28. Theo
28
THEO
I t’s funny how things change.
A few months ago, I would’ve told you that starting a family wasn’t even on my radar. Not that I didn’t want it. I just didn’t think it was possible for me.
The life I lived was too unstable, and too unpredictable. Too lonely, even.
My career was the kind of thing that didn’t leave room for much else. Relationships were fleeting; commitment was something I wasn’t sure I even knew how to handle.
But then Grace came into my life. And in the blink of an eye, everything shifted.
Sitting here now, in this quiet little spot in the heart of London, I can feel the weight of those changes.
We’re sitting in a small bistro tucked away down an alley, the kind of place most people would walk right past without noticing.
But it’s perfect. It’s everything we need right now—quiet, cozy, intimate.
We’re celebrating nothing and everything all at once.
“I’ve been thinking,” she says.
She’s stirring her coffee, the soft clink of the spoon against the mug echoing in the air. Her eyes are focused on the swirling cream, but I know she’s thinking about something much deeper.
“About what?” I ask, leaning back in my chair, watching her.
She finally looks up at me.
“Do you ever think about kids, Theo?”
The question hits me like a jolt of electricity. My stomach tightens, and my thoughts scatter.
I wasn’t expecting that.
Kids?
But I look at Grace, and I see it so clearly. I see her as a mother, strong and nurturing, the kind of woman who would make the world feel safe for a child. And I can picture us, a family.
“I don’t know,” I say, my voice low and thoughtful. “I never really thought about it before. But now…” I trail off, unsure of how to finish the thought.
She smiles softly, her lips curling into that knowing, patient smile of hers.
“I know. I don’t want to rush anything. But sometimes, I wonder what it would be like. To have a family, to have kids together.”
The idea is foreign to me. Yet, when I look at Grace, when I think about us, about everything we’ve built, it doesn’t seem so impossible. In fact, it feels right.
“I never thought I could have that kind of life,” I admit. “I didn’t think it was even a possibility for me.”
She squeezes my hand back, her eyes searching mine. “Why?”
“Because of everything,” I say. “The job, the constant moving, the lack of stability. It always felt like I was running from one thing to the next, never really able to settle down.”
“I get that. But maybe... maybe we could build something different. Together.”
“I don’t know what the future holds, Grace,” I say. “But I’d love to have that with you—kids, a family. With you... it doesn’t seem so impossible anymore.”
Her face softens, and she reaches out to touch my cheek, her fingers brushing over the stubble. “Theo, you make everything seem possible.”
“I’d be fine if you wanted to go back to the villa and start trying now,” I tell her as I tug her chair closer to me.
She throws her head back and laughs before giving me a mischievous grin.
“Maybe I should have waited to broach this subject until I wasn’t on my period,” she sighs. “Because I want to try immediately, too.”
“We have all the time in the world to try, baby,” I tell her as I kiss the top of her head.
I’ve been scouting locations for a new movie set, looking for the perfect place to capture a pivotal scene. But I don’t tell Grace where we’re going.
I want it to be a surprise, a moment where we can experience something new together.
I pick her up in the late afternoon, the city bustling around us. We drive for about an hour, and then I take a turn down a narrow lane.
“Where are we going?” she asks.
“You’ll see,” I say, glancing at her with a smile.
We drive through winding streets, the landscape shifting from urban sprawl to something more picturesque.
The city’s noise fades into the background as we get further away from the heart of London, the streets becoming quieter, more peaceful.
After a while, we arrive at a small village. It’s tucked away in a valley, surrounded by lush green hills. The cottages here are old and charming, with ivy climbing up their stone walls and flowers blooming in every window.
It’s the kind of place that feels like it’s been plucked straight out of a storybook. It’s very similar to the village we’re in now, but far enough away that if it gets leaked where we’re filming, Andrew won’t be able to find us.
“This is… beautiful,” Grace says, her voice filled with awe as she looks around.
“I thought you’d like it,” I reply, grinning at her.
We park the car near a quaint little inn, a charming stone building with a thatched roof and hanging flower baskets—the kind of place you’d expect to find in a fairytale.
A cobbled path leads up to the entrance, and I take Grace’s hand, leading her toward the door.
“This place is unreal. It’s like a movie set.”
“Funny you say that,” I tease.
The innkeeper greets us with a warm smile and leads us to a small, private suite at the top of the stairs.
The room is even more perfect than I imagined—soft, golden light filtering through the windows, casting a warm glow on the walls.
There’s a four-poster bed draped in soft linens and a fireplace crackling with a cozy fire.
I watch Grace’s reaction as she takes it all in. Her eyes sparkle, and she’s practically glowing with excitement.
“This is incredible,” she says, turning to face me. “How did you find this place?”
“I have my ways,” I say with a wink, pulling her gently toward me. “I wanted to do something special for us.”
Her eyes soften, and she wraps her arms around my neck, pressing her forehead to mine. “You always know how to surprise me.”
“I’m glad you like it,” I whisper, my voice low and warm. “I thought we could just… get away for a little while. No distractions. Just us.”
She smiles, her lips brushing against mine as she kisses me softly. “Isn’t that what the villa is all about?”
“Yes, but variety is the spice of life or whatever it is they say, right?” I chuckle. “I will never stop surprising you or doing things for you just because I can.”
“I’m not complaining. I love this. I’m so grateful for all the ways that you show me you love me.”
We spend the evening strolling through the village, hand in hand, wandering down cobbled streets lined with old shops and cafes.
The air is crisp, and the sky is painted with the colors of sunset. Everything about this place feels timeless.
We sit at a small table outside a café, enjoying the quiet and the beauty of the surroundings. The conversation shifts, light and easy, until we find ourselves talking about our future again.
“You know,” Grace says, her voice soft but serious.
“This makes me realize that the villa is the place we could settle down in.
Not just for vacations, but... for real.
Somewhere peaceful.
Somewhere we could raise a family.”
“I like that idea,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “I’m glad you’ve finally came around.”
She smiles.
“You’re good at showing me the way,” she laughs.
“I guess I felt like I was forcing you to do something you didn’t want to do because of my fear, but honestly, I realize that’s not the case.
We’re both private people anyway, so it just makes sense to be somewhere that allows that.
I don’t want our children to grow up in the limelight, you know?”
“I do know. I feel the same way.
The people in the village and our staff will make sure we’re all protected.
It’s the best place for us, rather than living full-time in the fort I made back home.”
“The fort,” she snorts. “That’s accurate, but I do love that home, too.”
“The best part about being a billionaire is that we can have many homes, my love.”
She chuckles and nods.
We sip our wine, the world around us fading into the background as I realize that this—right here, with Grace—is everything I’ve ever wanted.