Pregnant by the Sick CEO

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I pressed two fingers against Brookss wrist to see if his pulse had finally quit. Still breathing. Damn it. I dropped my hand, letting out a heavy sigh of disappointment.

Still kicking? My bad for interrupting. I spun on my heel to leave.

Brooks didn't even bother opening his eyes. His large, calloused hand shot out, clamping down on my wrist like a steel vise. "Piper. Don't be so eager."

Back when Brooks, the billionaire CEO and the ruthless apex predator of the city's top conglomerate, was critically ill and dying, his high-society fiance packed her bags and fled into the night to avoid being a widow. But me? Much to the absolute shock of the entire elite circle, I delivered myself straight to his doorstep to be his one and only contract lover. My goal was crystal clear: get knocked up with his heir, outlive him, and walk away with a mountain of cold, hard cash.

To execute this flawless money-making scheme, I slipped into the most aggressively hot, taboo uniforms night after night. I used the most provocative glares and wild, unfiltered tactics to ruthlessly drain every last ounce of his remaining energy. Even when he was freshly discharged from his sickbed, I wrapped myself around him, refusing to let him rest for a single second of the night.

But the brutal reality? He was still very much alive, and I was the one about to drop dead from sheer exhaustion.

"You haven't even finished showing off all those little outfits of yours." With a sharp, merciless tug, Brooks yanked me down hard against the mattress, trapping me against his chest. "Your man isn't dying anytime soon."

Chapter 1

At this exclusive little gathering of contract lovers, I was comfortably seated right in the center. Obviously. My patron was the billionaire CEO, the apex predator of the corporate world. Whatever absolute power he wielded among men, I held the exact same untouchable status among the women.

Except today, I was exhausted. I sank deep into the plush velvet sofa, lacking the energy to even utter a single syllable. A dull, lingering soreness radiated through my lower stomach.

Just the memory of Brooks's immediate, feral reaction when his hands brushed against that fluffy little bunny tail I wore last night was enough to make a burning heat creep up my neck.

When a bunch of trophy girlfriends gathered, the conversation inevitably spiraled into a flaunting contest of designer clothes, high-end jewelry, and, of course, men.

Lexi, the high-society mean girl who viewed me as her ultimate rival and wanted nothing more than to crush me under her heel, strutted over in her sky-high stilettos. She swirled her champagne flute and let out a fake, mocking laugh. "Piper, look at how haggard your complexion is. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were being tortured by that dying man of yours so badly that not even the best concealer could hide the damage."

I couldn't even be bothered to lift my eyelids. My slender fingers slowly and methodically swirled the iced champagne in my glass, while I let out a cold, dismissive sneer in my head. Anyone who had just survived four grueling rounds last night with the most physically savage man in the city wouldn't have a shred of energy left to entertain a pathetic clown like her.

Lexi leaned in closer, dropping her voice into a saccharine whisper. "Your Mr. Brooks had another medical episode recently, didn't he? Ugh, its just one disaster after another."

"It really is so tough on you. So young, yet sleeping in a cold, empty bed every night." She exaggerated a pout, her brows drawing together. "Then again, an empty bed has its perks."

"Not like me. I have to deal with my man's appetite at least three times a week. It is simply exhausting."

Before I could fire back a sharp retort, my phone rattled against the glass table. It was a call from Brooks.

I instantly straightened my spine, cleared my throat, and slipped into my perfectly curated, honey-sweet voice as I answered. "Brooks~"

"What are you doing?" his low baritone grated through the speaker.

"Just a boring afternoon tea. I'm dying of boredom here," I purred, laying the sweet charm on thick.

"I'm coming to get you."

"Okay, I'll be waiting."

I ended the call and practically melted back into the cushions, my gaze fixed blankly on the sparkling crystal chandelier above. Three years. Three whole years, and I still hadn't managed to outlive Brooks. Instead, I was the one on the verge of collapsing.

I genuinely didn't have a single drop of energy left to give.

When Brooks's matte-black motorcade pulled up to get me, I dragged my feet, intentionally taking my sweet time heading to the door.

