The color of Arthur’s face drained. With wide eyes, he watched Ace in horror.
“Y-you can’t do that to me! I won’t let you!”
I grimaced at the feeling in my stomach. The world around me started to spin.
Stepping back from him, Ace wrapped a hand around my waist. “I can and I will. You’ve seen my respect for you these years, and now you’ll see my enmity. You should’ve thought about it before joining hands with Antonio and deciding to go against me and trying to hurt my Rosebud. You did what you wanted. Now you suffer the consequences. May God send you to hell. Goodbye, Arthur.”
“No! You can’t do that—”
Unable to contain it in anymore, I clutched my stomach, hunched forward, and emptied my stomach.
“Shit! Rosebud! Are you all right, baby?” Wrapping his arms around my shoulders, Ace pulled my hair back as the officers and Arthur jumped back.
“What the fuck!” Arthur screeched.
Looking up with watery vision, I found his legs covered with yellowish substances. A look of disgust flashed across his features.
“Rosebud, are you all right? What’s wrong?” Ace’s concerned voice sounded distant in my ears. Everything around me blurred.
The black dots across my vision and the foul stench of vomit made me throw up again, before I slumped against Ace as darkness slowly engulfed me.
The next time I regained my senses, I found myself on a hospital bed with him tightly gripping my hand in his. The smell of bleach and white walls of the hospital room surrounded me.
“Rosebud?” Shooting to his feet from the chair, he came up and sat beside me. “Thank God, you’re awake. I was going crazy wondering why it was taking you so long to open your eyes.”
“Ace…” The foul taste in my mouth made my stomach clench. “Water,” I croaked.
He didn’t waste a second before filling up a glass from the jug that rested on the bedside table.
“Here, be careful.” He helped me sit up and held the glass against my lips. I drank it greedily.
Then memories of visiting Arthur in the jail and then throwing up on him before fainting into Ace’s arms flooded my mind.
As much as I wanted to laugh remembering his face when I threw up on him, I was confused about getting ill all of a sudden.
“How are you feeling now, Rosebud?” he asked, his tone still held alert and concern.
I gave him the empty glass back. “I’m fine now. I don’t know what happened. All of a sudden, the world around me began to spin and then I had this intense urge to puke.”
He suddenly got abnormally quiet as he placed the glass back on the table. Stormy gray eyes were anxious.
There weren’t any doctors or nurses around. We were alone in the room.
“What happened? What did the doctor say? Did I have food poisoning?” I frowned.
It could be, considering the amount of food I had last night.
He didn’t say anything. Instead, leaning in, he kissed my forehead. “You should rest now. We can talk later.”
My frown deepened. “I don’t need rest. I’m fine. You can tell me what the doctor said. Is it something serious?”
Nervousness now started to rattle inside me. Was there something wrong?
“Of course not, baby. Everything is all right. It’s just…” he trailed off, clearing his throat. “It’s just…”
“It’s just what?” I probed, getting restless.
“The doctor said you—”
“Good afternoon, Ms. Hutton! You’re finally up, I see.” A lady in her early thirties strolled inside the room flaunting a white coat. Flashing a blinding smile, she stood beside my bed. “Your man here was threatening to shut this hospital down if you we didn’t bring your senses back soon. Anyway, how are you feeling now?”
Cracking up a small smile, I nodded. “I’m good.”
“Great! I’m Doctor Hazel, by the way. A friend of Mr. Valencian.” Glancing at Ace, she checked my nerves while my smile threatened to fall.
He brought me to Leyla’s friend, didn’t he?
After my nerves, she checked my eyes. “You’re good to leave, I think. I thought you’d have to stay here for at least a day, but you seem to be all right now. Be careful though, at this early stage, you’ll have to be very careful at least for the first three months. No traveling or taking too much stress. I’ll prescribe you some meds you’ll have to continue for a week.”
“Wait, I’m sorry, but I’m a bit lost here. What are you talking about? Why should I be careful for three months? What happened to me?”
She raised a brow before casting a glance at Ace, who shifted in his place uncomfortably.
“Oh, I thought Mr. Valencian already informed you,” she said, before showing her white teeth again. “But no worries, let me give you the good news. Congratulations, Ms. Hutton! You’re pregnant!”
I stilled. With my eyes wide, I stared at her, stunned.
“What?” A whisper left my lips.
