Chapter 2 - The Unforgettable Night
Mara stared at the legal document in absolute, paralyzing disbelief.
The heavy rain continued to wash over the muddy cemetery as she struggled to comprehend his words.
Elias gently draped his warm, expensive suit jacket over her shivering shoulders.
He guided her firmly but carefully toward a sleek, black armored vehicle waiting outside the wrought-iron gates.
Mara sat in the plush leather passenger seat, completely overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events.
She looked at the billionaire who had entirely lied about his identity on the night they met.
"You told me you were just pouring drinks to pay off your student loans," Mara whispered accusingly.
Elias turned on the car heater and let out a long, exhausted breath.
"I wanted to experience one single night where people didn't look at me like a human bank account," he explained.
He looked deeply into her eyes, reminding her of the undeniable connection they had shared in the dark.
"When I met you at that charity gala, you were the only genuine person in a room full of vipers," Elias said softly.
Mara looked down at her muddy hands, remembering how she had secretly borrowed one of Bianca's discarded dresses just to attend.
She had given Elias her heart that night, believing they were both struggling working-class souls.
"Why did you track me down now, after all these months of absolute silence?" Mara demanded.
Elias gripped the leather steering wheel until his knuckles turned completely white.
"I didn't know you were pregnant until my private security team intercepted Julian's emails this morning," he admitted.
He explained that Julian was completely bankrupt and deeply desperate for cash.
Bianca and Julian were secretly planning to sell the estate and the adjacent historical cemetery to a corrupt developer.
"Julian needs my signature to authorize the sale, but he found out about our baby," Elias continued grimly.
Mara felt a cold shiver run down her spine that had nothing to do with the freezing rain.
"What does my baby have to do with your family's real estate deals?" she asked fearfully.
Elias started the engine, his expression hardening into a mask of pure, lethal determination.
"Our grandfather's will clearly states that the first male heir to produce a child inherits the entire family trust."
Mara gasped, finally understanding the massive, dangerous target painted on her back.
"Julian knows this baby makes me the sole inheritor of everything," Elias explained.
He drove the armored vehicle rapidly through the slick, rain-soaked streets of the city.
"We are going to my secure penthouse, and you are not leaving my sight until the baby is born," he declared.
Mara shook her head fiercely, refusing to be treated like a prisoner in a gilded cage.
"You cannot just control my life because you happen to have a lot of money," she argued bravely.
Suddenly, the screech of tires echoed loudly from the dark intersection behind them.
Two heavy, unmarked black SUVs aggressively swerved into their lane, completely cutting off their escape route.
Elias slammed on the brakes, throwing his arm protectively across Mara's chest as the car skidded to a violent halt.
He pulled a heavy, loaded pistol from the hidden compartment under his seat.
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"Julian didn't just send lawyers to stop us, Mara," Elias warned as armed men stepped out of the blocking vehicles.
"He sent a heavily armed hit squad to make sure you never live to see a delivery room."
