Chapter 36

Chapter 36
36

Luciano

Yes, it was time. It was happening. She was about to deliver the baby. Nine months had gone in a snap and here we were, rushing to one of my hospitals while she shrieked to death. Death? No, I shouldn't think like that, she'd be back with our son in her hands; healthy and safe around me.

We were in the car, she was holding my hand while kept screaming, 'I'm gonna die,' repeatedly, and to some extent, I was vexed but still I did my best to make her feel better. I even told her everything's gonna be alright as she was in my arms and I was taking her to one of my cars but she sobbed hard while the baby continued to struggle to be out of her vagina. He was literally around the entrance. I couldn't stop chuckling when strawberry whined that she knew our baby was exactly on me because of the impulsiveness. I couldn't define how much I felt the awe of her at that moment.

It took us ten minutes to reach the hospital from the hills. My medical team was present there, Dr. Bianchi and Malinda would be monitoring her for me. They were my trainer medical professionals so I had my trust over them. We met them in the lobby and with a kiss, I let them take her inside the theatre and I was left outside, waiting for any news to hit.

It was our tradition to stay outside during labour as a sign of giving our women some privacy.

I sat down on the bench and indulged myself in deep thoughts of how these nine months had passed. Every single day had gone so fast like it felt yesterday when I got the report in my hands that she was diagnosed pregnant and how in a second my feelings multiplied for her.

Through thick and thin, I did my best to be with her.

At first, she was not okay with everything happening so spontaneously but eventually, she accepted her fate and made peace with being my wife. It took her three months to finally act wifey with me when she realized I was dying to be her protective husband.

Otherwise, all I was getting was her harsh treatment until I became the 'only one' guy she fantasized all her life—I got to know about it through Natasha as she told her dating preferences and obviously she was my sister enough to tell me all about it. So basically, it was Natasha's hard work that got my wife humble with me. She made me go through all the changes in me to finally get her to submit willingly.

I treated her nicely and she behaved well. I made her happy, she made me happy by considering my family hers.

Everybody in the mansion loved her and gave her the accurate love that she deserved while being my lawful wife. I took care of her as much as possible. I fulfilled her wishes, gave her things she would ask—even lovemaking when she would ask; thanks to the mood swings. I took her everywhere she would ask—except for a club that she asked me once—I could not allow her to be checked out like an object by misogynistic men.

One of her favourite things was to go on a long drive at night and get ice cream while way back to home. Sometimes she liked rainy mornings, sometimes she would love to spend hours on a beach watching sunsets. She once asked me to go to the amusement park and that was the most shocking craving of hers I ever dealt with. I felt like a kid at heart that day, she really made me live differently this summer and I was thankful to her for being in my life for that day.

One of the best nights I had was when she pulled me into a kiss and thanked me for making her feel so special. I wanted to tell her she was special in every way and I was only making her realize it. She was the most beautiful girl I ever laid eyes upon. She was unique from others. Her face was so painfully innocent that I failed to imagine a day without her in my life.

I could not live without her and I would do anything to make her spend the rest of her life with me. Even if I would need to impregnate her dozens of times just to keep her beside me, I would do it without a second thought.

"Master... master..." I blinked twice before my sight covered a pair of shoes before me. I raised my head and found Dr. Bianchi standing with an impatient look.

"Sorry, Dr. I didn't notice you," I excused, standing up while she stepped back to maintain personal space. "Is everything okay?" I had to say as I wasn't expecting that look on her face.

She took a deep breath, "Yes, master. Everything is seemingly okay but I came here for your approval. We need to perform an operation to get the baby out of Mrs. Bernardi because her private part isn't capable of bearing the baby's mass," the Doctor stated formally, making me mentally scoff. I knew that her pussy was tight, but this was a medical affirmation.

I nodded with a different expression than what I was feeling within; blank, "Yes, I grant my approval," I told her and she forwarded a contract with the hospital's terms and conditions, giving it a read, I signed it away and she left, making me wait further for good news.

