Lahat ng Kabanata ng Breaking Up With The Hottest Man On Ice : Kabanata 111 - Kabanata 120

Emma's POVJake stood frozen. Staring at me.The silence stretched. Thirty seconds. A minute.My heart raced. This was the wrong time. The worst time."Jake, please say something."He blinked. Seemed to come back to himself."You are pregnant?""Yes. Six weeks.""Six weeks. So before all this. Before the news stories. Before I stepped down.""Yes. We got pregnant right after we moved in together."More silence. Then slowly, his face changed.The shock faded. Something else replaced it."We are having another baby?""Yes."A smile. Small at first. Then bigger."We are having a baby."He crossed the room. Pulled me into his arms."Emma, this is good news. The best news.""But the timing—""The timing is terrible. But the news is wonderful. In the middle of all this darkness, new life. Our life. Growing."I started crying. Relief flooding through me."I thought you would be angry. We have so much going on. The custody battle. Your business. The press.""I do not care about any of that ri

Emma's POVThe ultrasound screen was black and white. Grainy. Hard to understand.The doctor moved the wand slowly. Searching.I held my breath.Jake held my hand so tight it hurt.Please. Please let the baby be okay.The doctor stopped moving the wand. Pointed at the screen."There," she said quietly.A tiny flicker. Barely visible."That is the heartbeat."Relief flooded through me so fast I started crying."The baby is okay?""For now. The heartbeat is strong. But Ms. Reed, you are bleeding. Your stress levels are dangerous. Your body is trying to protect itself by ending the pregnancy.""But the baby is alive?""Yes. Right now. But if you continue at this stress level, you will miscarry. I am certain of that."Jake spoke up. "What does she need to do?""Complete bed rest. No work. No stress. No custody hearings. Nothing that raises blood pressure or cortisol levels.""For how long?""At least through first trimester. Twelve weeks. Maybe longer depending on how she progresses."I f

Emma's POVI lay in bed thinking about Margaret's rejection.She did not want partial custody. She wanted full custody or nothing.That made no sense strategically.Any lawyer would tell her to take the compromise. Get access to Alex. Build relationship. Then push for more later.But she rejected it.Why?Then it hit me.She never wanted Alex.This was never about her grandson.This was about destroying me.Everything. The lawsuit. The press leaks. The attacks on my character.Not to get Alex. To make me suffer.To punish me for existing. For loving Jake. For having the audacity to come back.Margaret's hatred was so consuming, she would rather have nothing than see me happy.I sat up in bed. Reached for my phone.Jake was in the living room working. Door closed.I looked up Margaret's number. Private line. The one she had called me from before.Against every lawyer's advice, I called.She answered on the second ring."Emma. I was wondering when you would call.""What do you really wa

Emma's POVThe calls started at six AM.Jake's siblings. His cousins. Extended family.All saying the same thing. Your mother is in the hospital because of you.Jake answered the first few. Then stopped picking up."They are blaming me," he said. "Saying I caused this by fighting her.""Did they mention the custody battle was her idea?""No. They just know she is in hospital and we are the cause.""So we are the villains again.""Always have been."Jake wanted to go to the hospital. See his mother. Make sure she was okay.I was unsure. This felt like trap."What if she uses your visit against us? Claims you are harassing her even in hospital?""She is my mother. I have to go.""Then I am coming with you.""Emma, you are supposed to be resting.""And you are supposed to not face your family alone. We are partners. I am coming."We left Alex with Sarah. Drove to the hospital in silence.Press was already there. Cameras outside the entrance.They saw us. Started shouting questions."Jake

Emma's POVThe courthouse was packed.I had not expected this many people.Press in the back rows. Public observers filling every seat. Court sketch artists with their pads ready.And Margaret's family. All of them. Taking up two full rows on her side.Our side was smaller. Sarah. Miguel. Alex's teacher. His therapist. A few friends.David versus Goliath.Judge Santos entered. Everyone stood."This is the matter of Sullivan versus Reed. Custody determination for minor child Alexander Sullivan. We will hear opening statements."Margaret's lawyer stood first. Richard Hoffman. Expensive suit. Confident smile."Your Honor, this case is about a pattern of manipulation spanning eight years. Emma Reed became pregnant at age twenty. She took fifty thousand dollars from my client and disappeared. Hid the child from his father. Raised him in poverty despite having access to resources."He paced as he spoke. Commanding the room."Then eight years later, when Jake Sullivan became successful, Emma