Chapter 252 CHAPTER 0252

Chapter 252 CHAPTER 0252
LAUREN'S POV

“I'm really confused about what you’re saying right now. When we met at the club, you already knew me?” I asked, my voice betraying the swirl of confusion I felt inside. My mind was spinning, trying to piece together this new revelation. It felt like I had just walked into a puzzle with half the pieces missing.

“Well, I wouldn’t say I knew you, exactly. I had just seen you before, helped you out,” Roman replied calmly, his tone measured, yet filled with that quiet confidence I had always admired.

“Helped me out? Where? How?” I asked again, feeling my confusion deepen. My brows furrowed tightly as I leaned closer, trying to extract clarity from his vague words.

“Well, come to think of it, I don’t blame you if you can’t remember my face. I mean, you did faint that day, so…” Roman’s words trailed off slightly, and he tilted his head, watching me carefully, as if he could see the pieces slowly clicking into place in my mind.

Fainted? My thoughts stopped dead in their tracks. Fainted? When did that ever happen to me last? My mind raced, sifting through the hazy memories of the past year, trying to find a connection.

And then it clicked.

It hit me like a sudden rush of cold air: the day I had gone to see Ethan at his company and discovered that he had been cheating on me with Sophia. The stress had been unbearable, my heart hammering in my chest as betrayal and disbelief tore through me. I remembered the dizziness, the overwhelming urge to collapse, and then… nothing.

Before I had hit the ground completely, someone had caught me. Someone whose face I hadn’t been able to see clearly, but whose presence had been calm and steady, a lifeline in that moment of chaos.

I looked back up at Roman, my eyes widening as the realization dawned fully on me. “You’re him… the person who caught me when I fainted and paid for my hospital bills,” I said in a soft voice, my mind still piecing together the past with this new revelation.

“Guilty as charged,” Roman said with a smile, that small curve of his lips lighting up his face in a way that made my heart flutter despite everything.

“The hospital I went to check my fertility was just across from Ethan’s company,” he continued, his voice steady and calm, recounting the memory as if he had been there all along. “I didn’t like going to that hospital because it was so close to there, but the doctor was the only one I trusted. On my way out, I saw you standing outside, alone. At first, I thought you were one of Ethan’s employees and decided to mind my business. But your body movements seemed off, your eyes were drowsy, and your face looked pale. I decided to linger a little longer… and then you just fell. Luckily, I was able to catch you before you hit the ground.”

Everything he said started to make sense. Every moment, every action, every detail I hadn’t understood before now fits perfectly. That was why he had insisted on getting me a drink at the club, it hadn’t been random at all.

“But… what were you doing at a club when you were married?” I asked, my brows furrowed as I tried to connect the dots even further.

“I came there because I had just signed the divorce papers that day,” he explained, shrugging casually as if it had been an ordinary decision. “I decided to clear my head, besides, that place is still my building, remember?”

I blinked at him, processing everything. “Wow… so all this time, I’ve been rude to you, and yet you’ve always helped me since the very beginning,” I said, reaching out and grabbing his arm. The warmth of his skin was reassuring, grounding me amidst the flood of memories and realizations.

“That’s why I said we’ve always been meant for each other,” Roman said, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “All we needed was time to set, like concrete.”

I let out a small laugh, shaking my head slightly. “This has to be the second shocking news I’ve discovered this year,” I said, my voice laced with a mixture of disbelief and amusement.

“And what was the first?” he asked, curiosity evident in his tone.

“That I had a twin sister who tried to seduce my fiancé, even after I helped her,” I said, the words tasting bitter as I recalled the memory, my voice carrying a subtle venom that I hadn’t meant to mask.

“Don’t worry,” Roman said softly, reaching over to squeeze my hand gently. “The police are still looking for her. If she’s still in this country… well, if she went back to Russia, which I most likely think she did, then she would no longer be a problem.”

“And what about your mom? When is she coming over?” I asked, a hint of curiosity creeping into my voice as I thought about meeting her.

“Well, I wanted it to be a surprise, but she’ll be here next week,” he said, a soft smile on his face. “I told her about the engagement, and she burst out into excitement. She’s just going to finish up what she’s doing, and then she’ll be here.”

“Really?” I asked, my eyes lighting up. The thought of meeting Roman’s mother brought a flutter of nerves and anticipation.

“How do you think I should behave?” he asked, his tone hurried. “You need to tell me her favorite dishes so I can know how to prepare them. That day, the maids wouldn’t cook. What are her likes and dislikes? Next week is close, so I need to learn them now.”

He let out a small laugh, shaking his head at my intensity. “Relax. All you need to do is act natural. She’ll like you. What’s not to like? I’ll tell you her favorite dish, but that will have to wait until you’re back from your meetings. You know the agreement: once we’re done talking about my past, you go to work. So get up and go have your bath.”

I let out a small growl, standing up and brushing my pajama top straight, though a small smile tugged at my lips despite my mock frustration. He was right, of course. I had to hold up my end of the deal.

But once I got back, I promised myself I would learn everything I could about his mother. I wanted her to see the lovely, thoughtful, and devoted fiancée she was about to have — a daughter-in-law worthy of her son. 

Every little detail, every preference, every small thing that would make her feel welcomed and understood, I wanted to know it all.