Todos os capítulos de ARRANGED TO BE BILLIONAIRE'S SUBSTITUTE BRIDE : Capítulo 21 - Capítulo 30

JAMES'S POV Two days have passed since my last conversation with Avery, and the villa felt awkward. We weren't fighting, but we weren't exactly comfortable around each other either. She kept her distance, and I decided to respect it. This morning, I was already downstairs having breakfast when I heard footsteps coming from the stairs. I looked up and saw Avery coming downstairs. The way she looked felt strange; what felt even stranger was the way she was walking down. I decided not to dwell on it. Maybe she is just tired, or maybe she slept late.“Morning,” I said.She gave me a small nudge and continued coming toward the dining table.I kept eating, but I noticed her movements were shaky. She was grabbing one of the chairs when she was about to fall.I pushed my chair back so fast that it immediately fell, and I caught her before she hit the ground. “Hey. Hey, Avery.”I slipped my left arm around her waist, keeping her upright while she tried to regain her balance. At first, I tho

AVERY'S POV The question came out before I could stop myself.“What happens if I leave with my baby?”James’s head lifted at once. “You’re not leaving.”His voice came out louder than he meant it to. He stopped himself, took a breath, and spoke more calmly.“Don’t assume you’re taking the baby away from me, Avery. You’re not leaving this place, and neither is our child.”I looked across the room at him. “You don’t get to decide that.”“I know, but—”“No. The fact that you keep deciding things for me is really annoying.”His jaw moved as he fought back whatever he wanted to say. He rubbed a hand over his face before meeting my eyes again.“Then let me say it properly. Stay.”I waited, watching him for an answer.“Stay married to me,” he said. “For the baby.”He wasn’t talking about love or trying to make our marriage sound different from what it was. His focus was on the child and the life waiting for us after the birth.“Our child deserves both parents,” he continued. “You and me. Un

AVERY'S POV ~~~~~~2 weeks after (leaving Germany)~~~~~~~~The villa looked bare without the usual signs of daily life. By morning, most of the staff were already clearing the rooms, carrying suitcases to the entrance and gathering the last few things.I stood by the bedroom window with my bag open on the bed, folding my clothes into it. The hallway was quieter than usual, with fewer footsteps and doors opening as everyone prepared to leave.I zipped my bag and carried it downstairs. Outside, James was helping the staff load our things into the cars, checking each suitcase before they put it away.While I waited, I looked toward the trees beyond the property. My mind went back to the day I walked into those woods after James, and I argued. I remembered the cold air, the wet ground under my shoes, and how far I walked.“Avery.”James’s voice brought my attention back to him.I turned toward the entrance. “What?”“We’re leaving.”I nodded, picked up my coat, and followed him toward the

JAMES'S POV The hospital was still twelve minutes away when Avery pressed a hand against her abdomen and leaned forward in her seat.“James, it hurts again.”I eased off the accelerator, keeping my attention on the road before checking her. “Is it worse than before?”“A little.” She drew in a careful breath. “Can you just drive?”I hated how quietly she said it. My phone sat in the cup holder, and I picked it up at the next red light, calling the hospital while keeping one eye on the traffic.“My wife is pregnant, and she’s experiencing abdominal pain. We’re on our way. Please have someone ready to examine her.”The receptionist asked how far along she was and whether there was any bleeding. I passed the questions to Avery, then relayed her answers before ending the call.“Are we close?” she asked.“Five minutes.”She nodded, pressing her lips together as another wave of pain came. My hands stayed firmly on the steering wheel. Every second spent watching her was a second I wasn’t wa

JAMESLeaving Avery at the villa didn’t sit right with me, but her words were the reason I was driving to the hospital. She told me to see Sadie, and after everything that happened, I knew I needed to.I wasn’t there to fix our past or give Sadie another chance. Things with Avery were going in a direction I wanted, and I wasn’t about to throw that away. I only wanted to see Sadie myself and understand how serious things were.My assistant took care of the hospital arrangements after Sadie listed me as her emergency contact. At the nurses’ station, I gave my name, and the nurse checked her file before leading me down the hall.“Is she stable?” I asked.“She’s physically stable for now,” the nurse said. “But she needs close observation and psychiatric support. Her mental state is concerning, so we don’t want her left alone.”I nodded, though her answer left me more uneasy than I expected. After thanking her, I followed her into the ward.Sadie was propped against several pillows, her fa