The Contract Lover He Couldn't Keep

Chapter 5 That Night

Vol.5

5 years went by in a blur.

Claire dreamed again.

She dreamed of that reckless night, the night that had opened Pandora's box. What followed was 4 years that felt almost unreal, warm, passionate, and impossible to forget.

Claire opened her eyes, still dazed. Why was she dreaming about the past again?

She rubbed her eyes hard and finally came fully awake. Only then did she realize she was in the hospital with her son, Theodore Bennett, for his regular heart checkup.

The child belonged to her and Julian. Their final night before her departure, neither of them had used protection—and as a result, she found herself pregnant the moment she set foot back in the country. However, a severe fever she had suffered years earlier had caused Theo to be born with congenital heart problems. For the sake of her son's health, she had spent the years since traveling from one hospital to another, running tests and consulting specialists.

This hospital had top cardiology specialists, and even getting an appointment took the right connections.

"Mommy." A small hand gently shook her arm.

Claire lowered her head and found a small, round face looking up at her. Her son, Theo, stood in front of her with a toy car in his hand.

"Mommy, did you work too late last night? Is that why you dozed off just now?" Theo had Julian's dark, bright eyes, and his voice was soft and childish.

Claire reached out and stroked Theo's hair. "Yes. Mommy dozed off for a minute. Are you done with your checkup, Theo?"

"Yes, all done." Theo lifted the toy car in his hand. "The doctor gave this to me as a reward. He said I'm a brave little superhero because I didn't cry during the blood draw."

Claire looked at her son's chubby little face and the bright, innocent eyes that sparkled when he smiled. A sudden ache went through her chest.

If she had known that a tiny life had already taken root inside her and needed her careful protection, she never would have traveled through that blizzard. She never would have taken antibiotics on the plane or accepted a fever-reducing shot afterward.

That day, her fever had reached 103.6°F, and only one thought had filled her mind: Go home.

She wanted to leave the Prescott family completely and never see Julian again.

But how could she have known she was already pregnant?

During the years she had been with Julian, they had used protection every time except that one night.

He had lost control. Even after using an entire box of condoms, he still wanted more. In the end, Julian pressed her against the floor-to-ceiling window without any protection.

Claire had thought it was just one slip-up. One time couldn't possibly matter that much.

"Mommy?" Theo shook her hand again. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Claire came back to herself and forced a smile. "Mommy was thinking about what Theo wants for dinner. Since Theo was so brave today, let's go out for a proper dinner tonight as your reward. Boss will pick us."

Theo's round dark eyes instantly lit up.

"Mommy, I want pizza. The pizza place Boss took me to last time had so, so much cheese."

"All right. Then we'll have that cheese pizza tonight."

She stood and stretched her stiff neck and shoulders.

"Theo, sit here and wait for me. Don't run around. Mommy is going to the records kiosk around the corner to print your test results. I'll be right back."

Theo nodded obediently and lowered his head to keep playing with his toy car.

Claire watched the printed pages come out one by one and sighed silently.

Over the past 5 years, she had grown used to taking Theo for regular checkups.

But every time she saw Theo, still so young, obediently going through test after test and blood draw after blood draw, she couldn't help silently cursing herself.

How had she been so stupid back then? How had she failed to realize she was pregnant?

Once the last report printed, Claire gathered the papers and turned back toward the hallway bench. Her face went pale.

Theo was gone.