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Todos os capítulos de My Billionaire Husband is Addicted to Me: Capítulo 121 - Capítulo 130

143 Capítulos

121

[Carter’s pov]Something dangerously close to triumph. Sahl thought he’d broken her. Instead, he’d awakened her. I couldn’t stop the small smile that tugged at my mouth.She noticed.And for the first time tonight, the faintest trace of her old warmth flickered through her expression. “You thought I’d fall apart?”I exhaled a quiet laugh. “For a minute.”One elegant brow lifted. “Oh, please.”There she was.Still wounded.Still shaken.But unmistakably herself.Emotion swelled painfully in my chest. Before I could stop myself, I leaned down and kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes briefly.Then rested her hand against my cheek. “Thank you, son.”The words stunned me. “For what?”“For telling me.” Her voice softened. “Even when it hurt.” A lump rose hard in my throat.I nodded once.Unable to trust my voice.Then I stepped back and pulled out my phone. As I dialed the lawyer’s private number, my mother moved toward the window, staring out into the dark gardens beyond.Her posture w

122

[Olivia’s pov]I was halfway through my second attempt at pretending to read the same page of a book when Nina burst into my room carrying enough snacks to feed a small army.Again.This woman wouldn’t leave me alone.At this point, I was beginning to suspect she believed emotional distress could be solved through excessive carbohydrates.Honestly, she might not have been entirely wrong. “Emergency provisions, girl!” she announced dramatically as she nudged the door shut with her hip.Balanced in her arms was an enormous tray overloaded with popcorn, chocolate-covered strawberries, chips, fruit slices, cookies, and two steaming mugs that smelled suspiciously like expensive hot chocolate.I blinked.“Nina. What the fuck!”She set the tray down on the coffee table near the sitting area with exaggerated care. “What?” She chirped happily as Nina nearly shouted at me.“This is enough food for six people.” I yelled back at her while glancing at the whole food.She gasped in mock offense. “

123

[Olivia’s pov]My hands trembled as I pulled up Elara’s contact. Would she answer? Was she surrounded by lawyers? Security? Chaos? I pressed the call anyway. I had to talk to her because she was the one who had ever understood me. Now it was my time and my place to help her through this.It rang once.Twice.“Olivia.” Relief hit so hard my eyes immediately burned.“Elara.” My voice came out shakier than I intended. “Are you okay? I just heard the news.”There was a brief pause. Then a soft exhale. “Yes.” Her voice sounded tired. But steady. Stronger than I’d ever heard it.I swallowed hard. “Are you sure?”A faint warmth entered her tone. “I’m certain.”I closed my eyes briefly. Behind me, the television continued replaying clips of the announcement.Nina quietly lowered the volume and moved to give me space. I clutched the phone tighter. “Elara…”Emotion clogged my throat.“I just saw everything. I don’t know where to start and what even to say to you. I am certain it is a tragedy

124

[Olivia’s pov]The force of it startled a soft laugh out of me. “There she is, that’s my girl.” she murmured into my hair.I blinked. “What?”“That little bit of hope.” Her arms tightened. The warmth of her embrace wrapped around me completely. And suddenly the tears I’d barely been holding back spilled freely.I buried my face against her shoulder. Nina’s hand immediately moved to the back of my head, stroking gently through my hair.“It’s okay,” she whispered.The tenderness in her voice cracked something open inside me. For days now, I’d been carrying fear like a second skin.Fear for myself.Fear for my baby.Fear for Carter.Fear that everything around us was too tangled, too broken, too dangerous to ever fully unravel. And now…now there was finally a glimpse of light.Nina seemed to understand exactly what was breaking loose inside me. She held me tighter. “Everything’s going to be alright.”Her voice was quiet and certain. And somehow, coming from her, it didn’t feel like empty

125

[Olivia’s pov]The moment the knock sounded against my bedroom door, my stomach twisted.Not because I wasn’t expecting visitors.But because something in the rhythm of it. Careful, measured, almost hesitant that it felt wrong.I had spent enough time in Pierce’s estate to recognize the household’s patterns. The maids usually entered after a soft announcement, cheerful and efficient.This knock felt different.“Come in,” I called, shifting against the mountain of silk pillows supporting my back.The door opened slowly, and one of the younger maids stepped inside, lowering her gaze respectfully.“Miss. Olivia,” she said softly. “Mr. Ross is here to meet you.”For a second, my mind refused to process the words.Then my breath caught.Ronan.What was he doing here?A cold ripple ran down my spine.My fingers instinctively pressed over the slight swell of my stomach, the rounded curve unmistakable now beneath the satin fabric of my nightgown.Four months.Four months of my world unravelin

