Chapter 12 0012
COLLIN'S POV
I had planned this dinner down to every last detail because image was everything and I needed Caitlyn to understand that. The private dining room at Marcello's was reserved and the chef had prepared a special menu just for us. Everything had to be perfect because people talked and I needed them to talk about how devoted I was to my new wife.
Caitlyn sat across from me looking pale and nervous. She had been acting strange for the past few weeks and I had been watching her carefully to figure out what was going on. She barely ate anything and I noticed she had lost weight which was concerning because I needed her to look healthy and happy.
"You need to eat more," I said and gestured to her barely touched plate. "People will think I am not taking care of you."
"I am just not very hungry," she said quietly.
I studied her face and noticed the dark circles under her eyes that makeup could not quite hide. Something was definitely wrong but I could not figure out what it was. My secretary still had not gotten back to me with information from the hospital and that was irritating because I did not like being kept in the dark.
"Is everything alright?" I asked and used my concerned husband voice. "You have been different lately."
She looked down at her hands and I saw her fingers trembling slightly. Whatever she was about to tell me was clearly making her nervous and that made me curious. Caitlyn was not good at hiding things which made her easy to read but also meant she could be a liability if she knew too much.
"I have something to tell you," she finally said.
I put down my fork and gave her my full attention. "What is it?"
"I am pregnant," she said so quietly I almost did not hear her.
I sat back in my chair and did the math quickly in my head. We got married about six weeks ago and she fainted at the wedding. If she was pregnant now then she would have gotten pregnant right around the time of the wedding or maybe a few days after. The timeline made sense.
A baby, an heir. This changed everything in the best possible way. A child would cement my position with the organization and give me leverage I did not have before. Plus it would make me look like a devoted family man which was exactly the image I needed.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
She nodded. "I took three tests and they were all positive. I wanted to wait until I was certain before I told you."
I stood up and walked around the table to her. She looked scared like she thought I might be angry but she had no idea how perfect this actually was. I pulled her to her feet and hugged her even though physical affection was not really my thing.
"This is wonderful news," I said and made sure my voice sounded excited. "We are going to have a baby."
I felt her relax a little in my arms which meant my performance was working. She needed to believe that I was happy about this and that I would be a good father. The truth was that I did not care about being a father but I cared very much about what a child could do for my reputation and my standing.
"You are not upset?" she asked when I let her go.
"Upset? Why would I be upset?" I said and sat back down. "This is the best news you could have given me."
She smiled but it did not reach her eyes. Something was still bothering her but I decided not to push it. Whatever it was I would find out eventually because people always revealed their secrets if you watched them long enough.
"We should celebrate," I said and signaled the waiter. "Bring us your best champagne."
"I probably should not drink," Caitlyn said quickly.
"Right of course," I said. "Sparkling cider for my wife then."
The waiter nodded and disappeared. I looked at Caitlyn and tried to imagine her pregnant. It would be good for my image to be seen taking care of my pregnant wife, i could use it to my advantage in so many ways.
"We need to throw a party," I said. "Announce it properly to everyone who matters."
"Do we have to?" Caitlyn asked. "Maybe we could just tell our families first."
"Absolutely we have to," I said firmly. "This is important news and we need to share it the right way. I will have my secretary start planning something for next weekend."
She looked like she wanted to argue but she did not which was good. She was learning that I made the decisions and she just had to go along with them. That was how this marriage was going to work.
The waiter returned with the drinks and I raised my glass. "To our future and our child," I said.
Caitlyn raised her glass too but her hand was shaking. "To our future," she repeated quietly.
I watched her take a sip and wondered again what she was so nervous about. Maybe it was just normal pregnancy anxiety or maybe it was something else. Either way I would figure it out because I always did.
"Have you told your parents yet?" I asked.
She shook her head. "I wanted to tell you first."
"Good," I said. "We will tell them together at the party. It will be more meaningful that way."
The rest of dinner passed with me making plans for the party while Caitlyn mostly stayed quiet, i could already see it in my head. The Hayes estate would be transformed into something spectacular and all the right people would be there. Politicians and judges and business partners. Everyone who mattered would see that I was a devoted husband and soon to be father.
This baby was going to be useful in ways Caitlyn could not even imagine. An heir meant stability and legitimacy, it meant I could expand my operations without people questioning my motives. Who would suspect a family man of being involved in anything illegal?
"I think we should find out the gender as soon as possible," I said. "That way we can start preparing properly."
"Okay," Caitlyn said.
"And you will need to see the best doctors. Money is no object when it comes to your health and the baby's health."
"That is very generous," she said but she still looked uncomfortable.
I reached across the table and took her hand. "You are my wife and this is my child. Of course I am going to make sure you both have the best of everything."
She nodded and I saw tears forming in her eyes. Women and their emotions. I would never understand why they cried at every little thing.
"Thank you Collin," she whispered. "I was worried about how you would react."
"You never need to worry about that," I lied smoothly. "I am here for you always."
We finished dinner and I drove us home. Caitlyn fell asleep in the passenger seat which gave me time to think. A baby changed my timeline for
certain things but it did not change my overall plans. If anything it made them stronger.