Lahat ng Kabanata ng THE CONTRACT OF MARRIAGE: TWO YEARS: Kabanata 41 - Kabanata 50

"What's wrong with me? Don't tell me..." The words hung in the air, cut short by the increasingly ragged breaths escaping her lips. Aria's trembling fingers tightened around the fabric of her silk dress, gently pressing against her lower abdomen, which suddenly felt both precious and terrifying. As she stared at her pale reflection in the bathroom mirror, the realization struck her like a bolt of lightning. She was two weeks late. She had been overwhelmed by nausea whenever she smelled anything fishy. And then there was the memory of her reckless, unprotected intimacy with Lucas. All those facts converged into one undeniable conclusion. Aria was pregnant. She was carrying the child of the man she had just left behind. "No... This can't be happening," Aria whispered, her voice catching in her throat. Tears slowly welled in her eyes, holding back the panic that was rapidly spreading through her entire body. Her knees suddenly gave way. Aria slowly sank onto the cold tile floor, lea

"We're safe here, sweetheart. Don't be afraid... That man will never find us."The gentle caress over her belly became a soothing mantra Aria repeated every night, hoping with all her heart that she truly was far beyond Lucas's reach. Behind the fogged window of her rented room, a thin blanket of snow covered the outskirts of Zurich in cold silence. Aria drew a deep breath, inhaling the scent of pine and ice that stung her lungs, a foreign aroma so different from the warm sea air surrounding her previous rental home, and even more different from the distinctly masculine scent that had always clung to Lucas's body.For the past month, Aria felt as though she had successfully built a fortress around herself. No credit cards, no smartphone, and no traceable connection to her old identity. She lived as an ordinary woman, relying on her cash savings, renting a small room on the outskirts of the city where tourists rarely ventured, and spending her days sewing simple baby clothes. In her fr

The shattered door hinges clattered onto the wooden floor, a deafening crash amid Zurich’s silent night. Shards of ice and splintered wood flew outward, swept in by the sub-zero wind that cut through without mercy. Lucas stood firm in the broken doorway, his heavy breathing forming thick plumes of white mist in the frigid air. His eyes, sharp as a hawk’s, swept over every corner of the dim rental room, burning with a tangled mix of long-suppressed longing, deep-seated possessiveness, and soul-twisting guilt. “Aria,” Lucas called out, his voice low and thunderous, echoing through the cramped wooden walls. “Come out, my love. Do not make me lose my patience.” No answer came. Only the sigh of night wind and the gentle bubbling of tea on the small stove greeted him. The room felt hollow, yet it still held the faint, familiar scent of pine and her—an aroma that struck him instantly and stoked a wild, hungry fire in his chest. Lucas stepped inside, the heavy tread of his fine boots groa

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT A Promise Woven Through Doubt and Hurt Crystal chandeliers cast a warm golden glow through the villa’s living room, a sharp contrast to the blizzard raging beyond the tall glass windows. Lucas’s personal physician had just finished tending to her. He had cleaned the cuts on her feet left by sharp ice, dressed them in sterile gauze, and applied ointment to ease the pain. Throughout it all Aria had remained silent, catching her breath whenever his hands touched her skin. Lucas stood nearby, arms folded, watching her without pause. “The wounds are clean and dressed, sir,” the doctor said as he packed his bag. “Fortunately there is no serious infection, but she must rest completely and stay warm to avoid hypothermia.” “Thank you, Doctor. My men will see you out,” Lucas replied, his voice low, his gaze never leaving Aria. “Good night, sir.” The doctor bowed and stepped out. When the front door closed and his footsteps faded, a heavy silence settled over the room,

## The Secret Revealed “...getting rid of your baby.” Aria’s world seemed to stop. For a moment, the sound of the snowstorm disappeared from her ears. The howling wind, the taxi engine still running in front of them, even the sound of her own heartbeat seemed to vanish. Her baby. Chloe knew. Her hand was still resting protectively over her stomach, but Aria’s expression did not change. She forced every muscle in her face to remain calm, even though her entire body wanted to turn and run. No. She could not show fear. Not to Chloe. The woman was watching her closely, searching for an opening. Waiting for panic. Waiting for Aria to beg. Instead, Aria slowly drew a breath. Then she lowered her hand from her stomach. “What did you just say?” Chloe gave her a faint smile. “You heard me.” “I want to hear you say it again.” “You’re carrying Lucas’s child.” Aria’s fingers curled into fists at her sides. So it was true. Chloe had known all along. She di