Contract Marriage with My CEO Boss (Kylan and Katrina) novel Chapter 131

Katrina smiled softly as Clarence sat between her legs on the hospital bed. She was reading a colorful picture book to her daughter, who excitedly pointed at the animals and tried to name them. Katrina was healing steadily, though she still bore the marks of the attack—her bruises had shifted to dark purples and yellows, and bandages covered parts of her arms and legs. Clarence, too, had bandages on her arm, though the ones on her head had been removed. Despite everything, Clarence was in high spirits, giggling as she got another animal name correct. She wasn’t having nightmares and found comfort in the familiarity of her mother’s presence.

Kylan entered the room with a bag of food, a grin lighting up his face. “Well, look at my two favorite people up and at it!”

Katrina chuckled. “We’re ready for a treat, and Clarence is doing really well.”

“That’s great to hear.” He pulled the little hospital table closer. “I brought food because hospital meals are, well, not ideal.”

Katrina gave Clarence a playful squeeze. “Daddy is treating us, sweet girl!”

Clarence clapped her hands. “Yaaay!”

Kylan unpacked the food and sat down with them. Katrina smiled at the spread, a rare treat of fast food. “I’ll help Clarence.” She picked up a chicken nugget and fed it to her daughter. “Go ahead, honey, eat up.”

Clarence giggled, munching happily. “Thank you!”

Katrina ruffled her hair affectionately and took a bite of her fries. “Mmm, just what I needed.”

Kylan sipped his drink. “Good. I got milkshakes for both of you too, a special treat.”

Clarence held her cup with both hands, sipping eagerly through the straw. “Yummy, Daddy!”

Katrina laughed. “A solid ten out of ten.”

“Seems like it,” Kylan said with a grin, though his mood shifted as his phone buzzed. He glanced at it, frowning slightly. It was another update from Isabella, his coworker, who seemed overly attentive since the incident. Isabella had been unusually interested in his absence from work, sending constant updates. Kylan texted back, politely asking her to stop for now, only to receive another reply from Ryan saying the group planned to visit today.

“Heads up,” Kylan said with a wry smile. “The gang is dropping by to see you.”

Katrina grinned. “It’ll be nice to see everyone. I’ve missed them.”

“It’ll be good for you to have company,” Kylan agreed. “But no overexerting yourself, okay? Rest when you need to.”

She looked at Kylan seriously. “You and Clarence should be resting at home now.”

“No,” Kylan said firmly.

“But—”

“We’re not leaving you,” he interrupted, his tone brooking no argument.

Katrina sighed but relented. “Alright.”

Just then, Dr. Lee walked in. “Good morning, Mrs. Ross. You’re showing excellent signs of recovery. If you’re ready, you could go home today.”

Katrina’s eyes widened. “Really? Can I?” She turned to Kylan with hope.

Kylan smiled warmly. “Yeah.” He stood up, already gathering their things. “Where do I sign?”

“This way,” the doctor replied. “I’ll also prepare a prescription for her medications.”

Katrina lifted Clarence off the bed, setting her on her feet. “Want to go home, sweetheart?”

Clarence nodded enthusiastically. “Please!”

“Let’s get moving then,” Kylan said as he packed their belongings.

After Dr. Lee removed Katrina’s IV and patched up the needle marks, Kylan carried Clarence and wrapped an arm around Katrina’s shoulders. “Thank you, doctor,” Kylan said before kissing Katrina’s cheek. “Let’s go home.”

On their way out, the doctor cautioned, “Be gentle with her. Her ribs are still fragile, so no strenuous activity and plenty of rest.”

“I’ll take care of her,” Kylan promised.

Once outside, Kylan helped Katrina sit on a bench while Clarence bounced on her lap, her little hands patting her mother affectionately.

“Wait here,” Kylan said, heading to bring the car around.

“I like sitting here in the sun,” Katrina said softly, her eyes closing briefly as she enjoyed the warmth.

Kylan returned, securing Clarence in her car seat before helping Katrina into the front. “Let’s get you home,” he said, concern flickering across his face as he noticed her wince. “Are you okay? Do you want to go back inside?”

“No,” Katrina replied firmly. “I don’t want to go back. Just a little sore—I’ll be fine.” She smiled faintly. “All I need is rest and my husband.”

Kylan gave her hand a squeeze. “I can do that.”

After a stop at the pharmacy for her medications, the family finally arrived home. As Kylan guided Katrina inside, she froze, her breath catching.

“It’s like… nothing ever happened,” she whispered.

Kylan smiled gently. “I cleaned up and had someone fix the place while you were resting.”

Katrina’s lips trembled into a smile. “You did an amazing job.”

“Are you okay staying here?”

She nodded resolutely. “It’s our home. I won’t let what happened ruin that.”

“That’s my girl,” Kylan said proudly, kissing her softly.

As Katrina settled on the sofa, Clarence toddled over with her stuffed panda. “Here, Mommy,” she said sweetly. “Get better!”

Katrina hugged the panda and smiled. “Thank you, Clarence.”

Clarence peppered her mother’s face with kisses. “Love you, Mommy!”

