Semua Bab The billionaire's hidden heir: Bab 1 - Bab 10

I blinked hard, trying to clear the haze from my eyes. I whispered Jackson’s name one more time, but got no answer. The guy standing in front of me looked taller than I remembered, and he was breathing hard, almost panting. His face stayed hidden in the shadows the hallway light was just as dim as the one inside the room.While I was still trying to figure out if this was really him, he stepped forward and pushed his way into the room. I reached out quickly to steady him in case he lost his balance. “Jackson, you okay?” I asked softly. I was pretty drunk myself, so the question probably applied to me too.He let out a low groan, and the sound didn’t feel familiar at all. Before I could think straight, he grabbed my wrist, spun me around, and pressed me against the wall. My bare back hit the cold surface, and I shivered.I still couldn’t see his face clearly, but I could feel his eyes locked on me. Another shiver ran down my spine. “Help… help me,” he whispered, leaning in so close tha

PRESENTThe sharp smell of chlorine hit me and my stomach rolled. Even the soft lily scent of my own shampoo made me queasy now. I took a slow breath, trying to settle it, and kept walking toward room twelve—the gynecology department.Finding out I was pregnant had knocked the air out of me, but I was still clinging to the tiny hope that the tests were wrong. I wasn’t going to believe it until a doctor said the words out loud.I moved down the hallway, turned left, and spotted the sign from a distance. ROOM 12.Two women were already waiting. I was relieved it wasn’t packed—sometimes the line stretched way longer. One had dark curly hair and stood right in front of the door, arms folded, clutching a file to her chest. The other sat on the metal bench with a nice round baby bump.I dropped into the seat beside her and gave a small smile when she smiled at me. She kept glancing my way, curious, and it made me shift a little.“Hi!” she said brightly, her cheeks a soft pink. She looked li

“…what were you doing at the hospital? What abortion?” Mom’s voice was shaking so hard it filled my ear.“Mom, calm down. I’ll explain everything, I promise. I’ll tell you tonight when I come over for dinner.”“You really know how to give me a heart attack. Fine. Just come early,” she sighed.“Bye, Mom. Love you.”“Love you, Elara.” I hung up and let out a long groan. Oh God, what was I supposed to do now? What was I even going to say to them? How would they react when I told them I was pregnant?And the worst part? I had no idea who the father was. If I hadn’t stopped the doctor at the very last second, the abortion would already be done.When I went in for the procedure, everything was moving along like it should. But the moment I felt that tiny life growing inside me, something shifted. I don’t know what came over me, but I grabbed the doctor’s wrist right before she could inject the syringe.I didn’t regret stopping her. For a minute or two afterward I did, but then it hit me what

I hadn’t kept up with any of my high school friends except for Clara Bennett. It still caught me off guard sometimes, how we’d stayed close through all the hard times. When her parents split and she fell apart senior year, I never left her side. And when my own parents kicked me out six years ago after finding out I was pregnant with Leo, Clara was the only one I could turn to.Now my best friend was getting married. I couldn’t stop smiling as she told me every little detail about Nathaniel Carter’s proposal.I was genuinely thrilled for her. Clara had been through so many awful relationships. Her taste in guys had been terrible, and the moment she finally swore off love, she met Nathaniel.“Are you crying?” she asked. I cried even harder—happy tears this time. My best friend was finally getting married. “Stop it! You’re going to make me cry too!” she pouted, her voice already cracking.“I’m so happy for you, Clara! I wish I could hug you right now!”“You will soon!” she said with a p

ADRIAN BLACKWOODHow the hell did I let this happen? I could’ve flown in on my private jet and arrived in comfort, but no I made an exception for Franklin Desmy. If it wasn’t for the deal I wanted so badly, I wouldn’t have stepped foot in this chaotic New York airport. The old man insisted we fly commercial together so we could “build a bond first.” What a load of crap. I offered him my jet, which is far superior to anything commercial, but he turned it down. Said he wanted some “fun.” Since I needed this deal, I went along with it.Now I was stuck in the terminal with people staring at me like I was some kind of exhibit. It was starting to piss me off. I glanced at my watch. Already ten minutes late.“Any updates?” I asked Holden, my secretary.He’d called Franklin’s secretary again—twice—but the answer was the same. They were stuck in traffic. I let out a low grunt and shoved my hands into my pockets. This was exactly why I hated crowds.“Check the traffic reports. If they’re really