Chapter 19 Rowan #3
I look up just in time to see her weaving through the garden guests toward the terrace steps. Her dark hair moves lightly in the breeze as she climbs the stairs. When she reaches the top step, she stops short, her eyes dropping immediately to my hand.
The diamond glints in the sunlight before I can hide it.
Her mouth falls open. “Oh. My. God.”
I laugh softly, lifting my hand. “It happened about thirty minutes ago.”
Her gaze snaps up to my face. “He proposed before the baby shower?”
“Yes.”
Lila lets out a startled laugh and presses both hands against her forehead as if trying to process the timing. “That man has the worst sense of scheduling I have ever witnessed.”
My shoulders lift in a quiet shrug. “He seemed confident in the decision.”
Lila leans closer, grabbing my hand and turning it to inspect the ring more carefully. “Confident is one word for it,” she murmurs, shaking her head while the diamond flashes in the sunlight.
“It’s beautiful,” she adds, her voice softening.
A warmth spreads quietly through my chest. “Thank you.”
Her expression softens then, the teasing fading as something more emotional takes its place. She squeezes my fingers gently. “You deserve this,” she says softly.
My throat tightens unexpectedly.
Lila clears her throat quickly, stepping back before either of us can get too sentimental.
“Alright,” she announces, clapping her hands together once. “No more emotional moments until after the gifts are opened.” She gestures toward the garden. “Your guests are waiting.”
I follow her down the terrace steps together, the soft gravel crunching beneath our shoes as we move toward the center lawn.
The gathering is larger than I expected. A long table sits near the fountain, covered in pale linens and small floral arrangements. Wrapped gifts fill the center, stacked in colorful towers beneath ribbons and bows.
Mom stands near the table speaking animatedly with Ethan and Elyana, her hands moving expressively as she describes something that clearly involves at least three dramatic plot twists. When she sees me, her face lights up immediately.
“There she is!”
Before I can react, she crosses the garden quickly and wraps her arms around me in a careful hug.
“You look radiant,” she declares warmly.
Ethan steps forward beside her with a gentle smile.
“Congratulations,” he adds, nodding toward the ring.
I follow his gaze and laugh softly. “I suppose the ring gave it away.”
Mom smiles, her eyes lingering on the diamond. “That would do it.”
Elyana leans closer, her gaze bright with excitement as she takes my hand for a better look. “It’s beautiful, Rowan.”
“Apparently subtlety was never part of the plan,” I reply.
The conversation flows naturally from there.
Guests move through the garden, carrying trays of food and glasses of sparkling lemonade, as the warm afternoon sun filters through the leaves of the trees overhead. For the first time in months, the estate feels less like a fortress and more like a home.
Lila steers me toward one of the chairs near the gift table. “Sit,” she orders.
“I’m pregnant, not fragile.”
“Yes,” she replies immediately. “But you are the guest of honor, which means you follow the rules.”
I lower myself into the chair with a quiet laugh. From this angle, I can see nearly the entire garden.
Children from Kiren’s family and the families of the men who stand closest to him run along the far edge of the lawn, chasing one another near the stone path. Guests mingle beneath the trees, their voices blending into a steady hum of conversation.
Then I notice them standing along the far side of the garden near the edge of the terrace. Mikel, Polina, Karp, and Leo. They remain slightly removed from the celebration, positioned where they can observe the entire property without drawing attention to themselves.
Mikel’s arms rest loosely across his chest as he watches the gathering with quiet focus.
Polina stands beside him, speaking softly while her eyes occasionally scan the surrounding grounds.
Karp leans against the railing with one foot crossed casually over the other, though the alert tension in his posture reveals he’s far from relaxed.
Leo stands closest to the steps leading back toward the house, his attention moving easily between the guests and the perimeter beyond the garden walls.
Guardians, even during a celebration. I find their presence strangely comforting. They are no longer just soldiers in Kiren’s organization. They are part of this life now, part of the family.
Lila places a wrapped box into my hands. “First gift,” she announces dramatically.
Guests gather closer around the table as I begin opening the first package. Inside are soft blankets, tiny clothes, books, and a small stuffed bear that Mom insists will become the baby’s favorite toy. Each gift is met with laughter and warm applause.