Lexi grabbed my arm, forcing a look of absolute reluctance. "We barely even got to chat."

I threw her a sideways glance, deliberately pinching my brows together in a perfect mask of distress. "I can't help it. My Brooks needs to take his medication."

The entire room full of pampered girls watched me go with eyes swimming in pity. Everyone in this city knew the story. The terrifying billionaire overlord, Brooks, was terminally ill and could drop dead on any given day. His official fiance had bolted three years ago.

And I was nothing more than the solitary, decorative pet he kept around to kill the boredom. The elite rumor mill practically swore that his failing health left him completely impotent in bed. They all thought I had been trapped in a sexless, miserable arrangement for three solid years.

"Ugh, she really is so pitiful," someone whispered behind my back.

"Honestly, I think Mr. Brooks is the pitiful one."

"How so?"

"Just look at Piper's body. That lethal hourglass figure. She's like a perfectly ripe, juicy peach. And Mr. Brooks gets to hold her and touch her every single day, but he can't actually take a bite."

A collective, synchronized sigh rippled through the group of women as they exchanged knowing glances. "Yeah, now that is truly tragic."

Meanwhile, outside in the tinted privacy of the luxury Maybach, that "pitiful, ripe peach" was currently being hauled firmly into the lap of the supposedly tragic, sickly, pill-popping Mr. Brooks. And as he pulled me up, I very strategically and calculatingly tugged the hem of my silk dress down just a fraction more.

"Brooks, are you feeling any better today?" I straddled his lap, my brows furrowed as I presented a flawless picture of tense, hovering concern.

Because of his relentless illness, his skin held a stark, striking pallor. He was leanso lean that there was a faint, almost imperceptible hollow beneath his cheekbones. Yet, that only made the sharp, arrogant angles of his jawline look even more lethal. It gave him this dark, fragile, and utterly captivating aesthetic.

I zoned out for a brief second, staring at him. Brooks was this sick, basically living off a cocktail of prescriptions. Yet last night, he still possessed the sheer, terrifying stamina to pin me down for four exhaustive rounds.

If he were actually a healthy, fully-functioning man

A sudden, violent shudder ripped down my spine.

"Piper." Brookss low, raspy voice snapped me out of it, followed by a harsh cough. "I don't know if I pushed it too hard with you last night, but I'm definitely not feeling well today."

"What should we do? What did the doctors say?" Panic flooded my eyes, tears instantly brimming at my lashline as I wrapped my arms tightly around his lean waist. I completely surrendered my soft, perfume-scented body, pressing myself flush against his chest and giving him an absolute lapful of warmth.

Chapter 2

"Brooks, I can't lose you" Ever since I sobbed hard enough to make myself hyperventilate during his last medical scarewhich earned me a cool five-million-dollar wire transfermy tears have been absolutely genuine every time he complains of discomfort. This time was no exception. I let out pathetic little sobs, burying my face deep into the crook of his neck.

I pressed my entire body flush against his, using every single trick in my arsenal to grind against him.

The driver, knowing exactly what was up, immediately rolled up the soundproof partition.

Brooks patted my back, looking faintly affected. "Stop crying. I'm not dropping dead this exact second."

I cursed him out in my head. Ive been hearing that exact same line for three years. Three whole years! How many youthful, prime years do I have left to waste?

My tears fell even harder. "Maybe maybe I should move downstairs for a bit. We can sleep in separate bedrooms, okay?"

Brooks's large, scorching-hot hand clamped down on the back of my neck without a single second of warning. Then, trailing down my hip bone with brutal, undeniable possessiveness, his grip locked violently onto my slender waist, dragging my entire body hard against his hardening length. His other hand came up, aggressively yanking his silk tie loose.

I stared up at him through a blur of fake tears. "Brooks?"

"We can talk about separate bedrooms later," he growled. "Right now, you're going to put out the fire you just started."

I bit down hard on my lower lip, shooting him a perfectly crafted look of grievance. "But I hate doing it in the car." He always slammed into me so hard my head would hit the roof. It hurt.

