The CEO’s Hidden Wife

Chapter 15

Raina’s POV

By morning, the angry redness that had swallowed my skin the night before had finally started fading.

Not completely.

Just enough to stop looking catastrophic.

Faint traces still lingered across my arms and collarbone, pale pink marks scattered like the aftermath of a war my body had barely survived. Every movement still felt tender. Fragile.

Like my skin remembered the panic even after the danger passed.

Lily had gone downstairs to bully the hospital café into making something edible for breakfast.

Which meant, for the first time since yesterday…

I was alone.

The silence in the room stretched strangely around me.

Too quiet.

Too clean.

Too much space for thinking.

And thinking was dangerous these days.

Because every road in my mind somehow led back to him.

To Harrison standing beside my hospital bed looking guilty for the first time in seven years.

To Harrison forgetting something as basic as my allergy.

To Harrison saying he’d “fix this” while still refusing to let me go.

I closed my eyes briefly.

Then exhaled.

No.

I needed air before my thoughts swallowed me whole.

Carefully, I pushed the blanket aside and slid off the hospital bed. My legs protested immediately, weak from the fever and medication.

The IV stand beside me rattled softly as I gripped it.

Elegant.

Very dignified.

I looked like a haunted woman dragging medical equipment through a luxury hospital.

One slow step.

Then another.

The cold floor pressed against my feet through the thin hospital slippers as I eased toward the hallway.

The corridor outside was quiet, washed in sterile white light and the distant scent of disinfectant.

Nurses moved past occasionally.

Muted voices echoed from nearby rooms.

Everything felt strangely detached from reality.

Like the world was continuing normally while mine had quietly collapsed in the background.

I had barely taken three steps into the hallway when…

I froze.

Completely.

My fingers tightened instinctively around the IV pole.

At the far end of the corridor stood two people I knew too well.

Harrison.

And Sophie.

For one terrible second, my heartbeat stopped altogether.

Then resumed too fast.

Too hard.

He stood beside her with one arm securely around her waist.

Protective.

Steady.

Familiar.

The kind of touch that came from habit.

His head tilted slightly toward her as he guided her carefully out of the maternity wing.

Maternity wing.

The words hit me like shattered glass.

And in his other hand…

An ultrasound envelope.

White.

Folded.

Unmistakable.

Something cold slithered through my chest.

Not jealousy.

Not heartbreak.

Something emptier.

Sharper.

They moved together naturally.

Perfectly aligned.

Like two people who belonged in the same future.

And me?

I suddenly felt like an accidental extra standing outside the frame of someone else’s life.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips before I could stop it.

Of course.

Of course this would be the first thing I’d see after leaving my room.

The universe really did have a cruel sense of humor.

I turned immediately.

Ready to walk away before either of them noticed me.

Before I had to stand there and watch Harrison Grant play devoted protector to another woman again.

“Miss West!”

Sophie’s voice floated through the corridor sweetly.

Too sweet.

Like poison dissolved in honey.

I stopped walking.

Slowly turned back.

Her smile widened when she saw me fully.

Delicate.

Soft.

Manufactured.

Coincidence?

Please.

“How convenient,” I said calmly, my voice colder than the hospital walls around us. “Private checkups at the Grant family hospital. No reporters. No gossip. Efficient arrangement.”

Sophie blinked innocently.

The performance was almost impressive.

“Oh, Miss West, you misunderstood,” she said gently. “This has always been my regular hospital. Harrison was only accompanying me because he was worried.”

Worried.

Right.

My gaze flickered briefly toward Harrison.

He hadn’t said a word yet.

Not one.

His expression remained unreadable, but his eyes were locked on me with an intensity that made my skin tighten.

Searching.

Watching.

Like he was waiting for something.

Emotion.

Jealousy.

Pain.

I gave him none.

I turned again.

Done with this conversation already.

But Sophie clearly wasn’t.

“If you and Harrison truly don’t love each other anymore…” she said softly behind me, “…why keep dragging this marriage out?”

