of his presence, but I couldn't feel it. Not really. Everything felt muffled, distant, as if I were underwater, the sounds of the city muted, the colors dulled.When we got back to the house, the grand mansion feeling more like a gilded cage than a home, I told him I wanted a bath, needing the solitude, craving the escape. He kissed my forehead, his lips lingering for a moment, his eyes filled with concern, and said he'd be in the study if I needed him, his words a promise of support, a silent offer of comfort. The second the bathroom door closed behind me, the sound echoing in the vast space, my shoulders sagged, the weight of my emotions crashing down

The hospital coffee tasted like burnt dirt, but I needed something to hold in my hands. I stood at the vending machine for far too long, staring at the paper cup as it filled. My shirt was still stiff with Isabella's dried blood. Every time I moved, I felt it crack against my skin like a reminder.When I turned the corner, I saw Lucian sitting in the waiting area, elbows on his knees, staring at the floor. Elena was beside him, rubbing his back gently.He looked up the moment he sensed me. His eyes were red and swollen."Dad... is she okay? Is the baby okay?"I crouched in front of him, resting my hands on his shoulders. "She's stable. The baby is still with us. The doctors said she needs lots of rest and no stress. You did good staying calm earlier."Lucian nodded, but his bottom lip trembled. "I don't want to lose her too."The words hit me harder than I expected. I pulled him into a tight hug, pressing my face into his messy hair."You're not going to lose her," I whispered. "I pro

**ISABELLA'S POV**The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the weight beside me - not heavy, but solid and warm. I blinked slowly, my body still heavy from whatever medication they had given me last night. The hospital room was dim, morning light filtering weakly through the blinds.Mateo's mother was asleep in the armchair pulled right up to the side of my bed. Her head was tilted at an awkward angle, one hand resting near mine on the blanket. Her usually perfect hair was slightly mussed, and there were faint lines of exhaustion on her face. She looked... human.I stared at her for a long moment, something strange twisting in my chest. This was the same woman who had torn me apart at Christmas. Now she was sleeping beside me like a tired mother who had stayed up all night watching over her child.I gently touched her arm. "Mrs. Rossi..."She stirred, blinking awake with a small groan. Her hand flew to the back of her neck as she straightened up."Oh... goodness," she murmured,

I couldn't breathe in that hospital room anymore.Every second that passed without knowing what was happening at home felt like knives in my chest. "What have I done?" My imagination grew wide. My mind kept spinning - Was it Mateo losing control, maybe Rafiq fighting back, or Lucian seeing everything. I sat up slowly, ignoring the dizziness, and stared at the IV line taped to my arm.I had to go.I swung my legs off the bed, but the moment my feet touched the floor, the world tilted. My knees buckled. I grabbed the bed rail to steady myself, breathing hard. My eyes landed on the heavy metal IV pole, the machine humming and tethering me to the wall.I reached for it, trying to pull the heavy stand with me, but it was too clunky. The wheels caught on the floor. I wasn't strong enough to drag this through a hospital, let alone into a car."Bloody hell," I whispered, looking at the tangle of wires.This damn IV need to stay on. As a nurse I know the damn risk for the baby andy self. But

Evening light filtered softly through the hospital blinds, casting long golden stripes across the room. I woke up slowly, my neck stiff and aching from sleeping with my head on the edge of Isabella's bed. My hand was still resting protectively on her belly, feeling the gentle rise and fall of her breathing.For one terrifying second, the memory of yesterday crashed back - the blood on the floor, my fists slamming into Rafiq, Isabella screaming my name, the fear in her eyes when she saw what I had become.Shame burned through me like acid. Fear followed right behind it. What if she looked at me now and saw a monster? A man who almost murdered someone in front of his own son? What if she finally realized I wasn't the man she thought I was?I lifted my head carefully. Isabella was already awake, watching me. Her eyes were tired but soft, and when our gazes met, she gave me the gentlest smile - the kind that always made my chest feel too small.That smile... it loosened something tight in