Chapter 315: Case is Closed, Congratulations to Us

Settling into the quiet safety of the night, Matteo wrapped his arms securely around Adrian, pulling him flush against his chest as they drifted off to sleep wrapped in each other’s arms.

From that night onward, the days moved with a swift, steady rhythm.

Just as Matteo had promised, the media firestorm began to cool down. The public outcry lost its momentum, the online chatter faded into silence, and all talks of protests and justice died away. True to his word, exactly three days later, Owen’s case was officially and permanently dismissed due to lack of evidence and high-level legal intervention.

When Matteo broke the news, a massive weight lifted off Adrian’s shoulders. The relief washed away his lingering anxiety, and normalcy settled back into their home. The tension dissolved, leaving the two of them to return to their peaceful, devoted routine.

However, a very different reality was unfolding.

On Maya’s side, Connor was consumed by bitter fury, utterly devastated that he hadn’t been able to use his family’s influence to lock Matteo up. That resentment bled directly into his marriage, poisoning every corner of their home.

Connor still refused to share their bed, choosing to sleep in the guest house, and he outright refused to touch or eat any of the meals Maya prepared.

At first, Maya tried to bridge the gap, but as the days dragged on, a heavy wave of exhaustion hit her. She had been battling relentless morning sickness for a week, feeling unusually drained. Worried about her physical state, she finally drove herself to the hospital for a checkup.

The doctor ran a series of tests before giving her the life-changing news: she was pregnant.

The physician strictly warned her to avoid stress, drama, and emotional strain for the sake of the baby. Standing in the sterile examination room, Maya made a decision. With Connor refusing to speak to her, look at her, or even give her the basic respect of communication, she wasn’t going to stick around and beg a bitter man to stay.

She went back home, packed her bags, and left his house behind.

Before walking out the front door for the last time, Maya placed the positive pregnancy test on Connor’s pillow, alongside a short handwritten note:

You know where to find me when you’re ready for us to talk.

Without looking back, Maya left Connor’s house and returned to the quiet safety of her own private estate.

Later that night, Connor returned home from work, carrying the heavy, bitter weight of his ongoing obsession with Matteo. Normally, the moment he stepped through the front doors, Maya would be waiting for him in the living room, either watching television or reviewing work documents, and she would always rush over with a bright smile to greet him, gently peeling off his suit jacket to welcome him home.

Tonight, the house was dead silent.

Connor frowned as only the maid greeted him, her voice quiet and polite. He walked into the living room, but Maya wasn’t there. A strange unease prickled at the back of his neck.

He marched upstairs to the master bedroom. The room was empty. He checked the walk-in closet, the adjoining bathroom, and every corner of the suite, but Maya was nowhere to be found.

A flicker of panic settled in. He hurried back downstairs and stopped one of the maids.

"Where’s my wife?" he asked. "Didn’t she come home from the office today?"

The maid lowered her gaze nervously. "Sir... Madam packed her things earlier today. She left the house."

Connor froze, his blood running cold. "What?!"

Without waiting for another word, he spun around and sprinted back up the stairs, throwing open the bedroom door. He grabbed his phone from his pocket, his hands shaking as he dialed Maya’s number.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

She didn’t pick up.

He tried a second time. Straight to voicemail.

On the third desperate attempt, he let it ring out before pulling the phone away with a frustrated curse, tossing it onto the mattress.

As he dropped his phone on the bed, his eyes instantly caught something resting dead-center on his pillow. A small, white plastic device.

Connor stepped closer, his breath hitching as his eyes fell on the hospital report. The result was clear: Positive. Resting on top of it was the pregnancy test, its two unmistakable pink lines confirming the same news.

Next to them lay Maya’s handwritten note.

The heavy, suffocating anger that had consumed him for days shattered in a fraction of a second. A massive, breathless smile broke entirely across his face. He threw his head back and let out a loud, genuine laugh of pure disbelief. "Oh, my god... I’m going to be a father!"

The realization hit him like a lightning bolt of pure joy. Dropping the test back onto the bed, he frantically grabbed his phone again, dialing Maya’s number with trembling fingers, desperate to hear her voice. Still, she didn’t answer.

Driven by sudden, frantic momentum, Connor bolted out of the bedroom and rushed down the stairs, shouting for his driver. "Get the car ready right now! We’re going to my wife’s estate!"

His mind couldn’t contain the overwhelming rush of excitement. Before he even reached the front door, he dialed his parents’ number, his voice cracking with emotion as the call connected. "Mom! Dad! You’re going to be grandparents! I’m going to be a father!"

