The Breeding Deal: Brother-in-law's Forbidden Offer - Chapter 72

Chapter 72: Child Dream

That night, Christine’s sleep was filled with strange dreams.

First, she dreamed of Ethan’s birthday in the hospital room. The place was packed with people, decorated with balloons and streamers, filled with the sweet scent of flowers and cake. Friends, classmates, colleagues, doctors, and nurses had all come to see him. All kinds of people crowded the small room, laughing and chatting happily.

The birthday boy, Ethan, lay in his hospital bed at the center of it all. There were too many people for Christine to see his face, but she knew he must be happy.

After all, he was so well-liked, loved by so many.

Christine stood in a corner of the room, filming her husband’s birthday party with his camera. Suddenly, her lens caught someone at the doorway – a figure she knew all too well, Adrian.

He wore his signature black suit, tall and straight-backed, standing alone outside the noisy crowd.

Christine’s camera focused on his face, the image slightly shaky. Even through the blurry pixels, she could see his striking features, and something else – an overwhelming sense of loneliness and isolation.

Through the lens, Christine wondered why Adrian looked so alone.

He had everything in the world – in all of N City, few men were wealthier or more intimidating than him. He stood at the peak of society, possessing money, power, and beauty, yet somehow seemed cut off from the world. Why?

Suddenly, she heard children laughing nearby.

Christine looked away from the camera viewfinder and glanced down. The hospital room had transformed into a garden path, covered in green grass and bright flowers. Spring breeze filled the air, and two little boys were walking past her.

Looking closer, she recognized them as young Ethan and young Adrian.

The sunlight was perfect. In the fresh air, little Ethan held Adrian’s hand, toddling behind his big brother. They were both so young – Ethan around three, Adrian not yet ten.

Adrian walked ahead, already playing grown-up in his miniature suit and dress shoes, his hair slicked back neatly – the sight made Christine want to laugh. Behind him, Ethan babbled happily, his eyes shining with pure adoration as he watched his brother’s back.

Adrian didn’t turn around, but Christine caught a glimpse of his shy, barely-there smile.

Christine stared in wonder at that upturned corner of his mouth – a version of Adrian she’d never seen before.

As the boys walked away, the garden slowly faded back into the hospital room, with its familiar tiles and antiseptic smell. Christine looked back through the camera, only to find Adrian staring directly at her through the lens.

His gray eyes were like diamonds, cold and clear, cutting through the laughing crowd to pierce straight into hers through the camera.

He kept staring as he strode toward her.

Christine instinctively wanted to retreat, but she was cornered. Panic rose in her chest, but her feet wouldn’t move. She could only watch through the lens as he approached with his long strides.

“Adrian—”

Before she could finish her startled cry, his large hand covered the lens, plunging her vision into darkness.

Then the scene shifted, and she saw young Adrian kneeling on the floor.

Looking around, Christine found herself in the Blackwood family’s middle hall. Adrian looked older now, around ten, but so different from the confident boy from before. Blood trickled down his face, his clothes torn.

Christine stood among many people – Blackwood relatives she recognized, all surrounding Adrian. From the front of the crowd, she saw tears glistening in the boy’s eyes as he held out his hands. Before him stood his grandfather, holding a long, thick disciplinary ruler.

“SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!”

The ruler cracked through the air with a whistle, striking flesh. With each hit, the boy’s body visibly trembled.

Christine shut her eyes in fear. When she re-opened them, the boy remained silent, but his hands were swollen, marked with horrifying red welts.

Christine wanted to step forward, to beg the old man to stop, but everyone around stood in deathly silence, no one daring to speak.

As she tried to move forward, someone caught her clothes. Startled, she turned to find Rebecca behind her, making a hushing gesture.

The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving young Adrian alone, still kneeling in the dark room.

Christine approached, wanting to help the small child up. But he stubbornly remained kneeling. When she bent down to see his face, she found that expression she knew all too well – cold, distant, emotionless.

Behind them, Rebecca’s cheerful laughter rang out as she played with her other son.

Christine understood with a heavy heart – he’d learned to hide his feelings from such a young age.

At such a tender age, he had to endure endless humiliation, loneliness, and the absence of love that had never been there.

Her vision darkened again.

Next second, she was in Adrian’s office.