126

[Olivia’s pov]My breath hitched.I could leave.I could walk away right now.No! No, no I rebuked myself. Enough.Drawing in a slow breath, I pushed the doors open.And froze.Ronan stood near the grand fireplace, one hand tucked into the pocket of his charcoal trousers. He turned at the sound.Our eyes met.The sight of him sent a strange ache through my chest. He looked exactly as I remembered.Tall and composed.Impeccably dressed.His dark hair was neatly styled, his sharp jaw tense. But his eyes—His eyes held something new.Distance.Not anger.Not bitterness.Just restraint.And somehow, that hurt worse. “Olivia.” His voice was quiet, controlled and low.I stepped inside, my fingers clutching the fabric of my gown. “Ronan.” An unbearable silence stretched between us.Then his gaze dropped to my stomach. His expression shifted not dramatically. Just enough for me to see the flicker of realization.The understanding.And the pain.He looked back up slowly. “You’re glowing. Pregn

127

[Olivia’s pov]After Ronan was gone and I was alone in the lounge. Thinking and overthinking on the issue. The first thing I noticed was the sound.The low rumble of tires against the gravel driveway outside.I had been sitting by the window in the upstairs sitting room, absently flipping through one of Nina’s aggressively curated pregnancy magazines while pretending not to stare outside every thirty seconds.The article in front of me was apparently trying to convince me that talking to my stomach in a cheerful voice would improve fetal development. “These articles are crazy!” At this point, I was fairly certain my baby had already been exposed to enough emotional chaos to come out either exceptionally resilient or deeply judgmental.Still, none of the words were really registering.Because my attention had been fixed on the long winding driveway beyond the glass.Waiting.Watching.Hoping.And now my heart lurched. A familiar black car curved through the front gates. For one breat

128

[Olivia’s pov]The words stunned me. “What?”His hand didn’t leave my stomach. “She was arrested this morning.”Shock rippled through me. “How?”His jaw tightened. “Fraud. Attempt to murder. The man who attacked you confessed willingly.” The cold precision in his tone told me everything.He’d made sure of it.A strange mix of relief and disbelief flooded my chest. “She’s really gone?”“For now.” His thumb brushed softly across the curve of my belly. “She won’t be coming anywhere near you. Or our child.”The quiet certainty in his voice made something inside me finally unclench. It felt like I’d spent an eternity bracing for Camilla’s next move.Her next lie.Her next manipulation.And now she was behind bars. Unable to hurt anyone. I exhaled shakily. Carter’s gaze softened. Then he glanced briefly toward the garden doors. “Candice is sick.”The abrupt shift caught me off guard. “What? What do you mean?”He looked back at me. “She has a respiratory infection.”Concern immediately surg

129

[Carter’s pov]The room was quiet in a way that made every breath feel louder than it should.Candice was now with Nina and they have been getting along well. I sat beside Olivia on the couch, the dim golden light from the lamp washing over her features. She looked softer tonight, lighter somehow and yet my chest felt tight.Because despite everything we had survived, despite the relief that should have been filling me, there was one thing left troubling me.One thing I needed to ask her.I glanced down at my hands resting on my lap, flexing my fingers before I finally reached for hers.The second my skin brushed hers, Olivia turned toward me. Her eyes softened instantly. Even after everything, she still looked at me like I was someone worth loving.My throat tightened.I curled my fingers around her hand and held it carefully, almost reverently, as if she might disappear if I held on too tightly.Her hand was warm.I gave it a gentle squeeze, my thumb brushing over her knuckles.“Ol

130

[Carter’s pov]The moment had been perfect.Too perfect.Olivia was still tucked against my side on the couch, her head resting on my shoulder, her fingers lazily tracing circles against my palm as we sat in the kind of peaceful silence I’d spent years craving.For the first time in what felt like forever, everything had felt right.Camilla was behind bars.Candice was going to be ours.And Olivia was smiling again.It was the kind that made me believe life could still offer something beautiful after all the destruction.Then my phone buzzed.Once.Twice.Three sharp vibrations against the coffee table.I frowned. At first, I ignored it. Whoever it was could wait. But when it buzzed a fourth time, urgency clawed at my gut.I leaned forward and grabbed it.The screen lit up with a message from my private investigator.And the second I read it, every ounce of warmth drained from my body.No.No.My stomach dropped so violently I thought I might be sick. “What is it?” Olivia’s voice was

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