Chapter 124\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bella\u00a0<\/p>\n
When we finally came together, it felt like a release, like something that had been waiting to happen finally did. It wasn\u2019t just physical. It was emotional, grounding, and deeply reassuring.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When morning came, I woke up with a strange heaviness in my stomach. At first, I thought it was just exhaustion, but the feeling didn\u2019t pass. I sat up slowly, pressing a hand to my mouth as nausea washed over me. I barely made it to the bathroom before I vomited.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I leaned over the sink afterward, breathing hard, and stared at my reflection in the mirror. My face was pale, my eyes wide with confusion. I wasn\u2019t anxious. I wasn\u2019t stressed. The chaos of the last few weeks had finally settled. So why did I feel like this?\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stood there for a long moment, my thoughts racing, a strange sense of uncertainty curling in my chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I padded back into the bedroom quietly, careful not to disturb him. Scott was still asleep, one arm flung over the pillow, naked, looking like sin, looking breathtakingly beautiful. For a moment, I just stood there watching him, tempted as hell to go back, curl into his arms and make love. He was my husband. Mine. That thought still felt new enough to make my chest tighten.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But sharp and insistent hunger clawed at me again, and there was no ignoring it. I slipped into my nightgown, brushed my hair back with my fingers, and tiptoed out of the room, closing the door softly behind me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The kitchen lights were already on, which surprised me. I slowed my steps, half\u2013expecting the room to be empty, but instead I found a woman standing at the counter. She was moving efficiently between pans and plates. The smell of food made my stomach twist in anticipation. Who was she? No one was allowed to come in like this in the villa. So I became apprehensive. From the nearby table, I picked up a pan as defense just in\u00a0<\/p>\n
case\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
She turned when she heard me and gasped. But she immediately bowed with a warm smile. \u201cGood morning, Your Majesty,\u201d she greeted politely. \u201cI\u2019m Rosa\u2013the new cook appointed by His Majesty! I am the daughter of the previous butler.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I blinked, a little flustered, slowly lowering my pan, feeling embarrassed. \u201cOh\u2026 good morning. Please, you don\u2019t have to bow like that,\u201d I replied awkwardly. Then I remembered that the previous butler had succumbed to his injuries in the last fire in the villa. Scott must have hired his daughter as a goodwill gesture.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She laughed softly and straightened, clearly amused. \u201cIt\u2019s habit,\u201d she explained, already pulling out a chair for me. \u201cPlease sit. You must be hungry.\u201d Gosh, my stomach was actually making sounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hungry didn\u2019t even begin to cover it. I sat down, and she placed a plate in front of me loaded with eggs, toast, fruit, and fresh pancakes. I picked up my fork and started eating without thinking twice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rosa watched with clear satisfaction as I ate, nodding approvingly. \u201cWould you like to have more?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was halfway through my second piece of toast when a familiar voice drifted in from the doorway.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWow,\u201d Scott drawled, his tone thick with amusement. \u201cYou\u2019re eating like a baby dragon.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 124\u00a0<\/p>\n
I snapped my head up, cheeks full, and glared at him. \u201cYou better get used to this,\u201d I shot back, words slightly muffled. \u201cI\u2019m starving.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rosa immediately bowed again when she noticed him. \u201cGood morning, Your Majesty.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scott waved a hand dismissively, eyes never leaving me. \u201cMorning, Rosa. You can relax.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
As he walked toward me, my face warmed despite myself. He was wearing only his pajama pants, hanging low on his hips, his chest bare and completely unapologetic. My gaze flicked over him before I could stop it, landing on the faint red marks along his shoulders and chest. Evidence of last night. Evidence of my nails digging his flesh.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He noticed and a smug look that crossed his face made me want to throw my napkin at him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He leaned down and took a bite straight from the toast I was holding. \u201cGood,\u201d he commented casually.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cScott,\u201d I hissed, mortified. \u201cPut on a shirt at least.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He straightened, chewing slowly. \u201cNo.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rosa giggled openly, clearly enjoying the exchange, and quietly excused herself, giving us the kitchen to ourselves.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scott pulled out the chair beside me and sat down, angling his body toward mine. He rested his arm on the back of my chair, crowding my space in that way he always did when he wanted to remind me I belonged with him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re pale,\u201d he remarked, eyes softening as he studied me. \u201cDid you sleep well?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I shrugged, still eating. \u201cEventually. I woke up hungry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He raised an eyebrow. \u201cThat explains this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I rolled my eyes but smiled despite myself. We talked easily, about nothing and everything at once. About places we might visit for our honeymoon. About whether we should go somewhere warm or somewhere quiet. At some point, without even realizing it, I started feeding him. He accepted it without comment, his fingers brushing my hair.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The warmth in my chest spread. This felt right. This felt like home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
By afternoon, the sound of familiar voices echoed through the house as the kids returned with Cindy. The moment they burst in, the energy shifted completely. Laughter filled the halls. Scott scooped them up. without hesitation, kissing their heads and listening patiently as they talked over each other.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll take them to their room,\u201d he said easily, already herding them down the hallway.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I watched them go, my heart full in a way I hadn\u2019t known was possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The rest of the day passed quietly. Dinner was warm and relaxed, and after Cindy took the kids to bed, the house settled into a calm hush. Scott and I ended up in the living room, sitting close together on the couch. He flicked on the television absentmindedly. The screen lit up with a news broadcast. I stiffened when I\u00a0<\/p>\n
7\u00a0<\/p>\n
recognized the woman on the screen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
15 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was Lucy. She was crying, her voice shaking as she spoke into the camera. \u201cScott Williams has falsely accused my daughter of blackmail,\u201d she declared dramatically. \u201cMaya is innocent. It is Bella who is acting like Lady Macbeth to him! We have been targeted, and we demand justice.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My stomach tightened, the earlier warmth vanishing as I stared at the screen. Scott\u2019s body went rigid beside me. I felt his anger instantly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When will this end?\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Midnight Winds Carry Secrets Toward Worlds Yet Unknown 124 Chapter 124\u00a0 Bella\u00a0 When we finally came together, it felt […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23089","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-new-world-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23089","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23089"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23089\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23089"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23089"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23089"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}