Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Willa
“I have a bump!” I said, placing my hand on my belly.
“Huh?” Damien sleepily rolled over and shut off the alarm.
I grabbed his hand and placed it on my belly. He rolled over with a smile, his hand still resting on my belly.
“You popped overnight.”
I threw back the covers and climbed out of bed, pacing back and forth across the bedroom.
“This is real. It’s really real,” I said.
“Yes, sweetheart. It is real. We’ve seen the baby and heard its heartbeat. It can’t get any more real than that.”
“I know that, Damien. But, I have a belly—a baby belly. Evidence that a tiny human is growing inside me.”
“And seeing the baby and hearing the heartbeat didn’t convince you?” His brows furrowed because he wasn’t understanding me.
I placed my hand on my belly and moved it in a circular motion. “Last week, I looked bloated, like I ate too much pasta. But this week—this is evidence right here.”
“Willa, I’ve always known it’s been real.” He smirked. “From the second the doctor walked into the hospital room and told us.”
“Not like this,” I said, climbing on the bed and facing him. “Yesterday, I was just regular Willa who happened to be pregnant. Today, I’m actually a pregnant person. People will look at me and know. Strangers will want to touch me. My body just isn’t mine anymore.”
“It hasn’t been. It’s been my body too.” He grinned.
“I’m serious.” I slapped his chest.
“Come here.” He wrapped his arms around me. “I sense a new box idea coming.”
* * *
One Month Later
From Bachelorhood to Fatherhood. Financial Mogul, Damien Blackwood, to Become a Father.
The headline on Page Six. I knew it would be today’s headline since Damien and I threw a party last night, announcing my pregnancy. Theodore and Lucy Vale were ecstatic, and Donna told me she’s already planning the baby shower.
Damien’s merger with Vale Holdings was finally finalized, and the deal was done. Both companies merged thanks to our brilliant acting skills. What started as an act turned into something so beautiful and real.
I stood in the middle of Curated Chaos. There was sure to be a lot of chaos surrounding the store’s remodeling. The door opened, and I saw Damien walk in with another man.
“Hi, sweetheart.” He kissed me. “I’d like you to meet Chase Greenfield. He’s your new accountant and will be handling the finances for the business.”
“Oh, I love your tie.” I grinned, touching it. “It’s so colorful!”
“Thank you. My wife picked it out.”
“Your wife has excellent taste.”
“I don’t want you in here,” Damien said.
“What? Why?” My brows furrowed.
“Because of all the dust. It’s not good for you or the baby. You must wear a mask if you want to come here while it’s being remodeled.”
“Yes, sir.” I saluted him.
“You’re funny.” He smiled, kissing me goodbye.
When I arrived home, I grabbed the mail and noticed a letter from my doctor’s office. It was the result of my genetic screening with the baby's gender. I couldn’t wait to find out, and I couldn’t wait for Damien to get home from work, so I climbed into a cab and headed to his office.
“Babe, what are you doing here?” He smiled. “I thought you went home.”
“I did. This was in the mail.” I smiled, holding up the white envelope.
“Is that what I think it is?” He grinned.
“It is, and I couldn’t wait for you to get home. So, I’m bringing it to you and we’ll open it together now.”
“Let’s do it.” He grabbed the letter opener from his desk and handed it to me. In one swipe, the envelope was open. I took out the folded piece of paper, and Damien and I read it together. “I knew it! I knew it all along!”
“I can’t believe it.” He grinned, wrapping his arms around me and spinning me around. He set me down, fell to his knees, and pressed his lips against my belly. “Hi, Daisy Blackwood. It’s your daddy.”
My fingers raked through his hair as tears sprang to my eyes. “Daisy?”
“It’s your favorite name, isn’t it?” He smiled. “Because it’s mine too.” He stood up and kissed me.
Walking over to the door, he flung it open and shouted to his staff. “IT’S A GIRL! WE’RE HAVING A GIRL!”
