Married To The Ruthless CEO

Aria woke before sunrise with a strange heaviness in her stomach. She barely made it to the bathroom before she bent over the sink. The nausea came suddenly. Sharp. Unforgiving. When it finally passed, she rinsed her mouth and stared at her pale reflection in the mirror. Maybe it was stress. Maybe she hadn’t eaten properly. She stepped out, but before she could even walk back to the bed, the wave hit again. Stronger this time. She gripped the edge of the sink and threw up for the second time that morning. Her breathing turned uneven. This wasn’t normal. She washed her face slowly, pressing cool water against her cheeks. It’s nothing, she told herself. I just need a checkup. She decided she would visit the hospital after work. Just to be sure. At breakfast, the silence between them felt fragile. Adrian sat across from her, eyes fixed on his coffee. He noticed immediately how pale she looked. The slight tremble in her fingers. The way she barely touched her food. “Are you okay?” he asked, not lifting his gaze. “Yes, I’m fine,” she replied, also avoiding his eyes. Two lies spoken in the same room. They ate in silence again. Adrian’s briefcase rested beside him. Inside it, neatly arranged, was a document he had drafted late into the night. Contract Termination Agreement. He had stared at the paper for hours before printing it. This was the safest solution. End it now. He just needed the right moment. At the hospital later that afternoon, Aria sat nervously in the examination room. Her palms felt cold. The doctor returned with a soft smile. “Congratulations,” she said gently. “You’re approximately three weeks pregnant.” For a second, Aria didn’t react. Three weeks. Pregnant. The word echoed in her mind. Then it hit her all at once. A child. Their child. Her hand slowly moved to her stomach. Joy rushed through her like sunlight breaking through clouds. No matter what happened between them… they would have this. A piece of both of them. Maybe this would change things. Maybe this would soften him. Maybe this would finally make everything real. She left the hospital with a small report clutched tightly in her hand, her heart racing — but this time with hope. Adrian would be happy. He had wanted an heir. His parents had wanted a grandchild. This would fix everything. She smiled to herself on the way home. When she entered the house The scent of food greeted Aria the moment she stepped into the house. She paused. The dining table was set. Not casually. Not carelessly. Plates arranged neatly. Candles unlit but placed. Everything deliberate. And Adrian was already seated. Waiting. “You’re back,” she said softly, slipping off her heels. “Yes,” he replied calmly. “Work was lighter today.” That wasn’t normal. Adrian was never home before her. She walked toward the table slowly. “You cooked?” “I instructed the chef,” he corrected, but there was something almost defensive in his tone. They sat in silence for a moment. The air felt heavier than usual. Aria picked up her fork. “Is something wrong?” Adrian didn’t answer immediately. His gaze was steady, unreadable. For a brief moment, she thought maybe he had sensed it. Maybe he had something to tell her too. “Adrian, is they something you want us to talk about? Yes. He answered well that's fine cause I also have something to tell you Go first Adrian said no you go first Aria insisted The opened his briefcase and placed a set of documents in her hands. “Sign this,” he said. His voice was controlled. Carefully controlled. She blinked, confused. “What is this?” “Our contract termination,” he replied. The words landed like a physical blow. Her fingers tightened around the papers. Termination? Her heart began to pound loudly in her ears. “You wanted distance,” he continued evenly. “This is the cleanest way to resolve everything.” Resolve everything. Her mind struggled to process what was happening. Just hours ago, she had been sitting in a hospital room, imagining telling him they were going to have a baby. Imagining his reaction. Imagining his smile. And now— “Our agreement has come to end we have to terminate the contract,” he added, though his jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. “There’s no need to continue this arrangement.” Arrangement ? Her vision blurred slightly. She opened the document, scanning the lines without truly reading them. So this is it. He never loved me. He just wanted the child. And now he doesn’t even want the marriage. She swallowed painfully. The report from the hospital felt heavier in her bag. For a brief, desperate second, she considered telling him immediately. But something in his tone stopped her. He sounded detached. Or maybe he was trying too hard to. “You’re ending it?” she asked quietly. “Yes.” One word. Cold. Final. Inside, Adrian felt like he was tearing something vital out of himself. He told himself this was protection. Protection for her. But watching the light in her eyes dim was almost unbearable. She lifted her gaze to him slowly. “Is that what you really want?” she asked. The question hung between them. He hesitated — just for a second too long. “Yes,” he said again. The silence that followed was suffocating. Aria’s hand instinctively moved toward her stomach before she caught herself. She had walked into this house filled with joy. Now she stood there feeling like the ground beneath her had shattered. She loved him. And he was setting her free. She looked at the pen resting on the table. Sign this. End it. Walk away. Or tell him the truth. Her heart pounded violently in her chest as she stood frozen, the future shifting beneath her feet. And Adrian, for the first time in his controlled, calculated life, felt completely powerless