Brooks pinched my chin, forcing my face up. He lowered his head, his lips sweeping over my eyelashes to catch a tear. "Piper. Too late."

I froze. The sudden realization of what he meant slammed into me. I had just been clinging to him, crying and grinding against him. His supposedly sinking ship was hoisting its sails again.

Brooks lowered his gaze, his dark eyes dropping straight to my chest. "You went out like this today?"

I followed his stare. Like freshly peeled, plump lychee. Even I was tempted looking at it. A sour thought crossed my mindBrooks really hit the jackpot.

He was eating good. Was he secretly sucking the life force out of me to fuel his own? Is that why he was still breathing perfectly fine after three whole years?!

In the end, Brooks didn't let me off the hook. This "sinking ship" packed a lethal punch.

Even though the luxury Maybach had been parked and killed in the underground garage for what felt like half a century, his borderline unhinged, savage possession of my body only just now ground to a halt inside the suffocatingly tight confines of the cabin.

I hooked my arms around his neck, my entire body melting into a boneless puddle. My designer dress was shredded. My sheer stockings were destroyed. My skin was painted with a chaotic mess of red marks.

Brooks wrapped his suit jacket tightly around me and carried me out of the car. The mansion staff had already made themselves completely invisible. He carried me all the way upstairs and kicked the master bedroom door open. Then, with practiced ease, he reached into the nightstand drawer and pulled out a pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs.

I collapsed face-down on the mattress, screaming every curse word known to man inside my head. This man was absolutely feeding off my youth. How else could he be gearing up for round two?

"Piper." Brooks leaned over me, methodically undoing the buttons of his tailored shirt as his low, gravelly voice cut through the air. "What exactly were you doing at the hospital a few days ago?"

My heart hammered against my ribs. I practically felt my soul leave my body.

"Just cramps. My period was messing with me, so I went to get my hormones checked." I quickly slapped on a mask of pure, unadulterated innocence, blinking up at him. "Why?"

"Then follow the doctor's orders and rest up."

"I will. I'll be a good girl and listen to the doctor."

Brooks looked entirely satisfied with my perfect obedience. He dipped his head, capturing my lips. "Piper. Let's go again."

Brooks finally marched off to his study, looking utterly satiated. I lay paralyzed on the bed like a corpse for half the day. It wasn't until my bestie texted me, demanding a progress report, that I finally moved. My fingers trembled as I typed out a weak reply.

[Piper's grand business venture is failing. Currently dying in the line of duty on a mattress.]

"You still have the energy to joke? Guess he didn't drain you completely," she replied. "But seriously, Piper, what's your next move?"

"Honestly, your setup isn't that bad. If Brooks lives a few more years, you rake in even more cash. Win-win."

No, it wasn't the same. It wasn't the same at all.

Chapter 3

Two weeks ago, I woke up with a brutal hangover and a shocking realization. I was living inside a dark, high-society romance novel as tragic cannon fodder. When the male lead's ex-fiance packed up and fled the country, I became nothing more than a toy for him to unleash his possessive madness and physiological desires.

Later on, when his health miraculously recovered and the misunderstandings with his ex were cleared up, they went through a series of dramatic trials before finally tying the knot. She demanded that Brooks personally "take care" of me and the baby in my stomach. Brooks agreed.

A few months later, I died on a hospital delivery bed. The baby was stillborn, and I hemorrhaged so severely that by the time I took my last breath, my veins had been drained completely dry. Doing the math I'm probably pregnant right now. Just thinking about it made cold terror knot in my stomach.

A few days ago, in a desperate, panicked frenzy, a twisted thought popped into my head: If Brooks dies from his illness, my child becomes a posthumous heir. The Brooks family would definitely keep the baby alive, right?

So, for the past two weeks, I threw every ounce of my seduction skills at him. I fought tooth and nail to rewrite the script of this damn book.