My steps stopped again.

A slow smile touched my lips.

Not warm.

Not kind.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

I turned back toward her fully this time.

One brow lifted slightly.

“What is this?” I asked quietly. “Did the innocent act finally become too exhausting to maintain?”

Something flickered across her face.

Gone quickly.

But I caught it.

Her lips curved faintly.

No longer fragile.

No longer harmless.

“I just want what’s best for him,” she said. “Wouldn’t it be kinder to step aside?”

A laugh escaped me.

Low.

Sharp.

Almost amused.

“So you can replace me?” I tilted my head slightly. “Sophie… at least aim for originality.”

For one brief second, irritation cracked through her carefully crafted expression.

There it is.

There you are.

Then she stepped closer.

Voice lowering.

“The person without love is the real outsider here,” she murmured. “Harrison and I have known each other for years. Walking away would make things easier for everyone.”

My smile sharpened.

Dangerously calm.

“Really?” I asked softly. “So while carrying Ethan’s child, you’re already planning your future with his best friend?”

That landed.

Hard.

I watched panic flash across her eyes before she buried it.

Good.

“You think Ethan would appreciate that?” I continued evenly. “His widow auditioning for a replacement husband before his memory’s even cold?”

Her hands clenched tightly at her sides.

Then suddenly…

She glanced behind me.

Toward something.

Or someone.

And smiled.

That smile.

My stomach dropped instantly.

Too late.

Her hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.

Firm.

Calculated.

“Let’s stop pretending,” she whispered softly. “We’ll see who Harrison chooses.”

Before I could react…

She dropped.

Straight down.

To her knees.

Tears flooded her eyes instantly like someone had flipped a switch.

“Miss West… please…” her voice trembled beautifully. “Please have mercy on my baby…”

I stared at her.

Actually stared.

Because the performance was phenomenal.

Oscar-worthy.

No notes.

“We’re alone in this country,” she continued shakily. “Harrison is the only person helping us… please don’t take your anger out on him…”

My irritation surged.

Hot.

Exhausting.

“Please… for Harrison’s sake…”

I yanked my wrist free immediately.

And right on cue…

She fell backward dramatically.

A shadow rushed past me instantly.

Harrison.

Of course.

He caught her before she hit the ground.

“Sophie!”

Concern sharpened his voice immediately.

Real concern.

Urgent concern.

The kind I used to beg for in silence.

She trembled against him delicately.

“I’m okay…” she whispered weakly. “Please don’t blame Miss West… she misunderstood…”

I almost laughed out loud.

The audacity was breathtaking.

I turned.

Started walking away.

Done.

Absolutely done.

But then…

A hand grabbed my wrist hard enough to stop me completely.

“Raina.”

Harrison’s voice was sharp now.

Controlled anger wrapped tightly around every syllable.

“Apologize.”

I looked down at his hand around my wrist.

Then slowly back up at him.

“No.”

Simple.

Final.

His jaw tightened immediately.

“You know she’s pregnant,” he snapped. “If something happens to that child, how am I supposed to face Ethan?”

There it was.

Exactly where his loyalty stood.

Not with truth.

Not with me.

With her.

Always her.

“I didn’t touch her,” I said calmly.

“I saw what happened.”

I held his gaze steadily.

“And yet somehow still managed to miss the truth.”

His expression darkened further.

“When did you become this cruel?”

That almost made me smile.

Almost.

“You should ask yourself that question first.”

I pulled my wrist free sharply.

Then my eyes drifted briefly toward Sophie still clutching his arm.

Secure.

Protected.

Victorious.

Something inside me quieted.

Not painfully this time.

Just… finally.

“I didn’t push her,” I repeated softly. “Believe whatever story helps you sleep at night.”

Then I walked away again.

But apparently Sophie had decided humiliation came in multiple rounds today.

Because suddenly she grabbed my arm again desperately.

