All Chapters of THE CEOS’ SECRET BABY: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

AVA POV By the time the alarm rang at six, i was already awake. Sleep had never really come. I had spent the entire night staring at the ceiling, listening to Matthew’s slow, peaceful breathing beside me while my own thoughts refused to quiet. The pregnancy test was still hidden inside the bathroom cabinet, as if covering it with towels somehow made it less real. It didn’t. I quietly slipped out from beneath the blankets. The bedroom was still dim, as the early morning light only beginning to creep through the curtains. I stood there for a moment, looking at Matthew. He had one arm thrown lazily over his pillow and his hair a complete mess from sleep. A small smile tugged at my lips despite everything. He always looked younger when he slept, less burdened, less distant. Slowly, my chest tightened. “I’m sorry,” I whispered so softly I wasn’t even sure I had spoken and turned away before I could change my mind. …— After showering and dressing, I grabb

AVA POV “Do you wish to proceed with the termination, Mrs. Miller?” The nurse’s gentle voice floated through the small consultation room, but for a second, I couldn’t answer. I just sat there, staring ahead. Simply watching the white walls and the pale curtains as well as the soft hum of the air conditioner inside the room. Everything around me felt strangely distant, as if I were sitting underwater while the world moved above me. My fingers tightened around the strap of my handbag. The nurse called again, patiently.“Mrs. Miller?” I swallowed hard as my throat now felt dry, too dry like I have drank anything in days. “Yes.” The word came out quieter than I intended, even though it sounded weak and uncertain. It was still a yes. She simply offered me a kind smile and stood.“We’ll get you prepped you first. Please follow me.” I nodded mechanically as I stood up and followed her down the corridor. The smell of antiseptic hit me almost immediately once again.

AVA POV The restaurant across from the hospital was almost empty but judging from how the tables were lavishly set and only a few expensive cars parked outside, it explained the emptiness. Only a few tables were occupied, the quiet clinking of cutlery and low conversations blending with the soft music playing overhead. It seemed peaceful and it should’ve felt peaceful, but to me, it just felt even more suffocating. And having Serge seated across the table, watching every single movement I was making didn’t help a bit. He had already filled up by cup of ginger tea more than twice even when I kept asking him not to. The waiter from earlier came back with a pen and a note book, ready to take out orders as he carefully placed the menu between us. Neither of us had reached for it. Serge just sat comfortably, his one hand resting lazily against the arm of his chair while the other slowly turned the untouched coffee cup. “Not yet.” He said calmly, quickly dismissing

AVA POV. Numbness. That’s all I felt, that’s all there was for me to have, to grab onto and hold. That’s all there was left for me to feel as everything around me suddenly vanished. I remained stiff and seated exactly where I was. I didn’t to move or even cry. I don’t think I still had it in me at this point. All I just did was stare at the empty chair across from me, wondering how a single sentence could make my whole life feel so unbearably hollow. I didn’t know how long it toke for me to draw back into the restaurant as I remained hazed out after Serge walked away. Maybe ten minutes. Maybe twenty. Maybe longer because time had somehow become strangely meaningless in this moment. My untouched ginger cup across from me had long gone cold, and yet, I couldn’t bring myself to leave. How could I? How cou

AVA POV I tried closing my eyes over and over gain but sleep never really came. I only drifted in and out of it, waking every few minutes to the steady sound of Matthew’s breathing beside me. Every now and then, I’d feel his arm tighten around my waist as though he was afraid I’d disappear if he let go. If only he knew. Before I knew it, morning arrived far too quickly and I watched as golden rays slipped through the curtains, warming the bedroom. Even yet, nothing about me felt warm. Everything just felt, heavy. Like my body knew today carried the weight of a decision my heart still refused to make. I slowly sat up, careful not to wake Matthew but my movement was enough to push him away. I watched and almost cried when his eyes fluttered open almost immediately. The moment they landed on me, he smiled. A real smile. The ki