Chapter 7 The doctor kept talking. "She almost miscarried from the trauma. Good thing the baby is holding strong, but you'll need to take very careful measures from now on, Mr. Anderson. Better take care of your wife." I stared at him, my whole body stiff. "She's not my wife." The doctor blinked, confused. "Oh. I'm sorry. I thought she was Mrs. Anderson." He excused himself quickly and left me standing there, numb. I leaned back against the cold wall, blood still caked on my hands. Annette was gone, flying farther from me every second. And Maisie... Maisie was carrying my child. It felt like my whole world just cracked down in the middle. I sat by Maisie's bed, watching her sleep with all those fucking machines hooked up to her. The steady beep of the monitor was the only thing keeping me sane. Every now and then, she'd shift her fingers twitching, and I'd grab her hand without thinking. My men came in quiet. "Boss. Annette's plane landed in Paris." Paris. My chest twisted. For a moment, I thought about walking out, getting on my jet, dragging her back if I had to. But every time I even moved, Maisie's hand would clutch mine tight in her sleep, her lips parting as she whispered my name. I was chained. And then I remembered Annette's voice on the phone last night. The calm way she lied to me That little smile she had when she told me she just wanted to rest. It ate at me like acid. She knew. She fucking knew. The door burst open that afternoon. My parents stormed in, all smiles. "Rufus!" my mother's voice was sharp but glowing with some sick pride. "We heard the news. Maisie is pregnant. Finally, finally, you've done something right." My father smirked, lighting a cigar right there in the hospital room. "I knew it. I knew all along. You think we didn't see you and Maisie sneaking around? We kept quiet, waiting for the day you'd stop humiliating this family with that curse woman. Now it's out in the open. Marry Maisie. Settle this the right way." I leaned back in the chair. "No. Annette is my wife. The only wife I'll ever take." The room went dead silent before my father's laugh cut through. Low. Dangerous. "Say that again, boy. Say her name in front of me again." "I said," I bit each word out, "Annette is my wife. Not Maisie. Not anyone else." My mother's face twisted with rage. "That filthy bitch? After what she's done?!" She pulled out an envelope and slammed it down on Maisie's bed, scattering photos across the sheets. I picked one up. Annette. With a man I didn't recognize. His hand on her waist. Her smile was like she used to smile at me. My chest clenched. I shook my head. "No. This is fake. Staged. Annette loved me. She left because she found out about Maisie and me. That's all." "You blind fuck!" my father snapped, smoke curling around his words. "She used that as her excuse to run off with her real lover. While you were busy protecting her, she was laughing at you. You've been a goddamn joke." 23 22 11:36 am "Shut up," I growled. "She's been using you for years," my mother spat. "Open your fucking eyes. She drained you like the leech she is. Look at this." She shoved another file into my hands. Nine hundred million dollars. Gone. The report showed wire transfers, all small amounts routed to offshore accounts, slowly, carefully, over the years. A perfect fucking trail. My throat dried. "No," I whispered. "No, Annette wouldn't. SHE WOULDN'T DO THIS TO ME!" "She did," my father barked. "That whore bled your company while you sat on your ass, thinking with your cock. Every necklace she wore, every fucking dress-bought with stolen money. She sold her jewels already, do you know that? Go check her things. Empty." My mother's eyes gleamed cruelly. "And that daughter you cried over? That baby girl? Poisoned The autopsy says it. Poison in her system. Who else but Annette? She couldn't give you an heir so she killed the one you had. And when she couldn't carry again, she went to a doctor. Abortion pills, Rufus. She never wanted your child." The room spun. My blood roared in my ears. "No," I snarled, but the word cracked. "You're lying You're fucking lying." "Wake up!" my father shouted, his voice like a gunshot. "She played you, boy. While you were ou there building empires and cleaning blood off your hands, she was slipping knives into your back. That's the woman you've been protecting? That's who you're still calling wife?" I slammed my fist into the wall so hard the plaster cracked. "Annette!" I screamed her name unti my throat ripped raw. "You bitch! You fucking bitch!" My mother sneered, her tone pure venom. "If you chase her now, you're not a son of mine. Maisie is carrying your blood. That's what matters. Forget that whore and protect your real family." I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. My hands shook with rage. I stormed out, leaving their voices echoing behind me. I drove straight to one of my clubs. Straight into the VIP lounge. Twenty women stood waiting lined up like dolls. Their eyes dropped when I walked in. "All of you," I barked, my voice like gravel. "Now." 11:36 am In "Someone Loved is Never Lost" by CrushReel, readers are immersed in a captivating CEO drama that explores the intricacies of love, loss, and redemption. Set against the backdrop of corporate power struggles and personal relationships, this ongoing novel delves deep into the lives of its characters as they navigate the complexities of both the boardroom and the heart. Themes of ambition, betrayal, and resilience intertwine with complex character dynamics, making for a compelling narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. CrushReel's unique storytelling style brings a fresh perspective to the CEO genre, offering a blend of emotional depth and strategic intrigue that sets this novel apart from others in its category. What makes "Someone Loved is Never Lost" special is its ability to seamlessly blend high-stakes corporate drama with heartfelt human connections, creating a story that resonates on multiple levels. Available to read at CrushReel, this novel promises a literary experience that will leave readers eagerly anticipating each new chapter.