But looking at the situation now, it seemed totally useless. Watching Brooks brutalize me in bed with the same ferocious, unyielding stamina, I started to suspect this bastard had another century left in him. My flawless escape plan was suffering a serious blow.

That night, my anxiety apparently fueled a terrifying sleepwalking episode. Brooks was asleep beside me, one arm thrown lazily over my waist, his breathing shallow. I slipped out of bed like a ghost and reached out, pressing two fingers right under his nose. Then, I slid my hand down, pressing two fingers against the pulse point on his neck.

After a long moment, I pulled back with a heavy sigh of disappointment. "Still kicking? My bad for interrupting."

As I spun around, Brooks's large, calloused hand shot out, clamping onto my wrist. I whipped back around, my heart hammering in my throat. His eyes were still closed.

His voice was thick, husky with sleep. "Piper. Don't be so eager."

"You haven't even finished showing off all those little outfits of yours. Your man isn't dying anytime soon."

But if you don't die soon, I will, Brooks.

I stood frozen by the bed. At some point, the nightmare fog had lifted, leaving me wide awake, yet my mind was still spinning chaotically. Cold moonlight spilled across the sheets. I stared down at his handsome face, perfectly relaxed in sleep.

A sharp, sudden pain pierced my chest.

I had to admit the thought of him dying wasn't exactly a completely genuine wish. Even though I was terrified of povertyeven though, yes, money was my absolute number one prioritymy feelings for Brooks were completely real. There wasn't a single trace of fake affection in my heart.

Taking advantage of Brooks being at the corporate headquarters, I snuck back to the hospital. The blood test confirmed it. I was pregnant. But I didn't follow the plotline.

I didn't joyfully run back to tell Brooks the good news.

Two days later, exactly as the book dictated, his fiance, Vivienne, returned to the city. The very day she landed, she was practically bursting with desperation, using their mutual friends in the elite circle to set up a meeting with Brooks. But it took a whole week of dodging before Brooks finally caved and agreed to see her.

I kept playing my part perfectly. Ignorant. Vacant. Playing the role of his brainless trophy pet.

When Brooks was getting ready to head out for his meeting, I draped myself over him, pouting and demanding kisses, begging him to come home early. I whispered in his ear, "I bought a new outfit. If you come back late, I'm not wearing it for you."

Brooks shot me a glance, lowering his dark eyes to slowly and methodically adjust his cuffs. He pinched my cheek and let out a low chuckle. "Piper, I think Dr. Eli was right with his warning."

"Huh?"

"Sooner or later, I'm going to die on top of you." He arched a brow, a faint, devastating smirk playing on his lips. For a second, the look in his eyes was almost like melting ice.

I froze, then dramatically stomped my foot and slapped a hand over his mouth. "Don't say that! Brooks is going to live forever!"

"Mmhmm. And Piper is going to live forever, too." Brooks chuckled, ducking his head to give me a slow, lingering kiss.

I stood rooted to the spot, watching him walk away, climb into his armored luxury car, and disappear down the driveway. The plastic smile on my face slowly evaporated into nothing.

Chapter 4

But in the book, Piper didn't get to live a long life. When she died, she was only twenty-two. In the absolute prime of youth. I stumbled upstairs in a daze, a million thoughts tangling in my head.

Honestly, up until two days ago, a tiny, pathetic shred of hope still clung to my chest. I hoped this was all fake. That I was just trapped in a prolonged nightmare.

But when Vivienne actually landed back in the countrydown to the exact, sickening minute the plot dictatedmy heart completely died.

Looking back at the last two weeks, it was honestly laughable. Never mind the fact that Brooks wasn't dead. Even if he did drop dead and I was pregnant, me and the baby wouldn't survive a week. There were way too many vicious predators stalking the Brooks family fortune.

I let out a harsh, self-deprecating laugh. I unlocked my phone and pulled up my offshore bank account. So many zeros. I counted them over and over, dozens of times, until the suffocating tightness in my chest finally eased up just a fraction.

