All Chapters of Chasing Red Flags: Chapter 41 - Chapter 48

Chapter 42: His PriorityAfter that memorable weekend at the manor, Aunt Maryam kept inviting me back for tea. My parents didn’t mind at all—so long as we stayed out of the headlines. The collapse of the Sullivan–Santillan alliance was still the city’s favorite gossip, and Kyrie… he’d vanished completely. No one had heard from him. Not even Braxton.Leon had stepped back into his father’s company for a while too. Mr. Smidth was slowing down—he’d decided there were more important things than board meetings. He wanted to watch his grandchildren grow up.But today wasn’t about business. Today was our first prenatal checkup, and Leon was coming with me. I’d packed a fresh lunch for us both and messaged him that I’d drop by his office first.The security guard beamed and opened the glass doors for me. The receptionist—bright-eyed and cheerful—hurried over."Good morning, Miss Sullivan! I’m Vivian. Mr. Smidth asked me personally to bring you straight to his office. His assistant is out on e

Chapter 44: Swarm of ShadowsThat checkup visit will remain one of my most cherished memories. For the first time, I saw Leon cry—truly cry—when he heard our baby’s heartbeat. He gripped my hand so tightly his knuckles turned white, and when the sound filled the room, tears spilled freely down his cheeks. He kept whispering “I’m here. I’m right here.” over and over, like he was promising both of us safety forever. He wouldn’t let go of me the entire way home, and that very night, he called for a family meeting. He wanted everything settled—our families, our agreement, our future. He wanted to marry me as soon as possible, so he could officially take me and our baby under his protection.Tonight was that meeting.I stood before my mirror, smoothing my dress over my belly. So many changes already. My cheeks were softer, glowing with a blush that had nothing to do with makeup. My clothes fit differently now—tighter around my waist, a little snug everywhere else. I felt heavier, slower, a

Chapter 46: The Game of PowerShe stopped letting people call her Avar. From that day forward, she demanded to be called Ava. It happened shortly after her grandmother destroyed the one thing that mattered most—her garden, her sanctuary, and her violin. She burned it all to the ground, right in front of her.It was cruel. Unspeakably cruel.Avar—the girl I knew—died that day. What remained was a woman who walked through life like a porcelain doll: beautiful, untouchable, and hollow inside. She became exactly what the world expected of her. She flaunted the family wealth—designer bags, private jets, front-row seats at every fashion show and gala. She became the ultimate socialite. But no man dared to step too close. Everyone knew the truth—she belonged to someone already. A betrothal made in boardrooms, not hearts. The name had never been announced, but the chains were visible to all.I didn’t care about any of that.My eyes had been on her for years. I’d watched her through every seas

Chapter 48: Forbidden FruitThis was my second time walking into Mr. Aidan Sullivan’s office. But this time, I wasn’t the struggling college kid. I was a man who had built an empire. I walked in with my head high, confident that what I laid on his desk was more than enough to secure his blessing. I wasn’t asking for a handout. I was offering an alliance that would make the Sullivans untouchable for generations.Yet as he read through my proposal, his expression didn’t shift. No surprise. No satisfaction. Just that same stone-cold silence that had haunted me since I was a boy.He leaned back in his chair, heaving a long, weary sigh, and tapped one finger against the documents. Then he looked me dead in the eye."You could make me a king with this, Mr. Smidth," he said, his voice flat and final. "With what you’ve offered, I could buy countries. But my answer is still no."Two letters. One word. And it hit me harder than any rejection I’d ever known. I stood there, speechless, every bit