45. Ethan

forty-five

One Month Later

“I’ve been looking for you.”

I turned to see James standing beside me. When did he enter?

He rolled his eyes. “Don”t give me that face. You were obviously too deep in your thoughts.”

I shook my head. “I just… needed a break from the…”

“From the anxiety building downstairs?”

A sigh followed my nod.

“I’m not the one proposing and I can feel it too,” he spoke.

I breathed. It wasn’t the anxiety that really bothered me. It was the pinch of nervousness in my head.

“Do you remember when I wanted to propose to Rachael?”

I nodded. The memories were fresh in my head. “I couldn’t get you to sit still.”

He nodded. “But here you are, standing strong.”

A wave of silence settled between us.

I wouldn’t lie, my relationship with James hadn”t gotten back to normal yet but like everything in my life, it was improving.

It had been one month since I got her back.

Shortly after she told me about our baby, she agreed to return with me to New York, and since then it had been a joy ride for every one of us— me, Evie, and Sophie.

I woke up in the morning to her warmth. I looked forward to coming home at night and I never… never let anything other than family consume a healthy amount of my time.

My growth journey was also another astonishing thing I’d accomplished. Somehow what I struggled to do with Olivia, came easy with Evie. I never struggled to balance my time.

I was convinced that all it took was the right person. All it took to kickstart my growth had been Evie.

I wasn”t there yet. I probably wasn”t even halfway there yet. But I was happy that I was finally becoming a better man for myself— and the man Evie deserved.

“Thank you.” James’s voice was a low whisper. If I hadn”t listened closely, I’d have thought I imagined it.

He saw the surprised expression on my face.

“I never thought I”d say this, but thank you for bringing my daughter happiness.”

I was plunged to recall his words when I told him I wanted to propose to his daughter. He’d looked me in the eyes and said, “I’m not going to stop a love story, Ethan. You have my go-ahead.”

He wrapped his arms around me in a hug, slapping my back firmly.

“We both know what Evie’s answer will be. She loves you. Rest your nerves, buddy. Everything will work out fine.”

He pulled back with a smile. There was something about James’s smile, when he smiled— genuinely— it was contagious.

I couldn”t help my smile. When he was out the door, my smile grew even wider.

Along the line on my journey for success, it had always seemed like a one-for-one. Success in exchange for an important aspect of your life. You couldn”t just have it all.

But me, I could proudly say I had it all— Evie brought it all.

I had a loving girlfriend—well soon-to-be wife, and a baby on the way and Sophie’s improvement was consistently a quantum leap. I was satisfied.

I checked my wristwatch and saw that it was almost time; instead of the opposite, my nervousness simmered away.

With a smile, I headed out. I could see them all as I descended the stairs. Mother, Gwendolyn, Henry, James, Joseph, Virginia, and my daughter.

“Places everyone!” James boomed, rushing to a corner of the living room. The others scampered to their pre-planned position.

It was time.

My steps were swift as I moved to obey James”s order.

Emma had brought up the whole idea and given everyone their roles.

As the man of the moment, my position was in the center of the living room, amidst the heart-shaped rose petals that trailed from the main entrance.

“Turn off the main lights,” Gwendolyn whispered softly.

A few seconds after the lights went off, the door opened. I fixed my attention to it.

My breath hitched in my throat, my heart fluttering insanely at the sight before me. Even in the dim light, I could see that she looked so beautiful in her red dress.

She also looked surprised.

Good job, Emma.

My eyes took in the strapless red dress she had on. It had a low neck which gave room for me to get a glimpse of her ample bosom. A glimpse was enough to send my senses reeling.

Slowly, my eyes moved downwards, resting on her stomach. There was no bump yet but it made me feel warm to know she was growing a life inside of her. Our child.

Her eyes trained on me as she took slow, surprised steps towards me.

I finally allowed myself to take a good look at her face. She was absolutely beautiful.

Red lips, blushed-up cheeks, and her hair falling in waves were all the makeup she had on. It took everything in me to stay rooted to the spot, but I did.

Why rush when I already had her for a lifetime?

“Go on in.” I heard Emma urge her gently.

Her steps became even more tentative. Suddenly, the lights flickered on. And her eyes widened when she saw me.

“Surprise!” Everybody yelled.

She brought both hands to her mouth in surprise, glancing at every one in the room. This moment was a treasure. Everything about it was. Her surprised eyes mixed with her beautiful smile… her red dress that matched the petals on the floor. I made sure to capture the moment.