The world feels wonderfully ordinary. The sun glides lower across the sky while the celebration continues around us, laughter and conversation blending softly in the warm afternoon air.
Then, movement across the garden catches my attention.
Near the far terrace, Kiren stands with several of his men at the edge of the property, speaking quietly while his gaze occasionally turns toward the house.
Even from this distance, his presence anchors the entire space, a quiet force of power, control, and protection.
After a moment, his eyes lift and find mine across the garden. The noise around me fades as the laughter and conversation blur into the background, leaving only the quiet connection between us. A small smile touches his mouth, and my fingers move instinctively to the ring resting on my hand.
The afternoon sun dips lower as the baby shower slowly winds down, its golden light spreading across the estate gardens and warming the stone paths beneath my feet.
The white tents Lila arranged earlier in the day glow softly in the fading light, their ribbons stirring with each gentle breeze across the lawn.
The laughter that filled the garden hours ago has softened now into smaller conversations as guests linger near the fountain and along the terrace railings, finishing drinks and sharing quiet stories.
At the same time, the last of the food disappears from the long tables.
I remain seated beneath the shade of the large oak tree near the center of the lawn, one hand resting lightly across my stomach as I watch the movement around me.
My body feels heavier than it did earlier in the afternoon, not uncomfortable but slower, every motion reminding me that my life is now shared with someone else’s.
Beneath my palm, the baby moves gently, a small flutter that makes my breath hitch in surprise even though I’ve felt it before.
“There you are again,” I whisper, my thumb brushing across the fabric of my dress as the movement fades.
The chair beside me creaks as Lila lowers herself down with a satisfied sigh, stretching her legs out in front of her and surveying the garden with clear approval.
“Well,” she announces, glancing across the lawn, “I’d consider that a successful operation.”
I turn toward her, amused. “Operation?”
She gestures loosely toward the tables still scattered with ribbons, wrapping paper, and empty plates.
“Food consumed. Gifts opened. No one fainted from excitement. No medical emergencies.” Her eyes slide briefly toward my stomach before returning to my face.
“Which, considering the guest list included two doctors and a pregnant woman, is impressive.”
A laugh escapes me, warm and easy. “I appreciate the confidence.”
Lila studies me, her expression softening as she leans her shoulder lightly against mine. “You look happy,” she observes quietly.
I glance out across the garden again, taking in the view I’m still not entirely used to calling home. The estate grounds glow beneath the warm evening light as staff gather near the house, gathering plates and decorations. Mom and Ethan stand beside the fountain, deep in animated conversation.
“I am,” I answer finally.
“Good,” she replies, the single word filled with more emotion than volume. After a moment, she pushes herself to her feet, brushing her hands along the skirt of her dress. “I should probably help them clean up before Marian decides to reorganize the kitchen.”
That image makes me laugh again. “Good luck,” I offer.
She flashes a quick grin before heading back toward the terrace where the rest of the guests have gathered, leaving me alone beneath the tree with the fading warmth of the afternoon sun and the quiet hum of the estate settling around me.
My hand moves slowly across the curve of my stomach again, and the baby answers with another gentle movement beneath my palm, a quiet reminder of everything that survived those months.
Kiren approaches slowly. When he reaches the shade of the oak tree, he pauses in front of me, his eyes studying my face the same way they did earlier in the bedroom.
His gaze drops again to my stomach. “Everything alright?”
I nod, reaching for his hand. “Everything is perfect.”
He lowers himself into the chair next to mine, his arm resting lightly along the back of it while his free hand moves gently over mine, where it rests across my stomach. The baby moves again beneath our joined hands, and his fingers still instantly as he feels the movement.
His eyes lift to mine. “That happens often now?” he asks quietly.
“More every week.”
Something changes in his expression then. Not fear or uncertainty, but something deeper. Responsibility. Hope.
Kiren’s hand tightens around mine.
“The house feels different now,” I murmur.
His gaze moves slowly across the grounds. “Yes.”
I follow his eyes across the estate that once held danger at every turn. Now the same space holds laughter, family, and the promise of a future we fought to protect.
Kiren’s thumb brushes slowly across the back of my hand.
The baby stirs again beneath my palm as we sit there together watching the last light of the day fade across the gardens.
And for the first time since everything began, the quiet surrounding us feels permanent.
Not the calm before another storm, but the peace that comes after it.