Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 861

The doctor’s smile was so precise it almost didn’t look real. Emmy had heard this explanation too many times already. Every single time, she had to dig deep for patience.

“Ma’am, like I said, you were very sick not long ago. Your body went through a lot, so your skin is a bit loose now. That’s all.” The doctor’s voice was calm, practiced. “Those little lines, they’re just from the illness too. Nothing to worry about.”

She offered a reassuring smile. “Give it two months. I promise, you’ll be back to your perfect shape. The marks will fade away.”

Emmy listened, but her frown only deepened. Sick? What kind of illness makes your stomach skin loose? And those faint, silvery stretch marks… She couldn’t shake the feeling that they looked more like the marks left behind after having a baby.

As soon as the thought appeared, she shut it down. No way. Anything else was possible, but having a child? That was out of the question.

At noon, Emmy took her usual nap on the terrace, stretched out on a lounge chair. The island was warm and breezy, but the sun was harsh. She never forgot to put on a thick coat of sunscreen.

When she woke, Dean was standing by her side, dressed down in casual clothes. “You’re up?” He reached out a hand, his smile easy. “Come on. I want to show you something.”

They headed out to the bay. A blue yacht skimmed across the water, leaving a trail of white foam. Emmy sat at the very front, the wind tossing her hair around her shoulders. She squinted into the sunlight.

“We’re going diving today,” Dean told her.

The water in the bay was deep and clear, so clear she could see bright fish darting below the surface. Dean helped her with her diving gear, adjusting every strap and buckle with careful hands.

Once they were set, they slipped into the water together. The coolness wrapped around Emmy, chasing away the heat of the day.

She’d gone deep diving before and even had a certification. But today, swimming down with Dean beside her, she felt strangely out of breath. Not long ago, she’d gone diving with the local kids, no equipment needed. She’d easily reached five meters and even caught lobsters for them. But now, fully geared up, she barely made it three meters before her chest felt tight. All she wanted was to swim straight back up.

Dean noticed right away. He swam over, using hand signals to check on her. “Are you okay? Is something wrong with the gear?”

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