Then holding her gaze, I dropped to one knee.

“I used to think there was nothing more to life than an endless list of achievements and high-ranking success. I used to see the world in black and white until you came into my life,” I started.

“I thought Sophie was the only one who needed help until you showed me otherwise. You showed me that it was okay to be flawed. You showed me that even a flawed man deserved love.”

“You showed me the true meaning of sacrifice. You brought light back into my home and into my life.” I paused when she sniffed. The tears were pouring down her face.

“You helped my daughter find her spark again while also unconsciously teaching me what the real meaning of love was. And when you left, I realized a world without you in it would make no sense to me.”

I kept my eyes unwavering on her face as I dug my hand into my pocket.

“I do not want such a world, Evie. We do not want such a world.” Sophie appeared beside me before I brought out the box, opening it to reveal a round, five-carat diamond ring.

She smiled through her tears, her orbs flitting to Sophie before holding my gaze as I continued.

“Evie Norman, will you look past my mistakes and give me a chance to love and cherish you for the rest of my life?”

“Yes,” she sobbed without hesitation. “Yes, I will!”

***

Two Months Later

When I was young, I used to watch movies where the bride finally got married to her Mr. Perfect. I also used to wonder why they cried so much. But now I understood them.

Excitement tickled my body as I struggled to remain seated. It was finally happening. The big day was finally here.

Tears started to gather in my eyes as the thought sank in. So did the nervousness.

Gosh. Not now.

“Where”s the tissue box?” Emma spoke from beside me, drawing my attention to her.

“Take this and wipe those tears off your face.” She spoke sternly, handing me a tissue.

“You”re going to ruin your makeup, Evie.”

She was right. She’d done the makeup and it had taken hours. I collected the tissue and gently dabbed the tears off.

Emma laid a hand gently on my shoulder before handing me a mirror.

“You look beautiful, Evie.” She trailed off with a smile. I did look beautiful. Rather than a makeover, she enhanced my features.

“I know you”re nervous and it”s normal, but girl, you”re in an expensive white dress that could buy my whole family. Own the shit girl. You”re a fucking billionaire’s wife now.”

I nodded. “I am a fucking billionaire’s wife.”

Oddly, saying it eased my nervousness— something Gwen, and Mrs. Thorne had tried to do. They were here a while ago but decided to give Emma and I some privacy.

We both giggled softly before relenting into the silence. I glanced at my friend again.

“Thank you, Emma,” I whispered back, my voice hoarse with emotion.

“Thank you for everything and for being my friend.”

She placed her hand gently on my cheek. “It is my absolute pleasure. Thank you for being my friend too, Evie.”

She blinked back tears as she leaned forward to throw her arms around me. My heart felt so full I was scared it would explode.

Wedding had always been my fantasy growing up. And this was exactly how I”d dreamt of it.

A perfect day with my loved ones as I took a step towards my happily ever after.

When she pulled back, she glanced at the time and gasped.

I held my breath as Emma picked up the veil. She flashed me a smile before placing it gently on my head.

“Let”s go meet your prince charming.”

I rubbed my little bump before obeying.

As soon as we walked out of the room, I saw Dad, standing in the hallway.

“Thank you, Emma.” He acknowledged Emma who beamed at him as he took my hand in his arm and started to walk towards the wedding hall.

“You look very handsome, Dad.” I managed to say, ignoring the crack in my voice.

His eyes moved to mine, and I noticed they were red. Had he been crying?

Dad lifted my hand and planted a kiss on it. “You look very beautiful, my angel.”

He gave me a wink and leaned sideways to gently kiss my forehead.

“If your mother was here, she’d say the same. You’re a woman with incredible strength, and I”m proud of you, Evie. I know your mom is too.”

I blinked, fighting back the tears.

God, why was everything making me cry?

The hallway led outside, and we were now standing in front of the doors.

The nervousness slowly seeped in again.

I barely had time to prep myself when the doors were pushed open by two men dressed in black suits. They gave us a small bow before ushering us in.

The first thing I soaked in was the beauty of the hall. Accompanied by soft light and melodies, crystal chandeliers twinkled down the path I started to tread. White roses snaked across the ceiling. The pillars were snaked in white roses and other green decorative flowers.

This was just how I wanted it, simple yet elegant.

I took in the few people present. Mrs. Thorne, Henry, Gwendolyn, Joseph, Virginia, and of course, Sophie. The rest were unfamiliar faces— unfamiliar but happy faces.

