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Elena woke up the next morning and instinctively reached to the other side of the bed, only to find it empty. Alexander had already left, and a quiet sense of disappointment settled over her before she could stop it.
Getting used to someone really is a dangerous thing.
After living with him for so long, she had grown accustomed to seeing him first thing in the morning, to hearing his voice before the day even properly began. Now that he was gone, the absence felt sharper than she expected.
She got up, washed up, and headed downstairs. To her surprise, Martha and the rest of the staff were already there.
Elena slowed, clearly caught off guard. “Wait, when did you all get back?”
Ever since she found out she was pregnant, Evelyn and Walter had insisted she stay at Kingsley Manor so they could keep a closer eye on her. Martha and the others had moved over there as well. Yesterday, the house had been quiet, just her and Alexander.
Martha placed a fresh, hot breakfast on the table and smiled. “Mr. Kingsley said he’ll be out of town for about two weeks. He was worried you might not feel comfortable staying at the manor, so he asked us to come back and take care of you here.”
Elena couldn’t help the small smile that formed on her lips.
“Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
He even thought about that…
Just moments ago, she had been wondering how she would manage staying at the manor alone with Evelyn and Walter. It turned out Alexander had already arranged everything ahead of time.
The days without Alexander
text Chloe and meet up for
she had much more freedom. Whenever she got off work early, she would
Spend time together.
wasn’t staying at Kingsley out to be more uneventful than she expected. Forsaker always made time to check Alexander would call her on video. No matter how busy he was, he
Every night at exactly eight,
and those calls became the highlight of her evenings.
By Wednesday, it was time for her prenatal checkup, and she asked Chloe to come along.
The doctor reviewed her results and said in a reassuring tone, “Your hCG levels are rising well, everything looks exactly how we want it to. Keep taking your prenatal vitamins regularly, and come back around this time next month”
“Gor it. Thank you, doctor.”
Elena gently placed her hand over her still–flat stomach. It hadn’t changed yet, but the awareness of the life growing there had already become real.
She thanked the doctor again before leaving the exam room with Chloe.
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Chapter 242 Shift in Rhythm.
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The moment they stepped out, Chloe immediately slipped into full protective mode, holding Elena’s arm with one hand while carrying everything with the other.
Elena glanced at her, amused. “Why are you more nervous than I am?”
Chloe didn’t even hesitate. “Isn’t it obvious? That baby is either my future godkid or my retirement plan. I’m investing early.”
She grinned, her tone turning playful. “Right now, you’re basically royalty to me, okay?”
Elena laughed, shaking her head. “Yeah, yeah, I get it.”
They walked to the elevator lobby, pressed the button, and waited.
A young woman in a maternity dress approached and stopped beside them. She looked no older than eighteen or nineteen, her frame thin enough that the loose dress hung awkwardly on her, yet her belly was already very prominent.
Elena couldn’t help but glance at her.
Chloe, as expected, struck up a conversation. “Hey, are you here by yourself? You look pretty far along. Where’s your family?”
The girl looked at them briefly and forced a small, stiff smile. “Yeah…”
She didn’t answer the question, only nodded faintly.
Chloe immediately picked up on the hint and stopped asking, though she couldn’t help casting another curious look at the girl’s stomach.
As they waited, Elena suddenly felt a wave of nausea hit her. Her face paled, and she shot Chloe a look, silently asking for the sparkling water in her bag.
Chloe frowned, confused. “What’s wrong? Something in your eye?”
Elena froze.
The girl spoke softly, “She’s about to throw up. Give her some water.”
Chloe blinked, then quickly reacted. “Oh! Right, sorry.”
She pulled out the sparkling water, opened it, and handed it over. Elena took a few sips, and the nausea gradually subsided.
“Thank you,” Elena said to the girl.
The girl gave a faint
“It’s
nothing.”
She reached into her bag, tooch
something.”
out
an
orange, and handed it to Elena. “You might feel better if you eat
“Thanks,” Chloe said, taking the orange a
and starting
to
peel it.
15
O
G
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Elena felt a quiet sense of warmth toward the girl. She was also curious about her situation, but she knew better than to ask.
The elevator arrived, heading up. The girl nodded politely and stepped inside.
Elena and Chloe took another elevator down, and once the doors closed, Chloe finally spoke again.
“That girl couldn’t be more than twenty, and she looks at least eight months pregnant. No family, no partner… that’s honestly kind of sad.”
“Maybe they’re just busy,” Elena replied, KED
The elevator reached the first floor, and they stepped out.
As they approached the hospital entrance, a loud voice suddenly rang out, “Someone’s about to jump!”
The shout exploded through the space, instantly drawing attention. The already crowded lobby turned chaotic as people rushed outside, looking up.
Elena and Chloe followed their
gaze.
On the rooftop edge of the outpatient building, a figure sat there, legs dangling in the air.
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Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.

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The readers' comments on the novel: Sham Marriage Quit Real Heiress Strikes Back
both Elena and Alexander are stupid, they already knew and agreed to be open, honest and trust each other, but instead they repeated the same mistakes which made them suspicious of each other....