She nodded. “Yes. You’re five weeks along. Because it’s a very early stage, you’re facing morning sickness and dizziness. But don’t worry, it should stop in your second trimester.”
Still shocked, I looked at Ace, who sat beside me very quietly. Gray eyes closely observed me. As the doctor left the room, giving us some privacy, not a word was uttered by any of us. We just stared at each other.
“You’re pregnant.” Her words were still swirling in my head.
But how was it possible? I never forgot to take the after pills.
Well, these pills were never hundred percent safe. There was always a chance. But I had no choice, as this Greek man never wore a condom every time we made love. He didn’t want any barrier between us while he claimed me. And of course, with the speed we were going since we got together, it was supposed to happen. Even on our vacation, we barely left our hotel.
And now, I’m pregnant.
I didn’t know what to feel about it. I was too confused.
He cleared his throat, watching me carefully. “What are you thinking?”
“I… I’m surprised. I didn’t expect it at all.” Subconsciously, my hand went to my stomach.
“Rosebud, look, I know what you must be feeling. Even I didn’t expect anything like this so soon. I…I understand if you don’t want it. I’ll support you in your every decision. Don’t feel pressured with anything,” he said, giving my hand a light squeeze.
I glanced up to his stormy gray orbs, the eyes I was so in love with. They watched me with tenderness and understanding.
My gaze went back to my flat stomach, where a life was growing. A little baby.
Our baby. We made it.
An intense emotion surged through my chest. The sudden feeling of love and the urge to protect the baby surprised me.
With hesitation, I ran my hand over my flat stomach.
I looked up at him again. Though he said he’d support me if I didn’t want it, it didn’t go unnoticed how his gaze followed the movement of my hand. How his hands twitched, as if he wanted to run his hand over my stomach. And his eyes, they held… longing.
My heart clenched for him. He longed for a family for half of his life. He always wanted a happy family he never had.
And I’ll give it to him. I’ll give him everything he ever wanted, the happiness he always deserved.
Taking his hand, I placed it on my stomach. His gaze snapped up to mine, watching me in confusion.
Smiling, I nodded. My vision burned with tears. Tears of happiness. “It’s our baby. I can never give up on it. We’ll keep him or her.”
“Are you sure?” His voice came out uncertain.
“Yes!”
Letting out a shaky breath, he pulled me into him and slammed his lips against mine. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I kissed him back eagerly. The intensity and passion his kiss radiated told me the love and appreciation he had for me.
Pulling away, he rested his forehead against mine. “Rosebud…you don’t know what you said. You’ve already given me everything I’ve ever wanted. You. And now you’re making my world complete by giving me a family. A family where there will be you, me, and our baby. Thank you so much. I…I can’t express how grateful I am. I love you so fucking much!”
Grinning, I kissed his lips again. “I love you too!”
He smiled. But it was a different one. There was a light in his eyes, light of felicity and love.
Leaning down, he ran his hand over my tummy lovingly before showering kisses all over my stomach. A giggle escaped my lips as I watched him spooning my belly, as if he was already holding the baby in his arms.
Never had anyone seen this side of Achilles Valencian. So soft and doting. Only I got the luck to watch him like this. And now our baby would experience this rare moment too.
“We made it,” he whispered, looking up at me with a gleaming gaze.
I nodded, smiling as brightly. “I can’t wait to tell everyone. Mom and Dad will be ecstatic.”
Agreeing, he got back to me. Pulling me into his arms, he pecked my temple. “I know. Let’s invite them to dinner and share the news with them.”
“I’ll call them right now.”
When I reached for my phone, he grabbed my hand. “Let’s go home first.”
“All right.” I smiled.
I was so confused and shocked when Hazel gave me the news. And now, I was so excited to share this with everyone that I could barely keep my hands away from my phone to call them and give them the good news.
I never thought I’d be this happy to be pregnant. The thought of giving birth to a baby always had me shuddering. It still did when I thought about the labor pain. But that was nine months away. Right now, the only thing I wanted to think about was our baby.
Once the doctor gave us the prescription, Ace helped me freshen up and got me ready to go home.
During the whole car ride, he kept my hand in his and showered it with kisses from time to time. I have never seen him that happy. And that only added more contentment to my heart.
Once reaching the penthouse, he opened the door for us, letting me walk in first.
Padding inside, I threw my purse on the couch and turned on the switches. Every corner of the living room lit up with bright lights overtaking the darkness.
