"Lincoln is dead."
Adrienne was shocked.
"He is dead? Just like that? Why? How?" She asked.
Richard was silent, and when she looked into his eyes, she saw the answers to her questions.
"You are responsible for this? You had him killed?"
"I'm sorry. I had to do it for Juliette. I know I should have told you, but I didn't want to," Richard said.
Adrienne was speechless. She closed her eyes, trying to piece together exactly how she felt about the situation.
"I should give you some time to yourself."
He wanted to leave, but Adrienne pushed him back, making him lie on the bed.
She climbed over him and grabbed his chin.
"Why should I be mad at you? He deserved to die," Adrienne said softly, lowering her head to kiss him.
Richard was so relieved, and he kissed her back passionately.
She moved her lips to his jaw, his neck, and his chest and traced a path down to his waistline.
She gazed at him with a sultry look in her eyes as she slipped her hands into his pants and set his excited member free.
Richard smiled at her proudly, ready for the pleasure about to course through him as she sensually stroked his shaft.
"A little celebratory tease," she said seductively, and he shoved his shaft into her mouth.
***
Time flew by in the next few weeks.
Ryan gave a hundred and fifty million dollars from the Haven group to a hundred and fifty orphanages, as Adrienne told him to.
He and his group also did community service for three months, also instructed by Adrienne.
The members didn't get why Ryan, their CEO, was acting so strange and making them do things like this, and Ryan didn't explain anything.
Adrienne's reputation was slowly improving and she stayed away from the public eye as she retired.
She still worried sometimes that her nudes on the internet might hurt her kid someday, even though people had moved on from it.
Lisa took a year off but she still managed Adrienne's other businesses while on her break.
Richard gave his assets management to Andrew, as he didn't want to burden Adrienne with it.
Adrienne's mom remarried, so Adrienne had a stepdad now and they got along well.
Lucy and Lucas had a lovely baby boy and Daniel was still nowhere to be found. He seemed to have vanished.
Richard went to prison a few weeks before Adrienne's due date, so she spent the last weeks of pregnancy with her mom.
She enjoyed bonding with her mom, who taught her a lot about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting.
It was the day of Adrienne's delivery, and it was unforgettable. She lay in the hospital bed, hooked to machines and wires, feeling the contractions grow stronger and more painful.
The lights above her flickered, making her nervous. She wondered if it was a bad omen.
Richard had promised to be here for her and their baby, and she longed for him, but he was nowhere to be seen.
She heard her mom's voice outside, talking to the doctor. She sounded worried and anxious. Adrienne wanted to comfort her, but she couldn't speak.
She felt a wave of panic, wondering if something was wrong with her or the baby. She tried to calm herself, breathing deeply and slowly.
She remembered what her mom had taught her, how to deal with the pain and the fear. She closed her eyes and focused on the baby, imagining her face, her smile, her laugh.
She felt a sudden pressure, and the doctor told her to push.
She did, with all her might, but it felt like nothing was happening.
The doctor said something about a complication, and she felt a cold sweat on her forehead. She pushed again, and again, but it was too hard.
She felt like giving up, like she couldn't do it. She started to cry, feeling helpless and hopeless.
The door opened, and a footstep came closer. It was a man's footstep, she could tell by the sound of the shoe on the floor.
"Richard?" She thought, a little hope rising in her.
Adrienne opened her eyes, and saw a familiar face.
It was Richard!
He looked at her with love and concern, and he smiled. He reached for her hand, and held it gently.
She felt his touch, and she knew it was him. She felt a wave of relief, and joy, and gratitude.
She didn't know and she didn't care how he got out of prison and here, but he was here. He had made it, he had kept his promise.
He whispered in her ear, "I'm here, Adrienne. I'm here for you and our baby. You can do this. You're amazing, you're strong, you're beautiful. I love you so much."
He stroked her hair.
She felt a surge of energy, and courage, and love. She pushed again, with his hand in hers, and this time, she felt something move.
Minutes later, she heard the doctor say,
"She's here. She's here. She's perfect."
The baby was placed on her chest, and she looked down.
She saw a tiny face, with dark hair and blue eyes, just like Richard's cobalt eyes. She felt a warm and soft skin, and a heartbeat. She felt a bond, and a connection, and a miracle.
She smiled, and cried, and laughed. She kissed the baby's head, and said,
"Hello, my angel. I'm your mommy and I love you so much."
Richard leaned over, and kissed her forehead. He looked at the baby, and said, "She's beautiful."
He held their baby girl in his arms, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb.
"Hello, Amelia Davis."
***
Hi, lovelies! If you made it to this chapter, you deserve a round of applause. Thank you so much for sticking with me and my characters. You are the reason I write.
I hope you loved following Adrienne's journey throughout "Heiress's Haunted Heart".
She had to overcome many obstacles and secrets, but she also found true love and happiness. I enjoyed writing her story and I'm happy you shared it with me.
Please check out my other ongoing book "The Outsider's Vows". It's a spicy 'Arranged marriage' romance and you'll love it!
And for those of you who are curious about Daniel and Adrielle, I have some exciting news! I plan to publish their story soon as a spin-off.
So keep an eye out for that! Thank you again for reading my novel and leaving your feedback and votes. You make my day every time.
I love you all! ~ SARAH.