Raymond pulled the car over to the side of the road, his heart pounding in his chest. He turned to Cyprian, his expression a mixture of shock and sothing deeper, sothing unspoken.
"You’re serious?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Like serious serious?"
Cyprian nodded, her eyes shimring with unshed tears. "I wanted to tell you when I found out this morning, and later when I confird at the hospital because I didn’t want to get your hopes high for nothing, but with everything going on, I wasn’t sure when or how. But now felt... right."
Raymond reached out, his hand trembling slightly as he cupped her face. His thumb brushed her cheek, his gaze softening as the reality of her words sank in.
"We’re having a baby," he said, the words tasting foreign and wonderful on his tongue.
Cyprian smiled, a tear slipping down her cheek as she leaned into his touch. "Yes, we are."
Raymond pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as a thousand emotions crashed over him. Fear, joy, hope, all of it swirled together in an overwhelming wave.
"I won’t let anything happen to you," he murmured fiercely into her hair. "To either of you. And I won’t be leaving now. I won’t be getting out of your sight, not even when you have to use the bathroom. You trust , right?"
Cyprian clung to him, her heart full as a chuckle escaped her lips.
"I know, Ray. I know."
★★★
Ethan looked from Liam, to Noah, and finally to Mignon, all three of them crowded around Shikera and chattering away to her just like he had done earlier. As he watched them converse with each other while referring to Shikera every now and then, he realized once again that they were better at gathering gossip than he was.
"I’ll give you space," he said, rising to his feet as he slamd his laptop shut. "Will be with Kyle in the next room," he added, but received no reply from all three of them.
He wasn’t the least bit surprised by that, as that wasn’t the first ti such thing was happening in the past two months. His wife, though unconscious, still possessed the power to hold everyone’s attention in the room and let it go only when she wanted it.
Minutes later, he was stepping into the VIP room directly opposite Shikera’s, carrying two glasses and a bottle of fine scotch. Kyle smirked from his bed, eyeing the setup. "You’re here to mock , aren’t you? Drinking in front of soone who’s barely allowed to eat solid food?"
Ethan flashed him a thin smile, pouring himself a glass and setting the other one aside as he took a seat on the chair beside the bed. "Not quite. I actually need your help. You’re going to be my test subject on sothing."
Kyle raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Test subject for what? Don’t tell it’s one of the insane ideas you’ve been getting since you unofficially resigned as CEO two months ago."
"This one’s final. It’s a food brand," Ethan said, leaning back in his chair. "I’m starting sothing new... food Shikera used to love but made with healthy, farm-fresh ingredients. It won’t taste quite as indulgent, but it’ll be better for her and let’s say, people like you."
Kyle laughed lightly. "You’re planning to corner the market on a Kera-inspired health food? That’s... oddly touching."
Ethan’s smile was faint, but his determination was clear. "I’m not just doing it for her to find it touching. It’s sothing I’ve been thinking about for a while. Jordan said if she wakes up today, she’d be as healthy as I am, as her brother is. She wouldn’t need as much check ups as before, but her food hygiene is one thing that shouldn’t be found lacking. If I start taking care of it from now on, there won’t be a lot to worry about when she wakes up."
Kyle nodded, his expression softening. "I’ll be your guinea pig. But not for free. I need sothing in return."
"What?" Ethan raised a brow. "A prince like you needing sothing from a relegated CEO, and house husband like ; in what universe does that happen?"
"The one we presently are," Kyle deadpanned. He sat up, his face assuming a serious expression as if whatever he wanted to request for would be hard for Ethan to provide. "Actually, I need two things."
Before Ethan could refuse, he hurriedly added, "Two as in. Information, and the assurance that you will grant one request of mine."
"Tell what you need and I’ll guage it before accepting," Ethan said. He was traumatized by promises now, especially uncertain ones where he wasn’t sure what the person would demand before he agreed.
"The info first, it’s about your wife’s doctor."
"What about her?"
Kyle hesitated for a slight second before the words spilled from his mouth, "Do you have any idea why she left the country so suddenly? She’s your wife primary doctor. It’s not normal to leave when she’s yet to recover fully."
"But she wanted to," Ethan shrugged. "And I couldn’t stop her because it was her cash in on a favor I owed her from months ago. She must have had a pretty good reason. Why do you ask?"
"Nothing. Just worrying over a forr colleague’s sudden disappearance." Kyle shook his head, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "As for the request, when she returns—I know she will—help manipulate the board to assign her to be in charge of ."
Ethan lifted a brow.
"Why does that seem like such a suspicious request?"
"Do you want a test subject or not?" Kyle retorted.
"I do. And since it’s none of my business, I’ll give an okay to your request." Ethan extended a hand and Kyle took it, his eyes brightening, "Looking forward to working together with you."
Ethan chuckled again, the rare mont of lightness, a balm in the midst of the storm they were all weathering.
Reviews
All reviews (0)