On the other end of the line, his parents erupted into excited cheers and heartfelt congratulations, immediately asking to speak with Maya so they could share in the joy.

Not wanting them to know about their fight or that Maya had left the house, Connor quickly came up with an excuse.

"Ah... she’s resting right now, Mom. I’ll have her call you back later."

He ended the call before they could question him further. Hurrying out the front door, Connor slid into the back seat of the waiting car, a wide, victorious smile spreading across his face as he muttered to himself, "I have to go bring my wife home."

With a roar of the engine, the vehicle sped away into the night, racing toward the estate where Maya was staying.

When Connor’s car pulled up to Maya’s private estate, he practically scrambled out of the back seat and hurried to the front entrance. He knocked on the door, and a few moments later, Maya’s personal assistant opened it. Without a word, Connor brushed past her and strode into the living room.

Maya was sitting on the sofa, but the moment she saw him walk in, she turned her head away completely, deliberately ignoring his presence.

Not missing a beat, Connor rushed over to her. Instead of demanding to know why she had left or bringing up their fights, a wide, desperate smile broke across his face as he dropped down right in front of her. "Baby... congratulations to us."

Maya didn’t blink. She wasn’t playing games, and she certainly wasn’t smiling; she sat there with an icy expression, acting as if Connor was completely invisible.

Connor’s confident smile slowly faltered. Seeing the stone-cold wall she had put up, his expression cracked into genuine regret. He lowered himself further, kneeling on the floor to match her eye level, his voice dropping into a raw, pleading tone. "I’m sorry, Maya. I’m so, so sorry. I apologize for ignoring you, for refusing to talk to you, and for treating you the way I did over the past few days. I was an idiot."

Maya listened to every word, her face remaining entirely unreadable. She said nothing.

Panicking slightly, Connor tried every angle, scrambling to find the right words. "I know I was wrong. I should never have taken everything out on you. Please, baby... let’s just go back home."

Maya finally turned her gaze down to look at him, her eyes sharp. She let out a dry, humorous breath. "Connor, let’s be honest. You aren’t sorry for how you treated me. You’re only here because you found out I’m pregnant."

"No, I swear I’m sorry—" Connor started, reaching out for her hand.

Maya raised a single finger, cutting him off, and turned to her assistant standing nearby. "Bring me the document I prepared."

The assistant quickly stepped forward, handing over a neatly bound folder. Maya took it and placed it directly into Connor’s hands.

"Fine. If you want me to come back home with you, read this," Maya instructed coldly. "Those are my terms and conditions. If you ever treat me like trash again, or if you ever cross me, the penalty won’t just be a divorce, you will also face the direct judgment of my father."

Connor opened the folder, flipping through the pages of ironclad legal conditions, financial boundaries, and strict behavioral clauses. He swallowed hard, looking up at his wife. "Babe..."

"If you sign it right now, I will pack my bags and go back with you," Maya said, her voice leaving zero room for negotiation. "If you refuse to sign it, then don’t bother asking. I’m not going back."

Connor loved her too fiercely to lose her, especially now, knowing she was carrying their child. Owen was already gone, and there was nothing he could do to change that. He wasn’t about to let the conflict over Owen cost him his wife and unborn child. Without a second thought, Connor grabbed a pen from the table and signed his name at the bottom of every single page, agreeing to every condition she had set.

Only when the last signature dried did Maya’s icy demeanor finally melt. A soft, genuine smile broke across her face as she leaned forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. "Congratulations to us, honey."

Connor hugged her back with desperate relief, burying his face in her shoulder. "Congratulations... I’m so sorry, my wife. Please forgive me."

Maya gently rubbed his back, pulling back to look into his eyes. "Let’s leave the past in the past. The truth is, I was never truly angry with you, I was just hurt. But you’re forgiven."

Connor smiled, his eyes shining with happiness.

"Thank you," he whispered.

With that, he pulled Maya into another tight embrace.

"I’m so happy," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I’m going to be a father."

Maya wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck as she held him close.

Back at the Matteo estate, the afternoon sun streamed through the massive windows of the grand living room. Adrian was relaxing on the velvet sofa, watching a movie, when an unexpected visitor arrived. Pleasantly surprised, he welcomed the guest into the living room, and before long, the two of them were chatting comfortably.

In the middle of their conversation, Adrian quietly pulled out his phone and sent Matteo a quick text.

Babe, don’t stay too late at the office today. Come home early. I have a very special surprise waiting for you.

What do you think Adrian’s surprise is... and who came to visit them?