I think some fairy lights would look good around the window frame at night. Maybe I’d put some in our bedroom, too.
“Ace, I was thinking of getting some fairy lights—”
Turning around, my words caught in my throat at the sight before me.
Achilles Valencian was on one knee right in front of me, with the most beautiful ring in his hand.
A gasp left my mouth.
“Ace?” I whispered, eyes still lingered on the ring.
It was a simple platinum ring with a gorgeous blue diamond sitting proudly in the center. The tiny sparkling diamonds that surrounded it only made it more marvelous.
“I couldn’t wait any longer, Rosebud. I thought to give you a beautiful surprise first, but…” Gulping, he shook his head. “I couldn’t wait that long. I needed to see my ring on your finger right now. So, my beautiful rose, will you do the honor of marrying me and make me the happiest man on Earth?”
I was surprised for the second time in the day. And I didn’t know which one was more surprising. Being pregnant or having the man I loved with everything I had asking my hand for marriage.
“I know I didn’t deliver some unique lines to make it more special. But Rosebud, what I feel for you can’t be explained with words, nor can be expressed with acts. Nothing will be enough to justify the endless love I have for you.” His voice was deep, gray eyes watching me with an intense look that always managed to speed up the rate of my heartbeat. “I’m obsessed with you Rosebud, I’ve been all my life and I’ll be until my last breath. Sometimes I’ve to hold myself back from losing my control and keep you all to myself so that I can have you in my arms all the time. But not to scare you away, I always suppress my urges. You may think I’m crazy, but it’s how I am. I’m crazy for you, my rose.
From the day you asked me to marry you on your ninth birthday, I’ve been dreaming of our marriage. I’ve been waiting since. I’ve waited for so long. But I can’t anymore. Without you, my life is incomplete. I’m nothing. I want to make you mine forever. I want the world to see who you belong to. So, Emerald Hutton, will you marry me and become Mrs. Emerald Valencian? Will you become my other half and spend the rest of your life with this crazy, obsessed man of yours?”
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I stood there. His words were like sharp arrows, arrows of love and promises that hit right into my heart. I had always dreamt of him going onto his knees and proposing to me in my childhood, asking me to become his princess. I never thought my dream would ever come true. But here he was, on his knee, with a gorgeous ring in his hand, asking me to marry him. Not to become his princess, but his queen.
“Rosebud?” he asked, anxiousness etched on his beautiful features. “Will you? Will you marry me?”
Wiping my tears, I flashed him the broadest grin and nodded. “Yes! Yes, I will marry you!”
A breathtaking smile spread over his face as he let out a sigh of relief. Moisture glistened in his gray eyes, making my heart tug.
Taking my left hand, he slipped the ring into my ring finger and rose to his feet before pulling me to his chest and capturing my lips with his.
“Thank you so much, my rose. You gave me everything I ever wanted. I couldn’t ask for more. Thank you so much, baby,” he murmured against my lips, taking my mouth into a hungry kiss again, making my knees weak.
Without breaking the kiss, he lifted me up and spun us around, making me laugh against his mouth.
“What are you doing? Put me down!”
Happiness bloomed in my heart as he peppered kisses all over my face, clutching me tight to his chest. Letting out a sigh, I leaned into him once he put me down on my feet.
I watched the ring that shone on my finger.
“You like it?” he asked, tucking a strand behind my ear.
I nodded, looking up at him through my lashes. Heat crept up my cheeks.
I was his fiancée now.
Even the thought of marrying him made me feel giddy.
“It’s beautiful.”
Cupping my chin, he made our gazes lock. “Not more than you.”
Biting my lip, I looked down, hiding my face in his chest. His chuckle was like music to my ears. Wrapping his hand around my neck in a possessive grip, he made me look up at him as he captured my mouth again in his usual demanding kiss.
“You’re mine now. In every way possible.” The deep, dominant yet husky voice of his sent a shiver through my entire body.
“And you’re mine,” I whispered, biting his lower lip, clutching his collar into my fists.
“All yours, baby. Always and forever.”
I peered into those stormy gray irises as I felt our souls getting entangled, just like our breathing. I found myself getting lost in those dark pools and I never wanted to look away.
“I love you so much, my rose.” He kissed my forehead as I closed my eyes, letting out a sigh. My heart filled with content and bliss.
“I love you too. Always and forever.”