“Love you too,” Katrina said, feeling her heart swell with hope.

Later that afternoon, Ryan, Max and Eleanor, Harry and Emily, and Aaron and Maine arrived at the hospital. They came bearing flowers, balloons, and an assortment of gifts. Clarence ran to them, arms wide open.

“Hello, sweetheart!” Aaron scooped her up, making her giggle. “How’s my favorite little girl?”

“Love you, Uncle Aaron!” Clarence said, hugging him tightly.

Aaron laughed. “Love you too, little one.”

Aaron smiled as Clarence hugged him tightly. “Love you too,” he said warmly, kissing her forehead before carrying her over to Katrina. “Hey, sis.”

Katrina smiled at the sight of her brother. “Good to see you all.”

Ryan settled into the chair beside her. “How are you feeling? Though, I guess that’s a silly question.”

Katrina giggled softly. “It’s okay. I’m doing much better, actually.”

Kylan sighed and nodded. "Alright. I will." He went to scoop up Clarence and glanced at the group. “Sorry, everyone, but Katrina’s due for her medication soon, and it’ll make her sleepy.”

Ryan moved forward, nodding in understanding. “Alright, let’s give her some rest. We’ll get out of your hair.” He came over and patted Katrina's head gently. “Take care, Kate. We’ll see you soon.”

Katrina gave each visitor a hug and a kiss goodbye—except Isabella, who declined the affection with a polite smile.

Once the house was quiet again, Kylan brought Katrina her medication and helped her lie back on the sofa. “Time to sleep,” he said gently.

Katrina shook her head playfully. “Not yet.”

“Why not?”

“I need a kiss first.”

Kylan leaned down and kissed her softly. “Better?”

She nodded, a smile gracing her lips. “Better.”

He draped the blanket Ryan had gifted over her, tucking it around her snugly. “We’ll be here when you wake up. Promise.”

“I love you both,” Katrina murmured, her eyes already drifting closed.

“We love you too,” Kylan whispered, brushing her hair back.

Clarence toddled over and kissed her mother’s forehead. “Love you, Mommy.”

Katrina smiled as she let sleep take over, her heart full despite the trials they’d faced. She felt a renewed sense of strength. Surrounded by her husband, daughter, and friends, she knew she wasn’t alone in this fight—and that she would overcome anything for the sake of her family.

~O~O~O~

Isabella arrived at her apartment. As soon as she got inside, she threw her bag at the wall as she couldn't hold back her anger. She went straight to her kitchen and got a glass of wine. She then sat on the couch, her hand clutching a glass of wine as her free hand held her phone. She scrolled through an email from one of her “contacts.” Her knuckles were white from gripping the glass too tightly, and her lips were pressed into a thin line as the reality of her failure sank in.

“She survived,” Isabella hissed under her breath, her voice trembling with fury. She slammed the glass onto the coffee table, wine sloshing over the rim and staining the polished wood. “How does someone come back from that? And her of all people? That fragile, naive little—”

She stopped herself, pacing the room like a caged animal. Her heels clicked sharply against the floor, echoing in the silence. She ran a hand through her hair, yanking at it in frustration.

Dominic, her lover who had been leaning casually against the doorframe from the guestroom, decided it was time to speak. “Getting worked up won’t fix this, Isabella. What’s done is done.”

She spun to face him, her eyes blazing. “What’s done is done?” she snapped, her voice dripping with venom. “Do you have any idea how close I was? How perfect everything had to be? And now…” She gestured wildly. “Now she’s back home, alive, probably playing happy family with Kylan and that brat of theirs!”

Dominic crossed his arms, unfazed by her outburst. “It’s not like anyone knows you were involved. You’re safe.”

“Safe?” Isabella barked out a humorless laugh. “That’s not the point! The point was to get rid of her—permanently. She’s the only thing standing in my way, Dominic. With her gone, Kylan would be free from his ridiculous sense of obligation, and everything would be mine. Ours, if you’d show a little initiative.”

Dominic raised an eyebrow but said nothing, his silence only fueling Isabella’s anger.

She leaned on the couch, her manicured nails tapping against the surface as she stared at the spilled wine. “I should’ve handled it myself,” she muttered. “Relying on someone else was my mistake. Idiots can’t follow simple instructions—‘don’t hurt the child’ was very clear! Now, Clarence getting hurt makes it look like some random attack instead of a well-planned accident.”

Dominic finally stepped forward, his tone calm but firm. “You’re losing focus, Isabella. We’ll regroup, but for now, you need to stay calm. If you start spiraling, people will notice.”

Isabella straightened, brushing imaginary dust off her blazer. “You’re right,” she said after a long pause, though the fire in her eyes hadn’t dimmed. “I’ll need to be smarter. If I can’t break her physically, I’ll destroy her in other ways. Piece by piece, I’ll take everything she holds dear. Her reputation, her family, her precious Kylan—I’ll make her wish she’d never survived.”

Dominic smirked slightly. “That’s more like it.”

Isabella downed the rest of her wine in one gulp and set the empty glass on the desk with a decisive clink. “Let her think she’s won for now. But she has no idea what’s coming.”