Arranged Marriage: The Lost Bet

Chapter Twenty

Two days later, Arianna walked into Lucas's hospital room, smiling as she saw him eating the unappetizing food. Overcome with emotion, tears blurred her vision as she approached.

Hearing her enter, Lucas looked up, his jaw dropping at the sight of her. "Ari, don't cry, I'm okay. Come here," he said, pushing his meal aside.

Arianna ran into his arms, sobbing against his neck. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, inhaling his scent and feeling the weight of her worries begin to lift. He was awake and safe.

Pulling back, she looked into his eyes. "You came back to me. I thought I lost you, Lucas. I was so scared," she said, crying again as she hugged him tightly.

Lucas held her close, whispering in her ear, "I'll always come back to you. Never doubt that. I need you like I need to breathe. Without you, I am nothing."

After holding each other a little longer, Arianna pulled away and smiled at Lucas. "I'm pregnant, Lucas. I'm 19 weeks along," she announced, waiting for his reaction.

"We're having a baby?" he asked, confused. Before she could respond, he pulled her close, whispering, "A baby." Arianna felt hot tears land on her shirt and smiled.

They laughed and cried together, overwhelmed with emotion, reluctant to let go. They felt whole again. When Brandon brought Gabby to see them, the happy family chatted about the new baby and their plans to move back to California. For Arianna, it didn't matter where they went as long as they were together; that was all that mattered.

♠ ♥ ♣ ♦

Home. After months in Ohio, moving back to California felt surreal for Arianna. She couldn't believe that twice she had been forced out of her home by two terrible men, both now dead and no longer a threat. It was a relief; they could finally live freely without fear.

Since Lucas woke up, his memory loss had posed significant challenges. He didn't remember that they were in Ohio instead of California, nor could he recall the night of the attack—something Arianna found comforting. She wasn't ready to explain who Nikos was to him. Although she loved her uncle, there was a compelling reason for keeping his identity a secret. Many knew of Nikos, but only those who worked for him had seen his face. Arianna respected that and vowed never to reveal who he was to protect him. She hated keeping secrets from Lucas, but this was one she would hold onto until he remembered everything from that night.

Today was the day they would find out the baby's gender, and Lucas was positively ecstatic. They had only been back in California for a week, yet he had wasted no time setting up the appointment. Watching the joy and happiness on his face filled Arianna with warmth; it was a stark contrast to the cold, distant man she had known for so long. In their five years of marriage, she could count on one hand the number of times he had truly been happy. He was still her cold Devil, but she loved him nonetheless. Every facet of him was hers to cherish, and she would love all his cold and soft sides for the rest of her days.

"Lucas, do you want a boy or a girl?" she asked, glancing over at him as they drove to the clinic.

He took his eyes off the road for a moment to smile at her. "Well, I already have a daughter, so a boy would be nice," he replied, shifting his focus back to the road.

Arianna found herself wishing for a boy too, but truthfully, she would be happy with either. As long as the baby was healthy, nothing else mattered. The anticipation bubbled between them, a mix of excitement and nervousness, as they neared the clinic. Whatever the outcome, they were ready to embrace this new chapter of their lives together.

Shortly after, Lucas pulled the truck into a parking space and unbuckled his seatbelt. "Let's go see what we're having, love" he said with an infectious enthusiasm as he jumped out of the truck.