A few minutes passed and I saw Natasha and grandmother approaching me with a hasty look. I frowned at finding her here at five in the morning. I stood up to greet them. "Lucian, oh God, my child," Grandmother hugged me while panting worriedly. I rubbed her back as it felt awkward to see her here at this hour, our women could not step out before eight. She pulled away, "How are you, my boy?" She asked.

"I'm fine, mother. Don't worry about me. I'm just waiting for the news to break in," I mumbled, glancing at the 'operation theatre' sign that just turned red.

"It's been five hours and Malinda didn't update you on anything," Grandmother interrogated sternly, but something else got my attention, I didn't realize that it's been five hours at the hospital and now, it was eight in the morning. I sighed, feeling grandmother came right on time.

"Who told you we came here?" I asked her gently.

"Austen did," He was a new guy to our security group. My lips pressed in a hard line. I had to take it under Martin's notice that he should've taught him to get my permission before passing anyone information about me to her.

"Ah, the new guy," I murmured and turned my gaze to Natasha who was holding bags in her hands and behind her, there were minders assigned for her standing with bouquets in their hands.

"How's Jennifer?" She asked in the first go, I looked back at her.

"She's in the operation theatre. Our boy is on the way," I winked at her and pointed at the red sign. She glanced at it and smiled widely.

"I'm beyond excited," She exclaimed enthusiastically.

It took an hour to the red lights to turn off. I stopped running in circles the very second and was at the edge of my patience, I was desperately waiting for any doctor to come out and declare the birth of our son. A minute later, Malinda came out with a satisfying grin, giving life to my dead core. "My lady," She went to grandmother because she was the eldest. Though, it pissed me off as I felt she was unnecessarily making me wait while she knew I hated that.

"Yes please, Malinda," Grandmother nodded.

"Congratulations. You are a great grandmother now. It's a boy," She broke the news and everyone heaved a joyful sigh. Natasha exclaimed in pure glee and ran to hug me while I chuckled, hugging her back.

"Congratulations, brother. You are a father now," She giggled while I tittered.

"Yes, that I'm, dear new aunt," I whispered in her ears and she laughed. I pulled away and hugged grandmother who was now crying in joy. This was the moment. The feeling the news brought was foreign. I was dying to meet our son.

"Master, may I announce the good news to the family?" Mario stepped ahead and asked faintly in my ear.

Instantly, Nikola popped up in my mind. I had to avoid every suspect that could harm my newborn. "No. I'll announce it myself when we reach home," I answered back. He nodded and stepped back after congratulating me. Even though I knew this news would least interest him as he wasn't in his mind nowadays but I still had to avoid the risks.

I ordered the management to prepare my VIP suite where they would shift Strawberry and the baby. We went inside and I found the room decorated in a boy theme. There was pale blue everywhere. "Surprise, brother!" Natasha expressed and I turned around to give her a naughty look. "I'm sure, my sister-in-law's gonna love it," She said while I agreed with her. Such things made her happy beyond words.

The nurses took her to the room while she was unconscious. I walked closer to her and kissed her face. I could not imagine what pain she must have gone through. I wished I could take all of her sufferings. "You are my everything, strawberry," I whispered while she was not in the state to hear me.

But I was in a state to hear the cries of my son as he reached closer to me. I prepared myself to open the door and a nurse held him in her hands. As soon as the cries grew louder, I saw the knob turning and a nurse arriving. I felt like someone was holding my heart and I was unable to breathe properly.

I stepped closer and my first ever gaze fell on him. He was pinkish, his eyes closed while he kept crying hard. I swear this sight was doing something serious to my heart. I was mesmerized by this boy's face and the feeling of him being mine, it was unique—like I felt it for the first time. I took him in my hands and cooed him while he gradually started calming down.

I brushed his cheeks with my thumb and pulled him closer to my face for a kiss on his hand. "He's adorable," Natasha said.

"Yes, he is, Nat," I replied. He was the most precious thing I ever held in my arms and the way he responded to my touch confirmed that he liked the warmth of his father. I was already in love with him and the fact he would be mine forever kind of excited me in some way.