According to the book's plot, Brooks and the love of his life were reuniting tonight. They would clear up all their old misunderstandings and pour their hearts out to each other. And then, it would be an explosive, uncontrollable mess of reignited passion.

Come home early? Yeah, right. For an entire week after this, the little pet canary wouldn't even catch a glimpse of her patron.

Hell, the next time I went to afternoon tea, even my center seat would be snatched by Lexi. Talk about adding insult to injury. Right at that moment, my phone lit up with a text from my best friend.

[Piper, my toxic bastard's first love just showed up in town! I'm packing my bags and getting the hell out of here. You coming or what?]

I bit my lip hard, staring at the screen for three solid minutes. I refused to bleed out on a delivery bed with my baby. I was young, drop-dead gorgeous, loaded with cash, and about to be a mother. There was an endless supply of hot, perfectly sculpted young guys out there in the world.

I absolutely did not need to chain myself to Brooks's sinking ship and go down with him.

The second the realization clicked, I shot up from the mattress.

[If you're out, I'm out. Packing my shit right now!]

[Literally crying rn, bestie. See you in a bit!]

I swept every single piece of high-end jewelry Brooks had ever bought me into a velvet case, grabbed my most expensive Herms Birkin, and marched downstairs. Besides, this was a romance novel. The golden rule: the second the woman runs, the male lead magically loses all ability to track her down. Not to mention, I was being incredibly considerate here, voluntarily clearing out to make room for Vivienne.

If Brooks was thrilled enough, he might even wire me another farewell bonus.

That was what I kept telling myself. But the second I actually stepped onto the tarmac to board the private jet, pathetic, worthless tears spilled down my cheeks anyway. I really hated Brooks. I hated him so much that I never wanted to love him again.

Brooks stood completely alone on the penthouse terrace like a monarch of the dark, the fierce wind whipping through his raven hair. He had just sparked a custom cigar with his engraved lighter, but the instant the image of a certain woman wrinkling her nose at the smell of smoke flashed through his mind, he crushed it out against the cold metal railing in a sudden surge of irritability. Piper hated the smell of smoke. She was highly sensitive to it, breaking into coughs the second she caught a whiff.

Just the thought of her caused the harsh lines between his brows to ease slightly. He pulled out his phone. Strange. The little clingy nightmare hadn't sent a single call or text all night.

That was entirely out of character for her. Usually, she would be flooding his notifications with a barrage of private photos by now. Seductive little skirts, taboo uniforms, bunny earsanything to provoke him. But right now, her profile picturea flawless, pouting selfiesat in dead silence on his screen.

Brookss frown returned, deeper this time. Losing his patience, he tapped on her icon and typed out a message.

[Didn't you say you bought a new outfit? Where are the pictures?]

Staring at the cold, mocking red exclamation point of a blocked message on the screen, the pupils of the man who flawlessly dictated a global business empire violently contracted.

An unprecedented wave of pure, unadulterated savagery and blind panic instantly ripped through his veins.

Losing nearly all control, he spun around, tearing the heavy door open as a suffocating, lethal aura exploded from his frame.

Vivienne, her eyes red and swollen from crying, desperately grabbed the sleeve of his tailored suit. "Brooks, please don't go. Okay?"

But Brookss face was an expressionless mask of ice as he brutally yanked his arm out of her grip. He didn't even grant her a backward glance as he marched out of the room. He threw himself into the back of his armored car, barking a lethal command at the driver before the door had even clicked shut. "Step on the gas. Back to the South Estate."

As the car tore into the night, Brooks frantically dialed the number pinned to the very top of his contacts, over and over again.

Chapter 5

But the only thing greeting him on the other end of the line was that cold, automated, mechanical voice.

[The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable]

His hand flew up, gripping his seizing chest.

A low, agonized groan tore from his throat, sounding more like a wounded animal than a man, as a brutal coughing fit wracked his frame.

His dark, feverish eyes glinted with a terrifying, sickly red in the fragmented neon lights blurring past the tinted windows.

He lowered his gaze, staring blankly at the shocking smear of crimson staining his palm. It was as if his entire spine had been surgically ripped out. He collapsed back into the plush leather seat, completely devoid of strength, and closed his eyes.

