Semua Bab Divorced With His Heir In My Belly: Bab 31 - Bab 40

[Tyler’s POV]The silver fork in Lucy’s hand scraped against the fine china, a sound that set my teeth on edge as she chatted away."I’m telling you, Tyler, the steak is practically raw," Lucy said, her voice a sharp, annoying buzz in my ears. "We need to fire the chef. Everyone is getting on my nerves. Paparazzi won't let me breathe when I step out. Even the staff is getting lazy. They think they can get away with anything because the Rider name is being dragged through the mud."I wasn't listening. I was staring at the surface of the dining table, seeing nothing but that portrait on Sarah’s wall. The golden eyes. The dimple. The timeline my father had accidentally provided.**A few days before the divorce... she was throwing up in the bathroom.**If Sarah was pregnant when I kicked her out... if that child was mine...I looked up at Lucy. She was dabbing at the corner of her mouth with a silk napkin, looking every bit the poised, perfect wife. But the more I looked at her, the more I

[Sarah’s POV] I knelt on the damp grass of the private cemetery, the cold seeping through the fabric of my suit pants, but I didn't care. I needed this. I needed to be somewhere where the titles of CEO and Vineyard Queen didn't matter."We did it, Mom," I whispered, my fingers tracing the carved letters of her name on the headstone. I felt a lump in my throat as I thought of the year I’d spent in the dark. "And Caleb... Mom, you would love him. He has your stubbornness. He has this way of looking at the world like he’s already figured it out. He’s safe. I’ve kept him so safe."I sighed, the weight of the morning’s legal revelation pressing down on me. "But Tyler is coming for us. He never actually let me go. He kept a leash on me that I didn't even know was there. He wants to pull me back into that cage, but I won't let him. I’m a Hale now. I’m your daughter and Auntie Maggie’s niece."The silence of the cemetery was broken by the crunch of expensive heels on the gravel path. The so

[Sarah’s POV]By the time I turned the car onto the private trail leading to the far edge of the Hale estate, it was pouring heavily. I didn't head for the house. I couldn't face the silence of my own bedroom, and I couldn't look at Caleb’s sleeping face without seeing the ghosts of the three brothers and sisters he should have had.I drove straight to the the mini flat where Norman lived.I killed the engine and ran. By the time I reached the porch, the rain had soaked through my silk blouse and my trousers, pinning the fabric to my skin. My breath was hitching in my chest, a mixture of cold and the lingering trauma of the doctor’s office.He opened on the first knock, like he’d been standing right there waiting. Bare chest, water droplets still gleaming from the shower he must have just taken, gray pajama pants slung low on his hips. The cold had tightened his nipples; the heat in his eyes did the same to mine."Sarah?" His voice was a low growl of concern. "What are you doing out i

[Sarah’s POV]Norman’s heart was still thundering against my chest, and I was pinned to the counter, praying that the oak door was thick enough to hide the sound of my ragged breathing.Norman let out a low, frustrated breath against my neck before slowly, reluctantly, pulling away. He adjusted his clothes with a steady hand that I envied, while I scrambled off the counter, my legs shaking. I fumbled with my trousers, zipping them up and smoothing my shirt with trembling fingers.Norman walked to the door and pulled it open.Mae stood there, a wide, mischievous grin plastered across her face. She was holding a large tray laden with steaming coffee, fresh-baked cinnamon bread, and a bowl of fruit. Her eyes moved from Norman’s slightly rough hair to the couch, then back to him."Good morning, Norman," she said, her voice dripping with mock innocence. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything... important?"I stepped into the doorway immediately, my face burning so hot I was surprised the room

[Tyler’s POV]"What do you mean we’re out of stock?"I slammed my hand onto my desk, making the crystal glass of scotch I was drinking rattle. My head of operations, Marcus, stood across from me, looking like he wanted to crawl into a hole and die."It’s not that we’re out of stock, Sir." Marcus stammered, adjusting his tie. "It’s that our supplier, Global Glass, has terminated our contract. They’ve signed an exclusivity deal with a new holding company. We can’t get our signature blue bottles for the premium line. Not for six months."I felt a vein throb in my temple. "Exclusivity? We’ve worked with Global Glass for ten years. My father practically built that company by partnering with them. Who the hell has enough money to buy them out from under us?"Marcus swallowed hard and slid a tablet across the desk. "It wasn't just money, Sir. Someone bought a forty percent stake in their parent company last week. They changed the board of directors overnight. The name of the holding company