My Pregnancy Contract With The Billionaire

Chapter 19

Cristine stood in the garden, her hands buried in the cool earth as she tended to the flowers and herbs she had come to care for. It was her way of finding solace, a moment of peace amid the growing storm inside her.

She wiped her brow, exhaling deeply as the rich scent of the soil calmed her nerves. It had been days since she spoke to Vanessa, but the conversation still echoed in her mind. The reality of her situation, the delicate balance she was trying to maintain between duty and emotion, felt more fragile than ever.

Suddenly, the tranquility of the morning shattered. The sound of heavy footsteps behind her made Cristine’s heart pound. She turned to find three men standing at the edge of the garden. Their eyes were sharp, their postures predatory, and Cristine felt a chill run down her spine.

The tallest of the group, a man with a scar running down his cheek, smirked at her. "We’ve been looking for you, sweetheart," he said, his voice oozing with a mix of menace and mockery.

Cristine's breath caught in her throat. She recognized them instantly—men from the loan sharks her father had entangled with. She had been meticulous in covering her tracks, making sure no one could follow her to Andrei’s estate, but somehow, they had found her.

“How did you—” Her voice faltered, eyes darting around for any sign of help. The estate grounds were expansive, but Marian, the housekeeper, was likely inside, unaware of the trespassers.

The man chuckled, stepping closer. “It wasn’t too hard. You made a little detour to see your old grandma yesterday. One of our guys tailed you back here. Nice place you’ve got yourself into.”

Cristine’s fear turned into a sick feeling in her stomach. “I’ve already paid half of what my father owed,” she said, her voice shaking but defiant. “I still have a few more months before the next payment.”

The scarred man’s eyes narrowed, and he crossed his arms over his chest. “You don’t decide when the payments are due. We do. And we’ve decided we want the rest now.”

“I don’t have any money right now!” Cristine's voice broke, and she felt a wave of desperation wash over her. “I gave you everything I had. Please, you have to understand—”

The man shrugged nonchalantly. “Then we’ll just take what’s valuable here,” he said, gesturing to the sprawling estate. “Your rich boyfriend won’t mind if we help ourselves.”

“No!” Cristine’s eyes widened as she stepped in front of the men, blocking their path toward the house. Her heart raced as she tried to think of what to do. “You can’t. This is... this isn’t my place.”

“Too late for that,” another man chimed in, stepping forward with a sneer. “We’re not leaving empty-handed.”

Before Cristine could say anything else, Marian appeared at the back entrance, a look of alarm spreading across her face as she took in the scene. Without hesitation, she disappeared back into the house, and Cristine knew she was calling for security—and hopefully, Andrei.

The men grew impatient, glancing at each other before the scarred leader grabbed Cristine's arm. “Listen, girl. We don’t have all day.”

“Let her go!” Marian’s voice came from behind, stern and unwavering. Cristine turned her head to see the older woman standing in the doorway with a phone clutched in her hand. The tension in the air grew thick as the seconds passed, the silence broken only by the faint sound of voices on Marian's call.

The men exchanged glances, and Cristine could see the flicker of doubt in their eyes. The estate's security team was bound to show up any minute. Without a word, the scarred man released Cristine's arm with a shove that made her stumble.

“We’ll be back,” he spat, narrowing his eyes at Cristine. “And next time, it won’t be so pleasant.”

With that, the men retreated, disappearing down the driveway as the faint roar of an approaching vehicle became audible. Cristine’s legs trembled as she fell to the ground, unable to hold back the tears that spilled down her cheeks. Marian rushed to her side, kneeling and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“Are you hurt?” Marian’s voice was gentle, but her eyes were filled with concern.

Before Cristine could respond, the sleek, dark car rolled to a stop in front of them. Andrei stepped out, his expression unreadable, but the tension in his jaw and the fury in his eyes told Cristine everything. He was furious.

“Cristine,” he said, his voice a mixture of anger and something else—fear, perhaps. He strode toward her, eyes scanning her for any sign of injury. “What happened?”

She tried to speak, but the words caught in her throat. The realization of what could have happened—the danger she’d unknowingly brought into Andrei’s life—crashed over her. A sob escaped her lips, and before she could stop herself, she collapsed into tears.

Andrei’s expression shifted, the anger giving way to worry as he reached out, but before he could touch her, Cristine’s vision blurred, and everything went black.

---

Cristine awoke to the soft hum of voices. The room was dimly lit, and it took a moment for her eyes to adjust. She recognized the familiar surroundings of her bedroom in Andrei’s estate. The faint scent of lavender from the garden lingered in the air, mingling with the subtle hint of Andrei’s cologne.

Marian’s voice came from somewhere in the hallway, speaking in hushed tones. Cristine strained to hear, but the words were unclear. A sudden movement by the window caught her attention, and she turned to see Andrei standing there, his silhouette framed by the pale light filtering through the curtains.

He turned as he sensed her stirring, and for a moment, their eyes met in silence. The tension that had simmered between them before was now heavy, almost suffocating.

“Cristine,” he said, his voice softer than she expected. He took a few steps closer but stopped a short distance from the bed, his eyes searching hers. “What happened today... it can’t happen again.”

Cristine sat up, wincing at the pounding in her head. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice hoarse. “I didn’t know they’d find me here. I never meant to—”

“I don’t want apologies,” Andrei interrupted, his tone sharp, though his eyes betrayed the worry beneath. “I want to know why those men were here. Who were they?”

Cristine’s throat tightened as the weight of the truth settled over her. She had kept the details of her father’s debts from him, never wanting to drag Andrei into the chaos of her past. But now, she had no choice.

“They were loan sharks,” she admitted, the shame burning hot in her chest. “My father owed them money, a lot of money. I’ve been paying it off, but... they wanted the rest now.”

Andrei’s expression darkened, and he took a step closer. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“I didn’t want you to get involved,” Cristine said, tears threatening to spill again. “This is my mess to clean up, not yours.”

Andrei’s eyes softened, and he exhaled, the anger slowly fading. “You’re under my protection now,” he said, the finality in his voice leaving no room for argument. “That means no one threatens you. Ever.”

Cristine’s breath caught as she looked up at him, the weight of his words sinking in. She opened her mouth to respond, but the exhaustion from the day’s events overtook her, leaving only silence between them.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Just don't worry, they won't bother you from now on."

Cristine went silent, but she new he did something. "Did you give them money?"

"Why? You'll be paying them after our deal right? I just gave them the advance."

Cristine can't believe what she heard, "Andrei.. no--"

"I can't let that happen again, Cristine. Especially now, that you're pregnant."