Lahat ng Kabanata ng Hidden No More: The Billionaire’s Plus-Sized Secret: Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

Laura's POVThe moment Quinn said he needed some fresh air, I knew something was wrong.He had that look on his face again.The one that made everyone around him nervous.The one that usually appeared right before he tore somebody apart with words sharp enough to leave permanent scars.The ballroom behind us buzzed with laughter, music, and clinking glasses as we stepped outside into the cool evening air.The Goldbriggs venue was beautiful from the outside.Tall pillars.Golden lights.Expensive cars lined along the driveway.Everything looked elegant.Perfect.Yet Quinn looked anything but.His jaw was still tight.His shoulders still tense.His hands remained buried inside his pockets as he paced across the pavement.I followed him quietly.For a while, neither of us spoke.The silence stretched between us.One minute.Then another.Finally, I stopped walking and stared at him."Quinn."He kept pacing."Quinn."This time he glanced at me."What?"I frowned."You still look angry."

I was clad in a silk nude dress that hugged my figure without being too dramatic. My hair was packed neatly into a high ponytail, and I had only bothered with light makeup. A little foundation, a touch of mascara, and gloss on my lips. Just enough to keep me from looking like someone who had spent the last nine hours filming scenes under bright studio lights.The restaurant Stella had chosen was calm and cozy, but there was an unmistakable air of luxury surrounding it.Gold-trimmed tables reflected the warm lighting overhead. A massive crystal chandelier hung from the center of the ceiling, scattering glittering reflections across the room. In the corner, a live jazz band played soft melodies that floated through the restaurant like smoke.The atmosphere squeezed unexpectedly at my heart.Hemsworth and I used to come to places like this.Well... he came to places like this.Most times I stayed in the car while he ordered takeout or entertained important people inside. Looking back now

Quinn's pov I was halfway through reviewing proposals for Titan Media's next production when I realized I had reread the same page three times.My eyes skimmed over the words.My brain absorbed none of them.Frustrated, I tossed the file onto my desk and leaned back in my chair.The Last Ember was officially finished.Months of work.Millions of dollars.Countless hours.All wrapped up.By every projection, the movie was going to be a massive success.The marketing team was already preparing premiere schedules.Interviews were being arranged.Promotional material was being finalized.Everything was moving exactly the way it should.So why couldn't I focus?The answer came to me immediately.Laura.Everything somehow circled back to Laura.Ever since the Goldbrigg Awards, things between us had become strained.No.Strained wasn't even the right word.They were broken.She had been avoiding me.Keeping conversations short.Avoiding eye contact whenever possible.And every time I though

Quinn's pov I had never hated waiting as much as I did now.Every second that passed outside the emergency room felt like someone was scraping my nerves raw with a knife. Every time the doors opened, I looked up, expecting a doctor with good news. Every time they closed again without a word, disappointment settled heavier in my chest.Hemsworth was still here.The bastard hadn't left.He leaned against the opposite wall with that fake expression of concern plastered across his face, occasionally rubbing the bridge of his nose as if he had any right to look exhausted.I stood and walked toward him."Leave."He slowly looked up at me."No.""I said leave." I repeated, hating how his presence seemed to trigger an alpha male possession for Laura on me."I'm worried about her too."My jaw clenched."You lost the privilege of worrying about her the day you destroyed her."His expression darkened."You don't know the meaning of that word."Several nurses glanced our way.Hemsworth folded hi

Quinn's pov I didn't know when exhaustion finally won.One minute I had been staring at the glowing emergency entrance, convincing myself that I wouldn't close my eyes until I heard something about Laura.The next...A sharp tapping against the driver's side window jerked me awake.My heart slammed violently against my ribs as I sat upright, instantly alert.For one terrifying second, I forgot where I was.Then the hospital building came into focus.The ache in my neck reminded me that I had slept sitting in the driver's seat.I blinked several times before rolling the window down.Standing outside was the same doctor I'd argued with the previous night.His lips twitched into an amused smile."Well," he said, folding his arms, "when you insisted you were staying here, Mr. Cardiff, I honestly didn't believe you actually would."I barely heard him."My wife." The words came out rough."How's my wife?"He nodded reassuringly “Mrs. Cardiff is stable."Every muscle in my body loosened at