When the armored Maybach finally screeched to a halt in front of the South Estate's main manor, Brooks had already completely reassembled his mask of flawless, impenetrable calm. He stepped out of the car, his strides long and even, addressing the head maid who hurried forward to greet him. "Is Piper in her room?"

"Miss Piper left about three hours ago, sir. She mentioned that Miss Raven invited her out for dinner tonight."

Brookss brow twitched. His hand instinctively rose, pressing hard against his agonizingly tight chest. Another violent bout of coughing tore from him, the harsh, ragged sound scraping against the quiet air, making everyone around him physically wince.

He methodically made his way up the grand staircase to the third floor. He wasn't greeted by the familiar, honey-drenched "Brooks~" that usually awaited him. Only absolute, suffocating silence. His fingers dug deeper into his chest as he stepped forward and pushed open the heavy oak door of the master bedroom.

He flipped the light switch.

On the vanity, her high-end skincare bottles and crystal perfume flacons were still arranged in perfect, symmetrical order. He walked over and pulled open the velvet-lined drawers. More than half empty.

Every single piece of obscenely expensive jewelry he had gifted her had vanished without a trace. Brooks stared down at the empty velvet boxes. And then, a low, quiet chuckle actually escaped his lips.

He moved into the massive walk-in closet. The two entire walls dedicated to her absurdly priced designer handbags were still fully stocked and perfectly organized. There was only one empty slot. Brooks didn't even need to look to know what was missing.

It was the most obscenely expensive, limited-edition Herms Birkin he had given her for her birthday last year.

Inside the glass wardrobes, row upon row of her favorite dresses hung perfectly undisturbed, a sea of varying shades of pink. And tucked away in the back dozens of her little "uniforms," many still with the tags attached.

He turned around slowly, walking back out of the bedroom and down the stairs. He pulled out his phone again. Before he could even pull up the dialer, an incoming call lit up the screen. He answered it.

Rykers voice exploded through the speaker, practically vibrating with uncontrolled rage. "Brooks! Where the hell did your woman take Raven?!"

"I can't get through to her phone, my number is blocked on every messaging appwhat kind of bullshit lies has your woman been feeding Raven this time?!"

Rykers furious roars threatened to shatter the phones speaker, backed by the violent, explosive crash of a ridiculously expensive whiskey bottle shattering against a wall.

Brookss grip tightened on his phone, his dark gaze locking onto the empty swing set sitting silently in the garden. When the hibiscus was in bloom, Piper loved to sit right there. "I was just about to ask you the same question, Ryker. My staff said Raven invited Piper out for dinner tonight."

"Where exactly did she take Piper, and where the hell are they right now?"

"Bullshit!" Another violent crash echoed through the line as Ryker hurled something else. "Piper was the one who invited Raven out!"

"Brooks, stop blindly protecting that woman! Have you entirely lost your damn mind from swallowing whatever mind-control garbage Piper feeds you three times a day?!"

Brooks stood completely motionless. His gaze remained welded to the empty, swaying swing. The knuckles of the hand gripping the phone, however, had turned a lethal, bloodless white. "Ryker, instead of wasting time throwing a tantrum at me, you'd better start deploying every man on your payroll to track them down."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Brooks let out a low, dark chuckle. "My meaning is perfectly clear. Your woman took my woman, and they both ran. Piper doesn't want me, and Raven doesn't want you."

He cut the call immediately after that. He barked an order for his top intelligence fixers to be brought in. But the moment they arrived, he abruptly changed his mind.

Since I was basically an orphan with zero ties anyway, I finally decided to just follow my bestie, Raven, back to her hometown. It was incredibly far away from Brooks. So far, in fact, that his failing body probably wouldn't even be able to survive the brutal travel required to get there.

When we finally stepped off the plane, my phone remained completely, utterly silent. Raven's phone, however, was vibrating violently, non-stop, like it was possessed.

