Chapter 61: I Love You Andrea

ANDREA’S POVI opened my eyes to a ceiling of white panels and the steady beep of a machine close by. The air smelled of antiseptic mixed with clean sheets and something metallic that clung to the back of my throat. My body felt heavy, limbs slow to respond as if they belonged to someone else. A dull ache sat behind my eyes and my mouth tasted dry. The last clear memory was the suite floor, my knees giving way while I tried to cross the short space to the bathroom door, and then nothing but black. Now I was laying in a narrow bed with an IV taped to the back of my hand. Ryder sat in the chair beside me. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, staring at the empty wall opposite the bed. His shoulders stayed rigid and his hands hung loose between them. His face held a tightness I had never seen on him before, jaw locked so hard a muscle jumped near his temple, eyes fixed on nothing as if the wall held answers he could not find. The expression looked carved from stone and some

Chapter 62: Rooftop Admission

RYDER’S POVThe doctor stepped fully into the room and eased the door shut behind him. The soft click sealed us inside the quiet beeping of the monitors. He glanced first at the screens, then at Andrea, and finally at me. His expression stayed measured while he opened the chart and scanned the latest numbers. “Her vitals are stable,” the doctor said, his voice calm and steady. “The IV fluids helped with the dehydration from the vomiting. We will keep her under observation a little longer and run one more set of labs this afternoon. If everything continues in the right direction she can leave later today with clear instructions for rest and a follow-up appointment.” Andrea nodded once against the pillow. The motion looked small and careful. Her fingers still rested inside mine, cool and light. I answered the doctor’s remaining questions about her usual diet and the stress of the past weeks while a nurse adjusted the drip rate with practiced hands. Every word I spoke felt heavier tha

Chapter 63: Quiet Admission

ANDREA’S POV The door closed behind the doctor and the nurse, leaving the room wrapped in the steady beep of the monitors and the soft hum of the air system. Ryder’s hand stayed over mine on the blanket, warm and steady. I watched the way his thumb moved once across my knuckles, slow and careful, as if he thought any sudden pressure might break something fragile. The light from the window had shifted again, brighter now, and it caught the tired lines around his eyes. He looked exhausted, the kind of exhaustion that settled deep after hours of holding everything together.My stomach still carried a faint roll of unease, a reminder of the morning’s sickness and the new weight the doctor had named. Pregnant. Three weeks. Another child. The thought pressed against my ribs and made it harder to draw a full breath. Lily already filled every careful plan I made. Adding a second baby meant two sets of needs, two futures that would outlast any contract. I had agreed to keep it, yet the fear

Chapter 64: Soft Ground

RYDER’S POV“I want to try loving you,” she said calmly. I stared at Andrea for a full second, the tray of broth and toast still resting across her lap, the warm cup of tea between her hands. My chest tightened and then opened all at once. Happiness moved through me in a clean rush, bright enough that I had to steady my breathing before I trusted my voice. She wanted to try. That single sentence carried more weight than any contract we had signed. I already knew I would spend whatever time she gave me proving the choice was safe. Small consistent things, quiet mornings, showing up without being asked, letting her see that my words from earlier were not temporary. I would win her over by staying exactly where I was, day after day, until the fear she still carried had nothing left to feed on.“You will not regret it,” I said. My voice came out low and certain. “I will make sure of that every single day.” Her eyes stayed on mine as a faint flush rose in her cheeks. I reached across t

Chapter 65: Paris Steps

ANDREA’S POVMorning light spilled across the suite floor in long gold bars. I sat on the edge of the bed and watched Ryder move between the dresser and the small table where room service had left fresh fruit and toast. He poured tea with the same careful attention he had shown since the hospital, checking the temperature before setting the cup within my reach. Left to him we would have stayed inside these walls all day, eating quiet meals and talking in soft circles. The thought made my restlessness climb.“I want to go out,” I said. “Paris is right outside. I refuse to spend the entire day looking at the same four walls.”He turned, already shaking his head. “You fainted yesterday,” he said calmly. “The doctor said you should rest.”“I am pregnant, Ryder, not sick.” I stood and crossed to the wardrobe. “Fresh air will help more than sitting still. We can walk slowly, please.” He studied my face for a long moment, then exhaled.“Fine. But we are going to keep it short and you will

Chapter 66: Corridor Shadow

RYDER’S POVThe feeling of eyes on us stayed with me as we left the quieter lane. I kept scanning the doorways and the edges of the buildings, but no one stood out in the thinning crowd. No rigid set of shoulders, no familiar height. Still the sensation clung like damp cloth against the back of my neck. I said nothing to Andrea. The afternoon had been light for her, full of easy laughter and the simple pleasure of walking free in the city. Voicing a half-formed suspicion would have pulled that brightness under, and I refused to do it.We reached the wider avenue and flagged a taxi. Andrea slid in first, the scarf bag settled on her lap, flip-flops still on her feet. I followed and gave the hotel name. The driver pulled into the flow of evening traffic. Streetlights began to flicker on as the sky softened. Andrea leaned her head against my shoulder. Her breathing stayed even. I watched the side mirror more than the road ahead, cataloguing every car that lingered too long behind us. N