THE CONTRACT WIFE: A ONE NIGHT STAND BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE

Zara’s POV

All my nervousness from that night is gone, especially after hugging my son and getting him out of that hellish place. The scene was so bad that I felt like I was going to pass out at any moment.

Nick is now in trouble. They used force to get him out of jail, but we’ll make sure he can’t get out of there first. We’ll ensure he has plenty of time inside that prison to think about what he’s done.

When we got home to the mansion, all my husband’s brothers and their wives were there. They were all worried about us, and while we reassured them that everything was fine, anger was still brewing over what Nick had done.

Stephanie hugged me, and I felt a longing for that sibling connection. You see, I never had a sibling because I was the result of an accident, and my biological father wasn’t responsible for me, while my mother never looked for a partner in life. So having a sister like Stephanie, my husband’s sister, means a lot to me. She feels like an older brother I’ve always wanted.

“I really missed you, Zara! I was so confused that day you were gone. I thought you didn’t like the gown I designed! We didn’t know that man would take you, and we know he tried to harm my nephew! We won’t let this slide easily. They might have forgotten that Blackwood was the one they messed with.”

I could see Stephanie’s genuine concern and understood where his anger towards Nick was coming from.

The Blackwood family is very family-oriented. Even though they have their own families, they still look out for their relatives, brothers, sisters, and the younger generation.

“The important thing is that we are all fine, Stephanie. I’m sure nothing bad will happen. We will appoint a psychologist for my son. He might be okay for now, but I don’t want the day to come when the child is traumatized.” Enrique’s involvement in this was also not by chance.

I can’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 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 know a very close friend of mine who is really good at handling such cases, especially with children.” I nodded, and we returned to the living room where Enrique was with his grandmother and grandma.

As much as we can, we don’t want to bring up the topic of the kidnapping. My son seems to be fine. He might be happy to see his cousins, aunt, and uncle. Everything seems fine. There was no trace of the accident that happened earlier.

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

My husband kissed me on the cheek. I could see the tenderness in his eyes. He looked exhausted, but I knew that we found peace in each other’s company.

All I want to know is what happened to my pregnancy. I should have had a daughter by now. She would be turning 3 years old. It hurts to think that I was robbed of the right to be the mother of our child, and he was robbed of the right to be with us.

He wiped my tears and kissed me on the lips.

“Don’t be sad, love. Tomorrow, we’ll make that fool admit what he did. He’ll pay for everything he owes us, family.” I nodded and gave him a small smile.

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

The dining table was filled with our complete family, happy to share the food prepared in front of us. It was nice to talk and not dwell on what happened tonight. It felt like there was a rainbow after the storm. We no longer understood what had happened during our encounter last night.

At night, before we went to sleep, our son sat next to us. He said he couldn’t sleep, but when we talked to him, his mood calmed down, and he fell into a deep sleep.

Lucas and I looked at each other. We left the bed for a while and talked on the veranda of our room. That night, the light given off by the round moon was still bright, and the wind felt cold on our skin.

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

“We can reschedule it, dear. If you can’t do it yet, don’t force yourself,” he said, and I could sense his genuine worry. I gave him a smile that said, “That’s fine.”

“I can do it, Lucas. I can face him, dear… There are so many questions I want to ask because there are still so many unanswered. I want to scold and scream so much. But even if he doesn’t answer, and even if my heart doesn’t find calmness, I have to be brave and face him myself, Lucas. I have to be strong.”

We stood up and kissed each other. I cried a lot, releasing the pain and weight I had been carrying. The fear and everything that I felt…

Tomorrow, we will confront everything at the same time. I will wake up as a brave Zara, strong despite everything we’ve been through. Am I still weak?

The next day, I woke up with the father and son sleeping next to me. I smiled in awe because it’s heartwarming to wake up with your loved ones next to you. Yes, they are the reasons why I am still here, why I believe there are reasons behind all of this.

I immediately pushed away the negative thoughts that tried to creep in. I need to focus on how I will approach this. I have to prepare myself. There’s a possibility I will break down when I see him.

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

I just woke up from my thoughts when I noticed my handsome husband was also staring at me.

My cheeks flushed, and my heart raced. I’m getting older, yet he still has the same effect on me. I still feel like a teenager around him.

“Good morning,” he said in his bedroom voice, which sent shivers down my spine. He looked like a handsome man pulled from Tiktok.

I smiled back. “Good morning too,” I replied, unable to help my excitement. Lucas, you have a way of doing this to me.

He kissed me carefully, not wanting to wake up our son who was sleeping between us.

“L-Lucas!” I whispered, feigning annoyance. “I haven’t brushed my teeth yet!” I playfully scolded.

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

He’s so hot when he’s like this, but I didn’t want to show that I was affected. I didn’t want to add fuel to the fire. It was too early for a heated encounter, and we had other things to focus on.

“We’re the only ones here; what’s the rush?” I teased back.

“Stop it! I’m tired of being teased in bed,” I replied, trying to look serious.

But he looked so handsome, laughing there. I didn’t actually mind, and I knew he was just being playful.

I went straight to our bathroom to take a shower. There’s no point in washing up and then showering later. Just to be clear, when I came out of the bathroom, Lucas looked at me with a raised eyebrow as if he were teasing me.

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

We headed out and sat together at the dining table, enjoying our meal. The atmosphere was cheerful, and the stories flowed. Who would have thought that such a wealthy family could be so down-to-earth and socialize like this? 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 how influential he was, but we both knew she was truly powerful in her own right.

She had established herself as an independent woman, much like my friend Antoinette. Stephanie, being a Blackwood, had a bit of a different upbringing, with a dominant brother. That was probably a bigger factor in why she became an Alpha, a female alpha, and her husband is a bit more timid but also appears to be dominant.

We arrived at the clinic of Dr. Brown. While we were on the trip, my son, Enrique, was using his cellphone in the backseat. He seemed distant, so I took the opportunity to ask him about how he was feeling.

“How do you feel, son?” I asked, and Enrique stopped what he was doing, seeming exhausted and bothered.

“I’m scared, Mom. I’m sad because my uncle did this to me and to us. I had a nightmare last night, but I didn’t wake you up. Mom, I’m not okay,” my son honestly shared his feelings. My heart ached knowing what he had gone through.

Enrique did not deserve such trauma. It was heartbreaking to think that my son had to experience such a traumatic event.

I hoped Nick didn’t do that to him. I hoped he had considered the child, but he had prioritized his feelings and desires over thinking about the consequences of his actions.

Lucas looked at us from the driver’s seat but remained silent, giving us space to talk.

I held my child’s hand, and he looked at me with fear in his eyes. I hugged him and kissed his forehead.

“I’m sorry, son. You wouldn’t have gone through this if only I had been more careful. I’m sorry because you don’t deserve this. So if you have a nightmare, please wake us up. You don’t have to face it alone. We’ll go to the doctor, and we’ll ask for help.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.