He was kissing her, pinning her face-up on his wide desk. She was naked, his tongue exploring her tongue tip, large hands kneading her bouncing breasts.

The desk was cold against her aching back, but she dared not move, whimpering under his burning kisses, hands covering her swollen belly.

She could hear Ethan’s birthday party next door, still full of laughter. Through the glass walls, she hazily saw people gathered around his bed, singing happy birthday.

She instinctively tried to escape, but Adrian gripped her chin, kissing her forcefully, flooding her mouth with his taste.

“No… don’t… Ethan-Ethan will see…”

She heard herself plead between breaths against his lips. Her heart raced, blood rushing hot to her head. But he gripped her waist and thrust his thick hardness deep into her wet core.

Christine realized she was already soaking wet.

She cried out, her body arching under his thrusts, arms wrapped tightly around his neck to keep from falling.

Through tear-blurred eyes, she turned toward Ethan’s room. Somehow the previously bustling hospital room was now empty except for him. Her husband stood in his hospital gown, rising from the bed and walking slowly to the glass.

He pressed his hand against it, silently watching his wife and his brother intertwining in the office.

Ethan’s expression remained gentle as his lips moved, forming the word: Chrissy.

Christine felt a mix of guilt, nervousness, and arousal. She lifted herself up, calling out: “Ethan—”

Instantly, the man above her gripped her throat tightly, forcing her to look at him. Adrian’s face blazed with fury as he glared down at her, his angry breath hot on her face.

He demanded: “Who am I?!”

Christine woke with a scream, eyes flying open.

The bedroom door burst open with a bang as Sophie rushed in with a medical kit. “Christine, are you alright?!”

Christine slowly realized she was still in Adrian’s office.

Her body felt weak, unable to muster the strength to get up. Her mind was foggy, still reeling from the shocking dream. She could only make vague sounds as Sophie approached. Sophie pulled back the covers, slowly supporting Christine’s body to help her sit up, then offered her water to sip slowly.

While rubbing Christine’s back, Sophie asked if anything hurt.

Christine finally caught her breath, pressing a hand to her racing heart, and shook her head.

She realized she was naked, without underwear, her skin against the soft blanket – someone must have put her to bed this way. As her heartbeat steadied, she felt an uncomfortable dampness between her legs, probably from… the dream.

Once sure Christine was okay, Sophie sighed in relief and began examining her body.

The young nutritionist had steeled herself before entering, but thankfully found no marks on Christine’s neck or arms – her boss hadn’t used his belt or tie this time. Sophie felt conflicted, unsure whether to be relieved that he’d shown some restraint or angry that he’d forced himself on a pregnant woman again.

The only marks were the redness and swelling on Christine’s waist and hips.

After applying some medicine and helping Christine into pajamas, Sophie called in the doctor waiting outside.

It was Adrian’s private physician. Still groggy, Christine dozed as the doctor and Sophie examined her, checking her legs and body, having her open her mouth and eyes, and feeling her slightly swollen belly. The doctor asked twice if anything hurt, leaving only after she shook her head.

After the doctor left, Sophie saw Christine’s sleepy expression and tucked her in, suggesting she rest a while longer.

Christine didn’t want to sleep – despite her exhaustion, she knew she was still in Adrian’s office. She wanted to know the time, how long she’d slept, and hoped to leave immediately.

But her body wouldn’t cooperate. Her muscles ached as if she’d been taken apart and reassembled, her limbs heavy and stiff, her throat raw as if scraped with sandpaper.

Sophie held the cup to her lips for a few more sips before Christine could croak out: “What… time is it?”

She wanted to ask why Sophie was there too.

“Four in the afternoon.”

Sophie quickly handed Christine her purse and retrieved her phone. “Your phone rang several times while you were asleep. There might be important calls – would you like to check?”

Christine nodded, and Sophie placed the phone on the blanket in front of her. With her weak right hand, she unlocked it to check the missed calls.

There were over ten missed calls – from Rebecca, her mom Patricia, and her friend Rachel.

Her mind still foggy, Christine wasn’t ready to take calls yet, unsure how to explain her day-long sleep. Too many thoughts swirled in her hazy mind. She closed her eyes, deciding to rest a bit before figuring out what to do.

She drifted off again.

In her dreams, she frowned, unable to understand.

Why had she dreamed of Adrian as a child?

And why was Adrian in every one of her wild, confused dreams?