THE CONTRACT WIFE: A ONE NIGHT STAND BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE

CHAPTER 68 – Zara’s POV

All the nervousness from that night had vanished, especially after embracing my son and rescuing him from that horrific place. The scene was so distressing that I felt like I could faint at any moment.

Now, Nick was in trouble. They had forcibly removed him from jail, but we would ensure that he wouldn’t escape the consequences of his actions. He needed to spend a significant amount of time behind bars to reflect on what he had done.

When we arrived home at the mansion, all of my husband’s brothers and their wives were waiting for us. They were concerned about our well-being, and even though we reassured them that everything was fine, anger was brewing over Nick’s behavior.

Stephanie embraced me, and I felt a longing for that sibling connection. You see, I never had a sibling since I was the result of an unplanned pregnancy, and my biological father wasn’t involved in my life, while my mother never sought a life partner. So having a sister like Stephanie, my husband’s sister, meant a great deal to me. She felt like the older brother I had always yearned for.

“I missed you so much, Zara! I was so confused when you disappeared. I thought you didn’t like the gown I designed! We had no idea that man would take you, and we know he tried to harm my nephew! We won’t let this go easily. They might have forgotten that they messed with the Blackwood family.”

I could see Stephanie’s genuine concern and understood why she was angry with Nick.

The Blackwood family values family above all else. Even though they have their own families, they still watch out for their relatives, siblings, and the younger generation.

“The most important thing is that we are all safe, Stephanie. We will arrange for a psychologist for my son. He might seem fine for now, but I don’t want him to be traumatized in the future.” Enrique’s involvement in this situation was not a coincidence either.

I couldn’t imagine how betrayed my son must feel by his godfather. During the times when Lucas was pushing us away, Nick became like a father figure to Enrique. If I were in my son’s shoes, Nick’s actions would have a profound impact on me.

Stephanie agreed. “I agree with that. I have a close friend who is excellent at handling such cases, especially with children.” I nodded, and we returned to the living room where Enrique was with his grandmother and grandfather.

As much as possible, we avoided discussing the kidnapping. My son seemed to be doing well. He was happy to see his cousins, aunt, and uncle. Everything seemed normal. There was no trace of the earlier incident.

“We deserve a delicious feast. Let’s go to the kitchen, and we can all have dinner together!” the elder Blackwood said with joy in his voice.

My husband kissed me on the cheek, his eyes filled with tenderness. He looked exhausted, but I knew that we found solace in each other’s presence.

All I wanted to know was what had happened to my pregnancy. By now, I should have had a daughter who would be turning three years old. It pained me to think that I was deprived of the opportunity to be a mother to our child, and he was deprived of the chance to be with us.

He wiped away my tears and kissed me on the lips.

“Don’t be sad, my love. Tomorrow, we will make that fool acknowledge his actions. He will pay for everything he owes us, as a family.” I nodded and offered him a faint smile.

“Let’s go, and we’ll be the only ones waiting there! Let’s go!” I said, taking his hand and leading him to the dining hall.

The dining table was filled with our complete family, joyfully sharing the meal prepared before us. It was wonderful to converse and not dwell on the events of the previous night. It felt like a rainbow after the storm. We no longer comprehended what had transpired during our encounter.

At night, before we went to sleep, our son sat beside us. He claimed he couldn’t sleep, but as we spoke to him, his mood calmed, and he drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Lucas and I exchanged glances. We left the bed for a moment and conversed on the veranda of our room. The round moon emitted a gentle glow, illuminating the night, while the cool breeze brushed against our skin.

Lucas held my hand, genuine concern evident in his eyes. He worried that I still couldn’t face Nick the next day, that I couldn’t confront the man I once considered a friend but who had ultimately destroyed me and my life.

All the nervousness from that night had vanished, especially after embracing my son and rescuing him from that horrific place. The scene was so distressing that I felt like I could faint at any moment.

Now, Nick was in trouble. They had forcibly removed him from jail, but we would ensure that he wouldn’t escape the consequences of his actions. He needed to spend a significant amount of time behind bars to reflect on what he had done.

When we arrived home at the mansion, all of my husband’s brothers and their wives were waiting for us. They were concerned about our well-being, and even though we reassured them that everything was fine, anger was brewing over Nick’s behavior.

Stephanie embraced me, and I felt a longing for that sibling connection. You see, I never had a sibling since I was the result of an unplanned pregnancy, and my biological father wasn’t involved in my life, while my mother never sought a life partner. So having a sister like Stephanie, my husband’s sister, meant a great deal to me. She felt like the older brother I had always yearned for.

“I missed you so much, Zara! I was so confused when you disappeared. I thought you didn’t like the gown I designed! We had no idea that man would take you, and we know he tried to harm my nephew! We won’t let this go easily. They might have forgotten that they messed with the Blackwood family.”

I could see Stephanie’s genuine concern and understood why she was angry with Nick.

The Blackwood family values family above all else. Even though they have their own families, they still watch out for their relatives, siblings, and the younger generation.

“The most important thing is that we are all safe, Stephanie. We will arrange for a psychologist for my son. He might seem fine for now, but I don’t want him to be traumatized in the future.” Enrique’s involvement in this situation was not a coincidence either.

I couldn’t imagine how betrayed my son must feel by his godfather. During the times when Lucas was pushing us away, Nick became like a father figure to Enrique. If I were in my son’s shoes, Nick’s actions would have a profound impact on me.

Stephanie agreed. “I agree with that. I have a close friend who is excellent at handling such cases, especially with children.” I nodded, and we returned to the living room where Enrique was with his grandmother and grandfather.

