PREGNANT BY CONTRACT

The Texas sky looked gray as Bella stared at the skyscrapers towering in front of her. Thihs is Lockwood Corporation—the company owned by the man rumored to be able to take down anyone with a single phone call.She took a deep breath. Her chest felt tight, her breathing heavy. "Oh my God ...!"Her palms were sweaty as she handed her ID to the receptionist. The young woman in uniform looked her up and down before giving a thin, almost mechanical smile.“Please go up. Mr. Aaron is waiting for you on the twenty-seventh floor.”Bella nodded. She walked toward the elevator, her steps hesitant. Every second felt like a hammer striking her chest. She didn’t even know why a CEO of Aaron Lockwood’s caliber had called her.After all, she was just an ordinary girl from the outskirts of Dallas, not yet graduated from college, now working odd jobs to pay for her critically ill mother’s treatment.The elevator chimed softly. The 27th floor was quiet. In the hallway, there was only one large black m

That day, Bella was picked up early by a private driver sent by Aaron. There was no lengthy explanation, just a short message the night before:“Nine o’clock tomorrow. Be ready.”The car took Bella to the eastern side of Austin, entering an elite neighborhood with luxurious colonial-style homes. Soon, the car stopped in front of a white mansion with an iron-railed balcony and a perfectly manicured front garden. Luxurious. Formal. And quiet.The door was opened by a woman.She stood tall, wearing a pale cream satin blouse that fit her body perfectly and sharp-cut trousers. Her blonde hair was neatly pinned up, and her maroon lips formed a thin, almost cynical smile.“Isabella Moore,” she greeted coldly. “We meet again!"Bella straightened her shoulders. She already met this woman when Aaron married her the daya before yesterday.Lucienne Lockwood. Aaron’s lawful wife. A woman from another world.“Come in. I don’t like wasting time.”Bella stepped slowly into the living room, which wa

"What did you say just now, Bella?" Lucienne asked with a sharp gaze."I'm sorry, Lucie. I'm just worried. Your husband and I have sex almost every night. I'm just afraid that he'll—""Shut up your big mouth and don't get cocky! My husband is faithful to me. He won't be interested in your games in bed. My sexual services are more satisfying than yours. Remember that!" Lucie raged. She stared at Bella threateningly."Remember your limits if you want to get a lot of money for your mother's medical expenses!" she concluded.Bella fell silent. She was also confused as to why she had suddenly said that to Lucie. Maybe ... it was because Bella hated Lucie's arrogant and conceited attitude. **********Two months had passed.And on the first morning since signing the contract, Bella woke up with a dull ache in her lower abdomen. As she got out of bed and walked to the bathroom, she already knew—even before seeing the bloodstain on her underwear.Menstruation.She stood frozen in front of the

That night, Aaron's house felt quieter than usual. The streetlights outside shone through Bella's bedroom window, casting long shadows on the wooden floor. Bella sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers clasped tightly together in nervousness.There was a knock on the door.Then it opened.Aaron stood there, his shoulders tense, his jaw tight—his usually flat and cold face now looking different. There was pressure. There was anger towards Loraine. There was determination. But there was something else too... something Bella couldn't read."May I come in?" he said softly.Bella just nodded.Aaron closed the door, then approached her with heavier steps than usual. His gaze swept over Bella from head to toe—not with hatred, nor merely out of obligation. That gaze... was full of observation. It was as if he was seeing Bella for the first time as a woman, not just a contract wife."We..." Aaron sighed. "We have to try harder. You know that."Bella nodded again, more slowly. "I understand, si

The car sped away from Lucienne's house. The lights of Austin that night were like blurry lines behind the window glass. Bella sat stiffly in the passenger seat, her hands clasped together in her lap. Aaron drove silently, his jaw clenched, one hand gripping the steering wheel too tightly. No one spoke. The silence in the car was far more frightening than screams. Bella glanced at Aaron. The man looked like someone who was fighting with himself—his breathing was heavy, his eyes focused ahead, but his mind was clearly in turmoil. As soon as the car stopped in the driveway of Aaron's main house, he immediately got out, slamming the door. Bella followed, her heart beating fast. She had just stepped inside when the door opened again with a loud bang. Lucienne. The woman stormed in, her face no longer smiling, her hazel eyes burning with unconcealed anger. Her high heels clattered loudly on the marble floor. "You humiliated me," she said sharply. Aaron turned around. "You started t