Each pair of eyes that stared back at me was filled with love and happiness.

Releasing a deep breath, I focused my attention on the only person that mattered right now.

Slowly every other thing dissolved, including the nervousness.

Ethan Thorne, clad in a three-piece designer suit, was the only man who had this effect on me.

His eyes followed every movement I made as I continued toward him. The smile on his face was one in a million. It was different from the other times he smiled.

Even from here, I could see the corner of his eyes crinkling beautifully. His sharp jaws were well defined and his eyes so bright they could light up a million candles.

This was the man I loved.

We got to him, and Dad handed me over to Ethan. Something about the act caused tears to well up in my eyes again. Dad took his seat, and I was left with Ethan.

He gave me a reassuring smile, rubbing my hand soothingly.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Ethan Thorne and his love, Evie Norman.”

The priest”s voice rose in the hall. My heart fluttered. This was all real, my beautiful reality.

“You may say your vows.”

He started.

“Evie, from the moment we met, I was awestruck by your beauty.”

A blush quickly stained my cheeks at his confession.

“You had… have the innocence of an angel but the strength of a fighter. That was what drew me to you.” He inhaled–again.

“Your kindness is a beacon that has helped me find myself. It’s a light that surpasses every darkness. Even when I was a terrible person you stayed. When I had no love to give, you stayed and taught me the true meaning of love. In such a short time, you have become my world, and I would have it no other way.”

“You are the missing piece I never knew I needed, and I vow to cherish you, to support you, and to love you unconditionally for as long as long as I have breath.”

Applause erupted from the crowd as I struggled to hold back my tears. The smile on his face made it a lot harder to hold the tears back.

It was my turn.

“Ethan, I didn”t believe in the narcissistic nature of wealthy men until I met you.” I began softly, causing everyone to burst into laughter, Ethan included.

“But I also didn”t believe I could find love in the oddest places,” I smiled.

“When I first arrived at your mansion, my sole aim was to help Sophie, but each day I saw you, my heart fluttered. It wasn’t long before I realized it was love.” My voice turned raw with emotions.

“I wouldn’t trade the moments we spent together for anything, and I want you to know that our journey…everything that led us here, has made me a better person.”

“I’m forever grateful for the day I met you and how far we’ve come. I promise to love you and our baby... and to build a happy life together with you and Sophie for as long as eternity stands.”

A tear rolled down my cheeks, a small smile playing on my lips.

“Those are beautiful vows,” the priest continued.

He glanced at Ethan. “Do you, Ethan, take Evie to be your wife, from this day forward, until death do you part?”

Ethan stared straight into my eyes and spoke a resounding, ‘I do,’ filled with all the love I could see in his eyes.

“And do you, Evie, take Ethan to be your husband for as long as you shall live?”

“I do.”

“Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now seal the vow with a kiss.”

He wasted no time in pulling me for a sweet, long kiss that made the crowd erupt in coos.

When I pulled back, I saw Sophie beside Ethan, presenting a ring.

She was in a pink spaghetti-strap gown, her hair pulled into a pigtail with the hair clip I’d gifted her resting on one side of her head. She looked beautiful.

My heart warmed as she glanced between the two of us and shot me a small smile.

Ethan held my hand softly before carefully inserting the large, round-cut diamond ring onto my finger.

My bridesmaid, Emma, presented me with Ethan’s ring. I carefully inserted the small diamond ring on his finger.

“You look even more beautiful now that you’re mine,” he smiled.

I smiled.

“And you look even more handsome now that you’re mine.”

This was a dream come true… He was my dream come true.

***

Five Months Later

“Mommy, Daddy is cheating!” Sophie cried out as she rushed to throw her arms around me.

She had been playing a game with Ethan for a couple of minutes, I wondered why Ethan would cheat.

It had been about five months since the wedding. Things had been going even better. Sophie had resumed school. She was now very vocal…and had long accepted me as her mother.

I smiled when I recalled the first time she called me her mother. It had come as a surprise. I never expected it. And even now, each time she called me that, there was a pleasurable tug in my stomach.

Slowly, I got up from the couch where I’d been watching a TV series, eating dark chocolate, and locked hands with her.

Don”t judge me, this wasn”t my usual thing, but it became so after I took maternity leave at my new place of volunteering. It was a school.