As much as possible, we avoided discussing the kidnapping. My son seemed to be doing well. He was happy to see his cousins, aunt, and uncle. Everything seemed normal. There was no trace of the earlier incident.

“We deserve a delicious feast. Let’s go to the kitchen, and we can all have dinner together!” the elder Blackwood said with joy in his voice.

My husband kissed me on the cheek, his eyes filled with tenderness. He looked exhausted, but I knew that we found solace in each other’s presence.

All I wanted to know was what had happened to my pregnancy. By now, I should have had a daughter who would be turning three years old. It pained me to think that I was deprived of the opportunity to be a mother to our child, and he was deprived of the chance to be with us.

He wiped away my tears and kissed me on the lips.

“Don’t be sad, my love. Tomorrow, we will make that fool acknowledge his actions. He will pay for everything he owes us, as a family.” I nodded and offered him a faint smile.

“Let’s go, and we’ll be the only ones waiting there! Let’s go!” I said, taking his hand and leading him to the dining hall.

The dining table was filled with our complete family, joyfully sharing the meal prepared before us. It was wonderful to converse and not dwell on the events of the previous night. It felt like a rainbow after the storm. We no longer comprehended what had transpired during our encounter.

At night, before we went to sleep, our son sat beside us. He claimed he couldn’t sleep, but as we spoke to him, his mood calmed, and he drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Lucas and I exchanged glances. We left the bed for a moment and conversed on the veranda of our room. The round moon emitted a gentle glow, illuminating the night, while the cool breeze brushed against our skin.

Lucas held my hand, genuine concern evident in his eyes. He worried that I still couldn’t face Nick the next day, that I couldn’t confront the man I once considered a friend but who had ultimately destroyed me and my life.

“We can reschedule it, dear,” he said, his genuine worry evident. I smiled, assuring him that it was alright.

“I can do it, Lucas. I can face him,” I said, determined. “There are so many questions I want to ask, so many things left unanswered. I want to scold and scream, but even if he doesn’t answer, even if my heart doesn’t find peace, I have to be brave and confront him myself. I have to be strong.”

We stood up and embraced, tears streaming down my face, releasing the pain and burden I had carried for so long. The fear and emotions overwhelmed me.

The next day, I woke up with my husband and son sleeping peacefully beside me. It warmed my heart to wake up surrounded by my loved ones. They were the reason I kept going, the reason I believed there was meaning in all of this.

I pushed away the negative thoughts that tried to creep in, focusing on how I would approach the situation. I needed to prepare myself, knowing there was a possibility of breaking down when I saw him.

There was still anger inside me, realizing how blind I had been to the signs. Everything Antoinette had said was about Nick, but I never noticed. I never bothered to see the dangerous omens brewing at that time.

Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly noticed my handsome husband staring at me. My cheeks flushed, and my heart raced. Despite the passing years, he still had the same effect on me. I felt like a teenager in love.

“Good morning,” he greeted in his bedroom voice, sending shivers down my spine. He looked like a handsome man straight out of a romantic movie.

I smiled back, unable to contain my excitement. “Good morning to you too,” I replied. Lucas, you always have a way of making me feel this way.

He kissed me gently, mindful not to wake our son who slept between us.

“L-Lucas!” I whispered, pretending to be annoyed. “I haven’t brushed my teeth yet!” I playfully scolded.

He winked at me, his playful nature shining through. “You taste the best, love. Don’t worry, even if I devour you now!” he said seductively.

He looked so attractive, laughing there. I didn’t mind at all, knowing he was just being playful.

I headed straight to the bathroom to take a shower, not wanting to waste time washing up twice. As I emerged from the bathroom, Lucas looked at me with a raised eyebrow, teasing me.

“I wish you had joined me. What a waste of water, dear,” he said seductively.

We left the house and sat together at the dining table, enjoying our meal. The atmosphere was cheerful, and stories flowed easily. Who would have thought that such a wealthy family could be so down-to-earth and sociable? All the wives were kind and easy to get along with.

Lucas mentioned that he had booked an appointment with Dr. Brown, his friend. He joked about his influence, but we both knew she was truly powerful in her own right.

Dr. Brown had established herself as an independent woman, much like my friend Antoinette. Stephanie, being a Blackwood, had a different upbringing with a dominant brother. This likely played a role in her becoming an Alpha, a strong female leader, while her husband appeared more reserved but still assertive.

We arrived at Dr. Brown’s clinic. During the car ride, my son, Enrique, was using his cellphone in the backseat. He seemed distant, so I took the opportunity to check in with him.

“How are you feeling, son?” I asked, and Enrique paused, looking exhausted and troubled.

“I’m scared, Mom. I’m sad because of what my uncle did to us. I had a nightmare last night, but I didn’t wake you up. Mom, I’m not okay,” he shared honestly, his words breaking my heart. My poor son didn’t deserve this trauma. It was devastating to think that he had to go through such a horrifying experience.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

I hoped Nick hadn’t done the same to him. I hoped he had considered the well-being of the child, but it seemed he prioritized his own desires without thinking about the consequences.

Lucas glanced at us from the driver’s seat, giving us space to talk. I held my son’s hand, looking into his fearful eyes. I hugged him tightly, planting a kiss on his forehead.

“I’m sorry, son. You shouldn’t have had to go through this if only I had been more careful. I’m sorry because you don’t deserve any of this. If you have a nightmare, please wake us up. You don’t have to face it alone. We’ll go to the doctor and ask for help.”