THE BILLIONAIRE’S SECRET BABY

Chapter 9:The Rescue

Ethan ran downstairs, his heart in his throat. Leo was upstairs with Ava.

Victoria was in the living room with two hired men, holding a baseball bat.

"Ethan! You humiliated me!" she screamed. "You chose a cleaner over me! I will make you pay!"

"Victoria, you are crazy! Leave my house now or I call police!" Ethan shouted.

"Police? My father IS the police in this city!" she laughed. "Where is that bastard child? I will teach him a lesson!"

Hearing that, Ethan's cold CEO mask broke. He became a father lion.

He punched one of the men. Hard. The man fell.

"Don't you dare touch my son!" Ethan roared, fighting the second man.

Victoria tried to run upstairs. "Ava! Come out!"

Upstairs, Ava locked the bedroom door. She hid Leo in the closet. "Baby, stay quiet, okay? Mommy loves you. Don't come out no matter what."

Leo nodded, crying silently.

Ava grabbed a lamp to defend herself.

Victoria kicked the door. "Open! I know you are in there, gold-digger!"

Downstairs, Ethan knocked out both men and ran up, his lip bleeding.

He grabbed Victoria from behind. "Enough!"

Victoria turned and slapped him. "You love her? A cleaner?"

Ethan pushed her away. "I love her more than I ever loved anyone! She gave me a son! She gave me a family! You only wanted my money!"

Victoria fell to the floor, crying now, not angry but broken. "I loved you, Ethan..."

"Your love is hate," Ethan said coldly. Then he opened the bedroom door.

Ava was there with a lamp, shaking, ready to fight. When she saw Ethan, she dropped it and ran to him.

"Leo? Where is Leo?" Ethan panicked.

"He is safe. In closet," Ava whispered.

Ethan opened the closet. Leo ran out and hugged his legs. "Daddy saved us!"

Ethan picked up Leo and hugged Ava with his other arm. The three of them, together.

Police arrived, called by the butler. Victoria and her men were arrested.

That night, after Leo slept, Ava cleaned Ethan's bleeding lip with a cotton ball.

"You fought for us," she whispered.

"I will always fight for you," Ethan said, looking into her eyes. "Ava, that kiss... I meant it. I think I fell in love with you the first night three years ago, but I was too scared to admit it. Then you left, and I thought I lost you forever. Now you are here, with our son... I don't want a contract marriage anymore."

Ava's tears fell. "What do you want?"

"I want a real marriage. I want you as my real wife. I want to wake up every day with you and Leo. Will you... will you stay? Not for one year. Forever?"

Ava looked at him, at the man who left $100 on a pillow, who became a cold billionaire, who is now a father with a bleeding lip fighting for his family.

She had waited three years to hear this.

But before she could answer, Ethan's phone rang. It was the hospital.

"Mr. Blackwood, your grandfather... his condition is worse. He has hours. He wants to see his great-grandson one last time."

Their happy moment was broken. Grandfather was dying.