“Miss Grant, please…” she cried. “I never wanted to come between you two! If my existence upsets you so much, I’ll disappear…”

Something snapped cleanly inside me.

I turned slowly.

Very slowly.

“The only reason I haven’t slapped you yet,” I said quietly, “is because basic human decency is still hanging onto my last nerve.”

My eyes locked onto hers.

Cold enough to cut.

“But keep touching me again and we’ll see how long that lasts.”

Silence dropped instantly.

Then…

Her heel twisted dramatically.

Her body lurched backward.

Another performance.

Another fall.

Like clockwork.

Harrison moved instantly to catch her.

But this time…

His shoulder slammed into me hard.

Too hard.

Pain exploded through my side as my balance disappeared completely.

The world tilted violently.

Then…

Impact.

The hospital floor crashed against my hip and elbow with enough force to knock the breath from my lungs.

Pain shot upward immediately.

Sharp.

Blinding.

“Raina!”

Lily’s voice tore through the hallway as she sprinted toward me carrying two paper coffee cups and enough fury to start a war.

She dropped everything instantly beside me.

“Oh my God, are you okay?!”

“I’m fine,” I muttered automatically even while pain pulsed viciously through my side.

Across from me, Harrison froze.

Just froze.

Guilt flashed across his face for half a second.

Tiny.

Barely visible.

Then…

“Harrison…” Sophie whimpered weakly. “My stomach hurts…”

And just like that…

His attention left me again.

“I’m taking you to emergency.”

He lifted her into his arms immediately.

Carefully.

Protectively.

Like she was precious.

Fragile.

Untouchable.

Before turning away, his gaze flicked back toward me.

Cold again.

“If anything happens to her baby because of you…” he said harshly, “…don’t expect forgiveness.”

Then he walked away.

Again.

Always away from me.

“Pfft! As if we asked for your forgiveness, you absolute i***t!” Lily shouted after him furiously.

Several nurses turned to stare.

She ignored all of them.

Carefully, she helped me stand.

“You okay?” she asked more quietly.

I nodded once despite the ache in my hip.

Across the hallway, Harrison disappeared around the corner carrying Sophie.

Didn’t look back.

Not once.

Lily’s grip tightened around my arm.

“Don’t worry,” she muttered. “Sharon and I are on your side. Always.”

Something warm flickered briefly in my chest.

Small.

Fragile.

But real.

“Thanks,” I said softly.

She rolled her eyes immediately.

“Gross. Don’t get emotional on me now. We still have rich people to insult.”

A laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

Small.

But genuine.

Back inside the room, Lily hovered over me like an aggressive bodyguard disguised as a best friend.

She adjusted pillows.

Checked my temperature twice.

Threatened to physically restrain me if I tried leaving the bed again.

Eventually, I waved her off weakly and leaned back against the pillows.

Exhaustion settled deep into my bones.

Not physical exhaustion.

Something heavier.

Something permanent.

“Lily,” I said quietly after a long silence.

She looked up from peeling an orange aggressively enough to frighten the fruit itself.

“I’m quitting.”

The words settled heavily into the room.

Still.

Final.

She stared at me for a moment.

Longer than I expected.

Then nodded once.

“Okay.”

No shock.

No argument.

Just acceptance.

“Whatever you decide,” she said simply, “I’m with you.”

Emotion tightened unexpectedly in my chest.

I smiled faintly.

“Thank you.”

She pointed the orange peel at me threateningly.

“If you say thank you again, I’m leaving.”

That earned another laugh from me.

Softer this time.

Real enough to hurt slightly.

Then…

The door opened suddenly.

Several doctors entered alongside the head physician.

He glanced down at the file in his hands while speaking.

Then looked up.

His eyes landed on me.

And widened instantly.

He stepped forward abruptly.

Disbelief spread across his face.

“Ward 32…” he murmured slowly. “Raina?”

Then his entire expression changed.

Shock.

Recognition.

“Oh my God,” he breathed. “Raina… is that really you?”