"What are you going to name him, Lucian?" I didn't notice my grandmother stepping inside the room. The name, the thought brought a smile to my face and it took me that day when Jennifer sneaked inside the library and looked out for a perfect name for our baby boy.

I caught her practising one name over and over again and since then, I decided it would be the name as it had the perfect meaning for our son. "Luca," I professed. "Luca Arturo Bernadi is the name..." My smile overtook my lips, "The name that is thought to mean 'Man from Luciana'," I further said and Natasha clapped while grandmother grinned.

"What a beautiful name, Lucian. This baby is named Luca from today, Isabella make the arrangements according to this name," Grandmother commanded, before I could ask her about the arrangement she just mentioned, I heard a faint whimper from behind. Turning around, I found strawberry waking up. My legs automatically rushed to her and I bent carefully while holding Luca in my arms.

"Good morning, strawberry," I said before putting up a kiss on her temple. She slowly opened her eyes.

"W—Where's—he?" Strawberry asked before gaining her vision back, not knowing I was holding him.

"He's right here, in my hands and now, I'm putting him beside you," I told her and adjusted her arm while keeping a mind about her fresh stitches. I put Luca in her arms while she adjusted her focus to him. She gasped in contentment when her eyes landed on our boy, her sockets eventually filled with water.

"You're so cute. Mommy loves you so much. You are already everything to me, you little guy," She turned a little to kiss him while tears rolled down. I took a mental note that she was bonding with him instantly and it'd be impossible for her to live without him. "I love you so much, little guy. You're my hero," She whispered to him and it seemed as if Luca was responding to her, she chuckled tenderly.

"It looks like he's saying he loves you too," I murmured and she chuckled lightly, taking my heart in her palms, she flowed that smoothly in my blood.

"Yeah, he is..." she kept studying him with her doe eyes. "I wonder if he's hungry," Strawberry asked me to arrange the bed so she could sit properly and feed her.

"Even if he's not hungry, you should give him the first feed so he can feel familiar. As mothers are the first human they ever interacted in the womb. So, feed him while you both be together to make our prince feel safe," Grandmother stepped at her right and said. She nodded like an obedient girl and looked at him uncomfortably.

"What happened?" I couldn't stop myself.

"I have to feed him... so," Oh, she was uncomfortable feeding him while I was around her. Strawberry should have realized I had seen her naked quite a few times now. Nothing was hidden from me.

I found my grandmother taking notice of the situation, "Actually, sweetheart, it is our tradition that the husband stays closer when the mother feeds baby. So, Luciano has to be with you while we both take our leaves. We have other things to attend," Grandmother came up with the great cover-up. I could never thank her enough.

Strawberry sighed and nodded again, waiting for grandmother to leave which she did in a minute.

Strawberry tried to lift her gown but when I noticed, I helped her do it and held Luca with her, she put her nipple in his mouth and closed her eyes as if she felt embarrassed of me. She looked deep in thought and I couldn't hold myself back from asking the reason.

"Are you okay, strawberry? I hope the stitches aren't hurting a lot," I asked kindly, she turned her gaze at me.

"What name have you chosen for your son?" She questioned it like it was only my son. I didn't like the way she asked me.

"Luca," I told her and her eyes sparkled in coincidence. It wasn't any coincidence, I heard her deciding this name for our son, she wasn't aware I was hiding in one of the aisles of the library.

"It's..." She sounded speechless for a second, "It's a beautiful name," She commented.

"Do you like it or do you have any other suggestions?" I asked to enjoy the amusement only.

"No. Actually, I had this name in my mind too," The shock on her face seemed funny to me. My strawberry was really naive.

"Oh really, then it must be a coincidence," I mumbled while she checked if the milk was leaking, so I gave her tissues.

"I think I can never get enough of his cuteness. I just want to keep him in my arms like this forever," Strawberry stated and I knew it was the perfect time to catch her off guard.

"Then, I think it's time to renew the contract," Just as I said, she snapped her head to me with astonishing eyes. It was time.

Either she would stay with me forever or she had to leave our son in a few days.