At first, Ethan didn”t want me there. He said it was in mine and the baby’s best interest if we stayed at home, but I insisted. So basically, I was just enjoying a little pregnancy leave until the time I”d pop off.

Sophie tightened her small hands in mine. I was suddenly aware of the task at hand, we were going to confront Daddy.

“My baby said you”re cheating. Is that true?” I inquired when I got to the playroom— with feigned anger.

Ethan’s voice dropped low, eyes lingering on my chest before settling on my huge bump.

“And what if I was?” He rasped, his voice sending a rumble through my core.

I swear he did it on purpose. Leveraging on how horny I usually was, he deliberately did things like this to make me… ugh.

What game were they playing anyway? When I saw the balls scattered around, I knew it was a game of shapes or numbers.

Ethan stuck his tongue out, and Sophie giggled. I shook my head with a small giggle.

“Do you have proof?” Ethan continued playfully but his eyes held something else.

I didn”t miss how he deliberately over-flexed his muscles when he reached forward to grab a squealing Sophie. He was wearing a tank top, best believe those muscles flexed deliciously.

I suddenly missed him… his dick, but he wouldn”t let me have it.

And even if he did, it wasn”t as frequent as how I wanted it.

It was always you”re near your due date, we should be careful. Or, I”m worried about the baby.

I rolled my eyes when he teased. “Is something the matter, Mommy?”

I groaned in irritation and need. I wanted him buried deep within me.

“The only thing is why Sophie’s complaining that you”re cheating.”

His voice turned jagged. “I”m not. We’re playing pick the ball. I obviously can pick more balls than her.”

Slowly he pried his eyes off my chest before turning to Sophie who was busy picking balls.

“And what did Mommy say she would do to me?”

A dangerous sparkle glinted in his eyes when he returned them to me. I drowned out Sophie’s rant.

Our stare was heated and lasted a while when he turned to Sophie and abruptly picked her up.

I didn”t hear what she said.

As I watched my husband play with our daughter, I lightly rubbed my belly. My frustration slowly turned into admiration.

I was in the midst of an answered prayer. I was living the life I”d always wanted to have.

This was the life I had dreamt of. A loving husband, a beautiful daughter and a baby who was…kicking?

I bent over as pain shot up my stomach, sending shivers down my spine.

“Are you okay?” Ethan rushed to me in an instant, playfulness replaced with concern.

I relaxed into his arms as another jolt of pain rocked my body.

“Is it the baby?”

All I could do was respond with a nod as a wave of pain crashed my tummy.

He yelled for Lewis. Ethan placed my arm over his shoulder as he gently guided me toward the door. I could vaguely see Virginia and Joseph rush out from wherever they’d been. Virginia held Sophie.

The contractions kept getting stronger as the car raced wildly to the hospital.

I was in pain and desperately needed something to cling to. When my hands found Ethan’s hands, I squeezed hard.

I felt my body being transferred onto a stretcher. Ethan followed me into the delivery room. Pain yanked my pussy as I felt myself being transferred again.

The noises around me blurred, but I could hear a push. I obeyed and pushed with all my strength. I didn”t think that was enough. I pushed again and again until my breath felt heavy, and my whole body was plunged into exhaustion.

Ethan stayed by my side, whispering words I couldn”t hear but I kept pushing until a final, deadly wave wracked my body. I allowed myself to revel in the darkness for a while until I heard a sound.

The sound every expecting mother wanted to hear. I let the tears roll down my cheeks as I forced my eyes open to see the most beautiful baby I”d ever seen.

“Congratulations, Mrs. Thorne, it’s a beautiful baby boy.”

The nurses cheered at the doctor”s announcement, and I felt my heart fill with love as he placed the tiny human on my chest.

With blue eyes and dark hair, I could tell he was going to look just like his father.

When I turned to Ethan, I saw tears in his eyes. It tugged at my heartstrings. I”d never seen him in tears.

He watched the baby in my arms before slowly moving to hold him.

“He looks just like me,” he whispered.

“He does.” I felt my own tears wet my cheeks too. But I didn”t dare take my eyes off the both of them.

My world… no, half of it. Sophie was the other half.

I breathed.

God, it all felt perfect like this.

His loving stare and our baby in his arms.

When he looked back at me again, he had the widest smile ever.

“You don”t know how much joy you”ve brought me.” He took slow strides until he got to me.

Slowly he leaned down to place a lingering kiss on my forehead.

“You”ve given me a piece of heaven, Evie. Thank you.”