* * *
I was sitting in a café, drinking tea and eating a cranberry orange muffin, when I looked over and saw a young girl crying into her coffee.
“Are you okay?” I walked over and placed my hand on her back.
“I’m fine.” She sniffled.
“You don’t look like you’re fine.” I sat across from her. “I’m Willa Blackwood.”
“Grace Meadows.” She wiped her tears.
“What happened, Grace? That’s if you want to talk about it.”
“My boyfriend dumped me, and I got fired from my job—all on the same day.”
“Oh no. I’m sorry.” I could relate. “What kind of work did you do?”
“I was a sales associate at Saks. One of these snobby rich ass bitches made a very rude comment to me and I snapped. I was already having a bad day, and she pushed me over the edge.”
“What did she say to you?”
“She asked if I knew what a Birkin actually looked like, or if it was above my pay grade. I’ve put up with those elite bitches for two years. After I said a few choice words to her, my manager called me into his office and fired me. Now, he’s called all the other high-end department stores, and no one will hire me.”
“I feel that.” I reached over and placed my hand on hers. “I was a legal secretary and got fired for making one mistake. My boss thought it would be cute to spread that around to the other law firms in the city. I couldn’t find another job as a legal secretary since.”
“All I’m trying to do is put myself through college.”
“And what are you going to college for?”
“Marketing. I have no boyfriend, no job. Oh God, my life is falling apart.” She placed her face in her hands. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to?—”
“No. No. It’s okay. I believe this is fate.”
“Fate? What is fate?”
“Us meeting. You need a job, and I need a sales associate for my shop.”
I told her about Curated Chaos. She was excited, so I hired her on the spot. Tonight, I’d make a breakup box for her and give it to her tomorrow.
When the cab pulled up to our building, I climbed out and saw Damien standing outside, talking to a young man.
“You’re home.” He smiled. “Willa, I’d like you to meet Vince. Vince, this is my wife, Willa.”
“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.”
“Never call me ma’am.” I shook his hand. “Willa is fine.”
“Vince is your new driver,” Damien said.
“What?” My eyes widened.
“He’s your new driver, and this beauty is your new Escalade. I don’t want you riding in cabs or taking the subway anymore.”
“What about Louis?”
“He’s my driver.” Damien smirked. “And Vince is your driver. That way, you’ll always have someone to drive you and the baby around when I’m at work. He’ll also be your assistant and do anything you need him to do. Isn’t that right, Vince?” He placed his hand on his shoulder.
“That’s right.” Vince nodded.
“Okay then. Be here tomorrow morning at ten a.m. I have some shopping to do. I can already tell we’re going to be besties.” I hugged him.
“I’ll see you then, Willa.”
“He seems nice.” I smiled, hooking my arm around Damien’s as we walked into the building.
“He does. His references are excellent.”
“I hired someone today for the shop,” I said, stepping into the elevator.
“You did? Who?”
“Her name is Grace Meadows. I was having tea at a café and she was sitting at a nearby table crying into her coffee, so I walked over and asked if she was okay.”
The elevator door opened. Stepping into the foyer, I set my purse down.
“What was wrong with her?” Damien asked.
“Her boyfriend broke up with her, and she got fired from Saks on the same day. Poor girl. She was such a mess.”
“Why would you hire someone who got fired? I hope it wasn’t for stealing.”
“Damien.” My brows furrowed. “One of the elite snobs in this city was rude to her, and she’d had enough. So, she said something to her, and her boss fired her. I can relate to that. She’s just a girl who’s trying to put herself through college and needs a job. I need the help, so it’s a win-win for both of us.”
“I hope it works out.” He kissed my forehead. “Don’t forget we have that wedding on Saturday.”
“I haven’t forgotten. That’s why I need to go shopping tomorrow. I need a new dress to accommodate this.” I grinned, circling my hand over my expanding belly.