BOUGHT BY THE RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRE

THE VIDEODINNER

Untitled EpisodeChapter 7: The VideoDinner was supposed to be peaceful.Mrs. Blackwood had ordered a feast, all of Amara's favorites, even though she didn't know her favorites. Amara was now wearing a beautiful silk maternity dress that Mrs. Blackwood had forced her to wear."You look glowing, darling!" Mrs. Blackwood said proudly.Ethan sat next to Amara, his hand on her back under the table, rubbing small circles to calm her. He could feel her shaking.Suddenly, the doorbell rang.Sophia went to open it. "Miss Vanessa is here."Vanessa walked in wearing a tight white dress, holding her phone with a triumphant smile."Good evening, Mrs. Blackwood! I'm sorry to interrupt your family dinner. But I thought you should know the truth about your... grandchild."Mrs. Blackwood frowned. "Vanessa, what are you doing here?"Vanessa turned her phone to them. On the screen was a video. It was Amara in the hospital yesterday morning, before the engagement party. The doctor was saying, "Miss Cole, you are not pregnant. You are just stressed."It was a secret recording!Amara's face turned white. She dropped her fork."No..." she whispered.Mrs. Blackwood gasped and looked at Amara. "What is this? Amara? You are not pregnant?"Silence filled the penthouse.Ethan slowly stood up. His face was terrifyingly calm, but his eyes were like a storm."Where did you get this video, Vanessa?" he asked, his voice dangerously low."Does it matter? She lied to you! She is a liar and a gold digger!" Vanessa shouted. "She tricked you, Ethan! She tricked all of us!"Mrs. Blackwood stood up, shaking with anger. "Amara! Is this true? Did you fake a pregnancy to trap my son?"Amara couldn't speak. Tears ran down her face. She looked at Ethan, pleading with her eyes.Say something. Please.Ethan looked at Amara's tearful face, then at Vanessa's cruel smile.And he made his choice.He walked to Amara, pulled her chair back, and pulled her up into his arms in front of everyone."Yes," he said loudly.Everyone froze."Yes, my wife is not pregnant. Yet."He looked down at Amara, his grey eyes blazing with possession."Amara was never pregnant. I was the one who told my mother she was. Because I knew my mother would only accept her if she thought there was a baby. My mother has been cruel to every woman I ever loved. I was scared she would be cruel to Amara too."Mrs. Blackwood gasped. "Ethan!""I lied, Mother. Not Amara," Ethan continued, holding Amara tightly against his chest. "And yes, I married her for a contract at first. But I don't care anymore. I love her. And I will make her pregnant for real if I have to prove it."Amara's eyes widened, her mouth open in shock.Vanessa screamed, "You are lying! He is protecting her!""Get out," Ethan said to Vanessa, his voice like ice. "Get out of my house. And if you ever come near my wife again, if you ever record her again without permission, I will make sure you and your family lose everything. Do you understand me?"Two security guards appeared and grabbed Vanessa."You will regret this, Ethan! She is using you!" Vanessa screamed as she was dragged out.The door slammed.Silence again.Mrs. Blackwood sat down slowly, looking at Ethan and Amara hugging each other."Ethan... you love her? Truly?"Ethan looked down at Amara in his arms. She was trembling, looking up at him with so much gratitude and something else... something soft and warm.He cupped her face and wiped her tears with his thumbs, right in front of his mother."More than I ever thought I could love someone," he whispered, but loud enough for his mother to hear.And for a second, Amara wondered... was he still acting?Because the way he looked at her... it felt so real.Mrs. Blackwood started crying. "Oh, my son... I am so sorry. I was so cruel. Amara, forgive me, my child."Amara nodded, still unable to speak, buried in Ethan's chest. His heart was beating fast against her cheek.That night, after Mrs. Blackwood left, apologizing many times, Amara and Ethan were alone again in the master bedroom."You... you said you love me," Amara whispered.Ethan loosened his tie, his eyes dark."It was for my mother," he said."Oh.""But," he walked closer to her, backing her against the wall gently. "It doesn't mean it can't become true, Amara."He leaned down, his lips inches from hers."You are living in my house. Sleeping in my bed. Wearing my ring. You are my wife. Sooner or later, you will be mine for real. In every way."Amara's breath caught. "Ethan..."He brushed his lips against her cheek, not quite a kiss."Sleep in my bed tonight, wife. Just sleep. I want to hold you."And that night, for the first time, Amara fell asleep in the arms of the billionaire who had bought her, feeling safer than she ever had in her life.