Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1759

Night fell, and the city that had been buzzing with noise all day finally settled into a peaceful quiet. Sylvia leaned against the headboard, her mind still replaying the touching moment when Emmy and James exchanged their rings at the ceremony, along with the joyful news of Abriella's pregnancy.

Suddenly, the mattress beside her dipped sharply. Steve, smelling of fresh soap and warm water from the shower, slid under the covers. He expertly wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder as his breath tickled the side of her neck. His large hand slipped under the hem of her shirt, his thumb tracing gentle circles over her flat stomach.

"Sylvia."

Sylvia's body went completely soft. She instinctively reached down to push his hand away. "What are you doing?"

Steve tightened his grip, pulling her flush against his chest. Turning his head, his lips brushed against her earlobe. "Why don't we get married too? You can give me a few kids when the time comes. How does that sound?"

Hearing that, Sylvia pressed her hands against Steve's chest, creating a small sliver of distance between them. "I do not want to get married right now, and I definitely do not want children." Her voice was calm, laced with her usual steadfast rationality. "The company is at a critical stage right now. We have a lot of projects ramping up, and they simply cannot run without me."

Steve's brow furrowed slightly on its own, but he did not push her. Instead, he caught her hand and began playing with her slender fingers. "Alright, I will wait." His tone was filled with indulgence and compromise. "Whenever you are ready to get married, just let me know. I will take care of all the wedding preparations."

Warmth bloomed in Sylvia's chest, and she nodded. Steve gently massaged her fingertips, his mind suddenly drifting to a darker thought as his eyes dimmed. "By the way, have you been to the hospital for a checkup recently?"

Sylvia's brow instantly pulled into a hard frown. She had never told Steve about her battle with severe depression. Every week, she made up excuses to sneak away to her therapy sessions. She did not want him to see her in such a broken, pathetic state.

Fortunately, Steve, who usually clung to her like a second skin, had impeccable timing and emotional intelligence. With him constantly by her side over the past few months, her mood had improved drastically, and she had hardly suffered any major relapses. Her therapist even noted that her condition was moving in a very positive direction, and they were gradually tapering off her medication.

Sensing her sudden silence and the rigid tension in her body, Steve was immediately flooded with regret. He was terrified he had poked at a raw nerve, afraid that pushing too hard would only drive her away again. He quickly ducked his head to kiss the corner of her mouth, softening his voice to coax her. "Alright, alright, no checkups. We will do whatever you say. Do not be angry. Let us just go to sleep."