Billionaire's Perfect Revenge [18+]

FIFTY ONE

For the next whole week, all four of us did nothing but take turns looking after Louis. It had become a routine. While Nathan and Nadine stayed and accompanied her in the hospital during the day, Maddox and I stayed the night.

Every time I stepped into her ward, my eyes stung with stabbing tears. I had wanted to hate Louis, too, for the unexpected turn my life had taken. I tried even. But no matter how much I forced myself to or reasoned myself with, I couldn't do it for the life of me. Maybe she had been aggressively forceful many times and somehow all our conversations ended up with her trying to prompt me to coax her son and make lots and lots of babies, but the truth was, she wasn't exactly a bad person. Since the day we met after our contract marriage, she had been nothing but caring and protective of me, chiding Maddox for the weight I hadn't lost, the glow that never vanished, the clothes I never ran short of or not taking me anywhere after the wedding...

Well, she might be spot on with that one.

Not that I cared. This marriage was anything but typical, a relationship practically shoved in my face with a glittering note that read fucking deal with it.

Believe it or not, I was glad to stay the night with Louis. Not only did I get to take care of her, but I also got some time and space to think with a clear head. Since the second I signed my life away to asshole Maddox Richmond, I had been furious and stressed and all over the place. I thought I knew what I was doing, but really, I had no clue at all. I was just making myself feel good with a mock assurance I could hurt him the way he hurt me, that one day he would understand my feelings weren't up for purchase and that it took more than just "I want you" to make a place in someone's heart.

The irony of my stupid life was, he had a place in my heart. The Maddox I had known back in that restaurant when he cared to treat me like an equal and showed me a glimpse of a person who had more to himself than arrogance and self-obsession, had sneaked into my heart so deep so fast, I felt literal stars bursting through me. I kept hoping for him to show me that genuine side again, to give me one reason to forget everything he had done to me, but all he did was push me far and far away with his ridiculous attitude and questionable actions.

"Zara?" a familiar voice came and jerked me awake from all the thoughts racing in my head. With a quick scan of my surroundings, I realized we were in the hospital and my hand was still in the possession of Louis, who seemed to be asleep, snoring softly.

Maddox tucked some loose curls out of my face and bent down to match the level of my eyes. I was sitting next to Louis and somehow managed to slip into a fantasy of my own.

"Take a break," he said, sounding gentler and more caring than my poor heart could take. "You look tired."

"No. I'm fine." I told him softly, making sure our conversation didn't wake Louis up.

He gave me a nod, his eyes shifting for a moment to my hand Louis hadn't left since the second we got here, before moving back to me. "Seems like she doesn't want to let go of you yet."