All Chapters of The Billionaire's Contract Bride: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Sarah's POVThe world blurred in and out of focus as strong arms lifted me. Voices shouted around me, distant and frantic. I felt the cold tile of the bathroom floor against my cheek before everything tilted. The empty pill bottle lay beside me, the sleeping pills I had taken one after another in the dark hours of the night, desperate for silence, for escape, for anything but the suffocating weight of this cage I'm living in. “Sarah! Sarah, wake up!” Adrian’s voice was calm even in panic, never rising, but urgent. He scooped me up, my body limp and heavy.Eleanor’s sharp commands cut through the haze. “Call the driver. Now. We’re taking her to St. Mercer Hospital. Move!”The drive was a blur of flashing city lights and Eleanor barking orders into her phone. My head lolled against Adrian’s shoulder in the back seat. I could barely keep my eyes open. Everything felt heavy, distant. I had wanted to rest. Not this. Let them just leave me so I'll just die.“Why are they saving me?”At the

Sarah's POVAdrian remained seated on the edge of the bed, his hand still resting on my shoulder. The warmth of his palm seeped through the thin silk of my nightgown, a small anchor in the storm that had just passed. For several long minutes, neither of us spoke. The only sounds were the distant tick of the antique grandfather clock in the hallway and the faint rustle of curtains as a breeze slipped through a crack in the heavy drapes. I could feel his gaze on me, steady, searching, burdened.“Thank you,” I whispered again, my voice cracking like dry leaves. It was barely audible, but I needed to say it. The words felt fragile, as if speaking them too loudly might shatter this unexpected gentleness.Adrian’s thumb brushed lightly over my collarbone, a slow, absentminded stroke. “You don’t have to thank me for basic decency, Sarah.” His tone was low, almost tired. He looked down at me, and for the first time in weeks, I saw something raw in his dark eyes, conflict, yes, but also a flic

Sarah's POVI needed air. Or at least a change of scenery beyond these suffocating walls. Adrian hadn't returned since I'd ordered him out, and the nurse, Margaret, had been conspicuously absent, perhaps under new orders to keep her distance. Good. I couldn't bear the sight of her clinical smile knowing what she administered. With effort that left me breathless, I pushed myself up, slipped on a silk robe over my nightgown, and shuffled toward the door.Eleanor's voice cut through the air like a whip. I froze at the top of the stairs, one hand gripping the wall for support, my heart pounding unevenly. The study door was ajar, golden light spilling out onto the marble floor. I shouldn't have listened. But the words hooked into me, pulling me closer despite the dizziness."You're so careless, Adrian! Utterly careless!" Sage was so angry. "It was a small mission. Keep her compliant, keep her stable until the board votes pass and the alliances solidify. And you couldn't even manage that?

Sarah's POVEleanor remained standing, pacing around the sitting room. "That project… You will not do it. Not under any circumstances. I won't have the Moretti name dragged into some flashy city venture with that... that outsider."Her shout echoed off the high ceiling. I looked up at her, my hands clutching the edge of the sofa to steady myself. "Why?" I asked, my voice steady despite the hoarseness. "Why can't I do it, Mother? It's a professional opportunity. Victor Harrington wants my designs for his luxury penthouses, interior concepts that blend emotion with functionality. Why are you so determined to bury it?"Adrian sat beside me on the sofa, close enough that his knee brushed mine, but not touching further. His face was etched with exhaustion. He raised a hand placatingly, his tone measured but firm. "Let's all calm down. Shouting won't solve anything tonight. Sarah, you've had a long evening, Kael's intrusion, the argument outside. Your body isn't ready for this kind of stre

Sarah's POV By evening, the tension coiled tighter. Dinner was served in the smaller dining room off the main hall, broth, steamed vegetables, and a slice of dry bread that tasted of ash.Eleanor presided at the head of the long table. "You've been quiet today, Sarah. Too quiet. I hope you’re not using this time to plan something bad.”I met her eyes steadily. "I'm resting, as Adrian asked. I'm too weak to do anything, so I'm having as much rest as I can."She leaned forward. "Resting? I've been meaning to ask you… How did that boy know the location of this house?"“Mother, please I'm not in the mood for all this,” I said. “Let's just stop fighting for once!”“Shut up!” She snapped. “How dare you tell me what to do? This is my house? You are nothing but a mere contract. I see you are beginning to grow wings these days. If you get me angry, I will throw you out on the street.”“Please do!” I shot back. “Throw me back on the street, I beg you. What is useful in staying here anyways. I