“I can't believe how much we've achieved together,” Rowan said softly. His eyes carried exactly the kind of affection Mireya loved seeing. And in a way, he wasn't entirely lying. Because as much as he hated admitting it, he was impressed. A younger version of himself would never have believed he would get this far. Not with Mireya. Not with a woman who once barely tolerated him. Back then, she had wanted almost nothing to do with him. Now she trusted him enough to believe she was carrying his child. The number of obstacles he had crossed to get here was absurd. The lies. The patience. The manipulation. The timing. For this moment alone... Some small part of him almost believed it had all been worth it. “Let me get dressed properly,” Mireya said. “Alright.” Rowan stood and headed toward the door. He had almost stepped outside when her voice stopped him. “Oh?” She folded her arms. “You're not leaving because I'm about to get dressed, are you?” Rowan looked over hi

“Where are you?” Lombard asked. .“I'm at a hospital,” she muttered.The breeze was blowing across her face a little too strongly now. If she stayed outside much longer, she might actually catch a cold.“You're not pregnant, right?”“Geez! That is not the first question you're supposed to throw at a woman!”“I know, right?” Lombard said. “Tell me why you're at the hospital.”His tone had become serious despite how casually he said it.Abigail sighed.“Don't get mad, okay? But some members of the Belmont family came over to Alice's house this evening talking about some creature they claimed you were keeping there. Saying they needed it back. That kind of nonsense.”There was silence on the line.“And then one of them... I don't know. The one who calls herself Riely? Oh, God. I've never liked that girl, and I don't think I ever will.”“Yeah. You shouldn't.”Something in Lombard's voice made Abigail pause.It almost sounded like he wasn't paying attention to that part anymore.In the bac

"Thank you very much for your cooperation."Lombard even bowed slightly toward the doctor before following his men out of the room.The doctor looked toward Abigail.She had a thin smile on her face.Lombard was going to be the death of her.Why would he pull something like this?And why in the world would he involve the Cataract Team?"He's my brother. My older brother. Everything will be fine."She wasn't sure whether she was reassuring the doctor or herself as she hurried after them."Where are we going?"She asked the question as soon as the vehicle pulled away.From the outside, it looked like an ordinary black van.Inside, however, it was something entirely different.The rear section had been converted into what looked like a miniature medical facility.Alice had already been laid onto a bed.Several Cataract Team members were working around her, checking equipment and adjusting things Abigail didn't recognize.She had no idea what any of it did.Still, she found herself glanci

"Dear Alice, my men have informed me that you'll need a lot of rest."Alice straightened immediately."Therefore," Lombard continued, "we may have to place you under a form of house arrest."Alice blinked."I'm wondering whether you'd prefer my house or yours.""I thought you said you didn't have a house around here," Abigail said. "Wasn't that why you stayed with us last night?""I don't remember saying that."Then he added casually,"And by the way, I was speaking with Alice.""Because you're planning to marry her now?"Abigail said it as a joke.At least, she intended it to sound like one.She even laughed afterward.But the moment the words left her mouth, something changed.Lombard looked at her.Just looked at her.The smile disappeared.The amusement disappeared.For a brief moment, there was something in his eyes that made Abigail feel as though she had accidentally crossed a line she didn't even know existed.The atmosphere inside the vehicle shifted.Alice noticed it too."M

Mireya blinked. "What?""You just said someone from the family should know." Rowan shrugged. "That sounds a lot like you're telling me I'm not part of the family.""Come on, Rowan. You know what I meant." She shook her head. "For all we both know, you're closer to me than most people in this family.""You're avoiding the point." Rowan smiled faintly. "You still said it."Mireya stared at him.The look on her face made it obvious she hadn't expected the conversation to go in this direction."It's not like either of us chose this situation," she said quietly.Rowan looked away.Then he laughed once.A short, humorless sound."Right."Mireya frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?""It means maybe I'm just insecure." Rowan said flatly. The words caught her off guard. "Rowan...""We both know I was never supposed to get you pregnant before our marriage."The room fell silent.Mireya froze.The expression on her face was almost as though someone had slapped her."What did you just say?"