CHAPTER 52
At six p.m., Kate stood up and walked out of the bedroom, entering the living room. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Folding her fists, she walked gently toward William's study—that's where he always stayed every evening.
She stood in front of the door and knocked gently before opening it and stepping inside. William was reading. He barely looked up before returning his gaze to the book.
"What do you want?" he asked, without averting his gaze.
"Um—I—I want—" Kate stammered, nervously.
"If you've got nothing to say, the door is right behind you. Just a few steps," he said coldly.
"I've been trying to keep it to myself, but I don't want to anymore. I'm pregnant," she confessed, her voice trembling.
"And?" he replied, still not looking surprised.
Kate expected him to freak out or react in some way, but he remained calm. His silence made her anxious.
"Is that all you have to say?" she asked, softly.
"What do you want me to say?" he asked, shrugging slightly.
"I expected you to react, freak out—or at least say something!" she snapped.
William dropped the book and turned to face her. He leaned on the desk, his expression serious.
"I'll be honest with you—I'm not pleased you kept it from me for this long," he said, calmly.
"Huh! So you found out and didn't say anything?" she exclaimed, shocked.
"I didn't have the strength to be cold or mad at you for carrying my child. Just because you're pregnant with my child doesn't mean you've done anything wrong," he said softly.
"So, you're saying you're okay with me having this child?"
"This is my heir. I have no reason to be angry with you. After all, you're not useless," he replied.
"Useless? So you married me to get your business back on track, used me to have your heir, and once the contract ends, you'll just terminate it?" she flared up, her voice rising with emotion.
"Don't get me wrong, Kate. I don't have those ill intentions toward you. If I did, I would've stated it in the contract," he explained, calmly.
"But the way you said it—it's like that's what I signed up for," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes.
"The reason I said you're not useless is because you're not like Gabriella. You're pure. You don't have any ill intentions. You're not after my money. You don't drag people into the mud," he said as he stood up. "And yet, you're still going to have my heir. You've also managed your parents' company well, which has helped DRAY Holdings achieve a lot. You're not useless," he added, sincerely.
Kate's legs weakened. She felt the walls closing in on her. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks as she staggered backward. William stepped forward and pulled her into a hug—a passionate, longing, and yearning hug.
"It's okay. Let it out," he said gently, patting her back as she cried on his shoulder.
They stood in each other's arms, ignoring the outside world.
*****
Jeremy sat across from a beautiful lady. She wore a hoodie, her makeup slightly applied, her hair tied in a messy bun. She had on yellow jeans and was smiling gracefully.
"It's been a long time," Jeremy said, taking a sip of his coffee.
"I thought you disappeared forever," the lady, Emma, said with a playful pout.
"I also thought you decided to move on without any intention to help," he replied, raising a brow.
"What did you call me for? Is there some jerk out there trying to hack into Jeremy's world?" Emma asked, smirking.
"No, that's not it," Jeremy laughed.
"Then what is it—if no one's trying to compete with you?"
"This time it's serious. And not personal. It's different," he said, lowering his voice.
Emma stared at Jeremy intently. She leaned back into the chair and exhaled deeply.
"Who is it this time? What motives do they have?" she asked, playing with a strand of her hair. "And again, whom are you working for?"
"It's an old friend," Jeremy answered.
"Hmph! Don't tell me you're working for your old crush," she said, realization hitting her.
"I don't have a choice," he admitted shyly.
"When are you going to get over this girl?" she asked, raising a brow.
"I'm already done with her."
"Then why are you helping her? She's already married to the cold billionaire."
"It's a long story," he said sharply.
"Then make it snappy," she urged.
"Okay," he said, leaning forward and placing his hand on the table. "William and Kate's marriage is a contract marriage—one year. As things progressed, Kate fell in love with William and got pregnant with his child. So, I don't stand a chance anymore."
"Oh, I see. So, what do you need my help with? And why are you helping her?" she asked.
"This is it—Kate's uncle is a deceitful man. After her parents died, he tried to take the company for himself, even though it rightfully belongs to Kate. He teamed up with Clark and Donovan Grant, but heaven wasn't on their side. Clark got caught, but Donovan is still in hiding. Her uncle hasn't made a move yet."
"So, what do I need to do?" Emma asked, glancing around.
"We've been trying to access the Donovan Corp. server, but some encryption is blocking us. That's why I reached out to you."
"Okay. When do you need my service?"
"Anytime," Jeremy replied.
"Have you told her about bringing in a second party?" Emma asked cautiously.
"I'm telling her tomorrow evening."
"Okay. Let's meet at your apartment at 7 a.m.," Emma said, standing and stretching her hand toward him. Jeremy took it.
"It's nice to have you back," he said with a smile.
"Don't mention it," she replied, warmly.
---
Liam strolled down the road, turned left, and crossed to the main road, entering a small market. He made a U-turn and walked into a silent street. As he walked, he noticed a shadow following him. When he turned back, he saw no one. He shrugged it off and kept walking.
There was a four-way road with tall apartments. As he tried to pass through a dark alley, strong hands pulled him into a corner and covered his mouth. He struggled, but the grip was too tight.
He was finally dragged into a secluded spot. When he opened his eyes, he was shocked to see William—his best friend.
"William, what is this?" he roared through clenched teeth.
"Are you asking me? It's exactly what it looks like—you've been abducted by me," William replied furiously.
"Why?"
"You should know the reason."
Liam looked around suspiciously, his lips trembling and eyes shaking.
"Answer me!" William roared again, making Liam flinch.
"I'll explain. Let's sort this out as friends. Can you untie this?" he said, referring to the rope binding him to the chair.
"What exactly are you keeping from me? Tell me!"
"Can you just try to calm down?" Liam pleaded.
"What are you hiding from me?" William asked again. "What do you know? I won't ask again," he said, lifting a gun and pointing it at him.
"Please don't do this. Don't kill me. I'll tell you," Liam begged. But William ran out of patience, and then—
BANG!
The sound of a gunshot echoed through the room...
Liam sprang up, gasping for air. He had been dreaming. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead.