Chapter 14 #2
Still, he lingered, his gaze searching hers as if he could somehow see through the brave face she was putting on. Finally, with a reluctant sigh, he kissed her forehead. “Call me if you need anything.”
She promised she would, and then he was gone, the echo of the closing door leaving a strange hollowness in its wake.
She exhaled, settling deeper into the cushions. She could do this. It was just a few hours alone. No big deal.
Except that the quiet today felt heavier than she expected. The office was at the other end of the mansion, but it made her feel he was in another city.
She scrolled through her phone mindlessly, flipping through articles on pregnancy, reading and re-reading the same sentences without retaining a word. Her mind kept drifting—wondering if he’d made it to his meeting on time, wondering if he was distracted thinking about her.
And then, the first flutter.
Her breath hitched. It was faint, barely there, but unmistakable.
A tiny movement.
She stilled, pressing a hand to her stomach, holding her breath, waiting—
There. Again.
It was the strangest, most incredible sensation, like a whisper inside her, a reminder that she wasn’t alone, that their child was growing, thriving.
Tears burned the back of her eyes.
She needed to tell him. Now.
Grabbing her phone, she dialed before she could second-guess herself. He answered on the second ring. “Baby?”
She barely registered the noise in the background—voices on the Zoom call, office chatter wherever they were. “Please come to me.”
He must have heard something in her voice because he didn’t hesitate. “I’m on my way.”
The large door of his office burst open, and there he was, still in his suit, his tie loosened like he hadn’t even waited to fix it before getting on his call.
“What happened?” he asked, breathless. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, her throat tight with emotion. “I felt the baby move.”
The tension in his shoulders eased, replaced by something softer, something awed. “You did?”
She grabbed his hand, pressing it to her belly. “Right here. It was just a little flutter, but—”
And then, as if on cue, another tiny movement.
His eyes widened. “Was that—?”
She laughed through the tears spilling down her cheeks. “Yes.”
He exhaled a shaky breath, his hand splaying wider across her stomach as if trying to feel more, to memorize every detail of this moment. “That’s our baby.”
Her heart swelled. “Yeah. It is.”
He pulled her into his arms, holding her close, his lips pressing into her hair. “I’m never missing another moment like this again.”
She knew it was impossible—life would keep pulling him in a thousand different directions. But standing there, wrapped in his embrace, she believed him. Because no matter how busy he was, no matter how much his world demanded of him, he would always find his way back to her.
And to their baby.
Together, they’d figure it out.
The rest of the evening was quiet, filled with an unspoken reverence for what had just happened. She had felt their baby move for the first time, and he had been there to share it with her. It was a moment she would carry with her forever, etched into her heart like a promise.
After dinner, they found themselves curled up on the couch, her body nestled against his, his arm draped protectively over her waist. His fingers absently traced slow, soothing circles over her belly, as if hoping to feel another tiny flutter.
“I still can’t believe it,” he murmured, his breath warm against her hair. “That was our baby moving.”
She smiled, resting her head against his chest. “I know. It makes everything feel so much more real.”
“It is real.” His voice was full of something deep, something reverent. He tilted her chin up so she could see the conviction in his eyes. “You, me, Leo, and this little one—we’re a family.”
A warmth spread through her, soft and encompassing. She had spent so much time worrying about how this pregnancy would change things, but she wasn’t scared at that moment. She felt safe. Loved.
“I never thought I’d have this,” she admitted quietly. “Not just the baby, but… you. Us. A home.”
His expression softened, and he pulled her closer. “You’re everything I never knew I needed. And now that I have you, I’m never letting go.”
She swallowed hard, overcome with emotion. He always knew the right thing to say and how to make her feel like the most cherished woman in the world.
“I don’t ever want you to feel alone in this,” he continued. “I know I get pulled in a thousand directions, but you and our baby—you’re my priority. Always.”
She reached up, cupping his cheek. “I know. And I’m not alone. You’ve already done more for me than I could have ever imagined.”
He exhaled, pressing a kiss to her forehead before shifting to press one to her lips—soft, slow, and full of unspoken promises. “We’re going to be okay,” he murmured against her mouth. “Better than okay.”
She nodded, believing him. Because in his arms, she felt it—certainty, peace, a love so deep it settled into her very soul.
As the night stretched on, they stayed wrapped in each other, talking quietly about the future—the nursery, baby names, the life they were building together. Every word felt like another piece falling into place, another layer of the foundation they were creating.
Eventually, as exhaustion crept in, he gathered her up in his arms and carried her to bed, tucking her beneath the blankets before sliding in beside her. He pulled her close, his hand resting protectively over her stomach.
“I love you,” he whispered.
She smiled, threading her fingers through his. “I love you too.”
And as she drifted off to sleep, safe in his embrace, she knew with absolute certainty—this was where she was meant to be. With him. With their baby. With the life they were creating together.
No fears. No doubts.
Just love.