Chapter 9 - THE MAFIA BOSS FINALLY FOUND HIS WIFE
“Where is she?”
Christian Ryder's voice echoed through the Jones mansion.
Damian stood in the foyer.
His face had gone white.
“Mr. Ryder, what an unexpected honor.”
Christian ignored him.
“Where's Amelia?”
Luna hurried forward.
“Mr. Ryder!”
She wore a red designer dress.
Her hair had been styled.
Her makeup was flawless.
She smiled.
“I had no idea you were coming.”
Christian looked at her.
“Move.”
Luna froze.
“Excuse me?”
“Get out of my way.”
Freya entered behind him.
“Where is my daughter-in-law?”
Isolda stared.
“Your what?”
Freya looked at the family with disgust.
“Amelia. Where is she?”
Damian's mouth opened.
Then closed.
Luna began shaking her head.
“No. That's impossible.”
Christian stepped closer.
“Last chance.”
Damian swallowed.
“She isn't here.”
Then a scream came from upstairs.
“HELP!”
Christian turned.
He knew that voice.
He would know it anywhere.
“AMELIA!”
He ran.
The bedroom door was locked.
Christian kicked it open.
Amelia lay on the floor beside the bed.
Her dress was stained with blood.
Richard Hawks stood nearby.
Christian stopped.
For one terrible second, the world went silent.
Then he rushed to his wife.
“Amelia.”
Her eyes opened weakly.
“Christian?”
He dropped to his knees.
“I'm here.”
She gripped his shirt.
“The babies.”
“I know.”
“Please save them.”
His voice broke.
“I will.”
She began crying.
“I tried to protect them.”
Christian held her face.
“You did.”
“I was so scared.”
He pressed his forehead against hers.
“I'm here now.”
For the first time, he wasn't speaking as a mafia boss.
He wasn't giving orders.
He was a terrified husband.
A man who had nearly lost everything because he had been too arrogant to recognize what mattered.
The ambulance arrived minutes later.
Christian rode beside Amelia.
He held her hand the entire way.
At the hospital, doctors rushed her into emergency surgery.
Christian stood outside the operating room.
His shirt was stained with blood.
Freya approached.
“Christian.”
He shook his head.
“Don't.”
She stopped.
He stared at the closed doors.
“I threw her away.”
Freya said nothing.
“She came to me when she had nobody.”
His voice cracked.
“And I treated her like she was worthless.”
Freya placed a hand on his shoulder.
“You can still become the man she deserves.”
Christian closed his eyes.
“What if it's too late?”
Three hours passed.
Then four.
Finally, the operating room doors opened.
A doctor approached.
“Mr. Ryder?”
Christian stood.
“How is she?”
The doctor smiled.
“Your wife is stable.”
Christian exhaled.
“And the babies?”
“Both are alive.”
Freya covered her mouth.
The doctor continued.
“You have a son and a daughter.”
Christian stared.
Then laughed.
A broken, disbelieving laugh.
He covered his face with both hands.
For the first time since childhood, Christian Ryder cried in front of another person.
Later that evening, he entered Amelia's hospital room.
She was awake.
Two bassinets stood beside her bed.
Christian approached slowly.
“Can I come in?”
Amelia looked at him.
“You're already here.”
He smiled faintly.
Then sat beside her.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Finally, Christian whispered:
“I don't deserve you.”
Amelia looked toward the babies.
“No.”
He nodded.
“I know.”
She turned back.
“But they deserve a father.”
Christian's eyes filled.
“I want to be one.”
“Then be one.”
He reached for her hand.
She allowed him to hold it.
Christian looked at Noah.
Then Grace.
Then Amelia.
And for the first time in his life, he understood that love wasn't something he could command.
It was something he had to protect without possessing.
Three weeks later, Christian arranged a celebration.
Not for the Ryder empire.
Not for his business partners.
For Amelia.
He invited the entire city.
Politicians.
Business leaders.
Musicians.
Family friends.
And the woman who believed she still belonged beside him.
Erica Laurent.
When Erica received the invitation, she smiled.
“He's finally realized his mistake.”
She selected her most expensive gown.
May you like
And prepared for the night she believed Christian Ryder would ask her to marry him.
She had no idea that the woman she had spent years humiliating would be standing at the center of the stage.