Chapter 6

Raven had blocked countless numbers, but the other side relentlessly kept calling back. I crossed my arms, leaning back against the freezing terminal wall.

Watching her borderline maniacally blacklist the number of the man who controlled the city's entire lifeblood, an undeniable, provocative spark of savage satisfaction ignited in my chest.

Brooks was probably deep into rekindling his passionate romance with Vivienne right now. He had definitely tossed me out of his mind by now. But honestly, that was perfectly fine.

Raven finally just snapped her SIM card right in half. "Peace and quiet."

She didn't even blink as she tossed the pieces into the trash. She looked over at me. "Piper, aren't you going to change your number?"

I slowly shook my head. "My number is tied to way too many offshore accounts. It's a hassle."

"Besides, Brooks isn't going to come looking for me. It makes zero difference if I change it or not."

Raven went quiet for a second. Her eyes were red as she pulled me into a tight hug. "Is that bastard really getting back together with Vivienne?"

"They probably already did. The elite circle will probably announce the wedding bells soon."

Raven stared at me, her expression twisting. "Piper, if you need to cry, just do it. I swear I won't laugh."

"Raven, does it hurt? After everything Ryker put you through?"

Raven completely blanked her expression and shoved her oversized designer sunglasses onto her face. "What are we eating? Hot pot or K-BBQ?"

"I'm planning to order eighteen male escorts tonight. I'll split eight with you."

I pressed my hand flat against my still-flat lower stomach and looped my arm through hers. "Raven, you can have all the escorts. I'll pass."

"What, backing out now, Piper?"

"No It's just, I'm pregnant."

Raven's luxury bag hit the marble floor with a loud thud. Her voice spiked up an entire octave as she basically screeched at me. "Piper!"

"Why the hell didn't you tell me you were pregnant?! If Brooks finds out you're pregnant and I still smuggled you out of the city, he's going to chop me into pieces and feed me to the sharks!"

"He won't find out. I'm never going to let him know." My vision blurred.

I grabbed her sleeve, giving it a weak shake. "Raven, let's just never bring him up again, okay?"

Raven locked her jaw, her entire body shaking violently. "That bastard just wanted to get off, got you knocked up, and now he won't even take responsibility?!"

Honestly, Brooks wasn't that kind of man. He was flawlessly meticulous about protection every single time. It was just the old Piperthe stupid, naive girl who didn't know she was living inside a scripted dark romance novelwho wanted to give him a baby. Who desperately wanted to leave behind a trace of his bloodline because of his terminal illness.

"Don't blame him, Raven. I was the one who wanted this." I forced the corners of my mouth up into a stiff smile.

"Think about it. I'm loaded, drop-dead gorgeous, and now I have an heir to inherit my empire. I'm basically winning at life."

Raven suddenly yanked her sunglasses off. Her eyes were completely swollen. "Piper, you fell in love with Brooks, didn't you? Did you completely forget the promise you made me three years ago?"

I couldn't form a single word. Hot tears just started spilling over my lashes, completely out of my control. Because Brooks had treated Piper too well. So well that she fell completely into the trap without even realizing it.

"You are going to get yourself killed, do you realize that?" Raven hissed, torn between fury and heartbreak. "Word about this pregnancy absolutely cannot get out."

"Ryker warned me before. Vivienne looks like a sweet angel, but she is pure venom on the inside. If she actually marries Brooks and finds out about you and the baby, she will absolutely not let you survive."

Raven sucked in a sharp, cold breath. "We can't stay here. Piper, we need to move right now. Just buy a ticket to anywhere"

Before she could even finish her sentence. The bustling airport terminal instantly plunged into a dead, suffocating silence. Over a dozen ruthless bodyguards in pure black suits and dark shades violently tore a path through the crowd.

Right behind them, that devastatingly handsome devil, radiating a freezing, lethal pressure, stalked forward like an apex predator locking onto his prey.

My pupils blew wide. I grabbed Raven's arm, spun around, and bolted.

But we only made it a few frantic steps. We crashed to a dead halt, completely paralyzed