Chapter 221

Chapter 221
Blake

I woke up slowly, savoring the weight of Sophia's body against mine and the quiet rhythm of her breathing. Soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a golden glow across our bedroom. My wife. The word still felt new in my mind, like a gift I couldn't quite believe was mine.

I felt Sophia stir against me, her arm tightening slightly around my waist before her eyes fluttered open. Those amber eyes found mine, and a slow, sleepy smile spread across her face.

"Good morning, Mr. Sterling," she murmured, her voice deliciously husky from sleep.

I couldn't help but smile back, my heart doing that stupid flip it always did when she looked at me like that. "Good morning, Mrs. Sterling." The words felt right in my mouth, like I'd been waiting my whole damn life to say them.

She stretched beside me, her body arching slightly under the sheets. "I can't believe we actually did it. We really got married again."

"After only two attempts," I chuckled, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Third time's the charm wasn't necessary after all."

Sophia laughed, the sound warming something deep inside me. "The wedding was beautiful. Perfect, really."

I traced my finger along her cheek, remembering how she had looked walking down the aisle toward me. That moment had quite literally stolen my breath. My chest had tightened so much I thought I might actually pass out. "You were beautiful. Are beautiful," I corrected, leaning in to kiss her softly.

"Oh God, I must look terrible," she protested, pulling back slightly. "My hair is a mess, and I'm pretty sure I have dark circles under my eyes."

I kissed her forehead, breathing in her familiar vanilla scent. "You've never looked more beautiful." And I meant it. Fuck, I'd never seen anything more beautiful than her messy morning hair and sleepy eyes.

She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her pleased smile. We lay there together, talking about moments from the wedding—Lily's serious face as she scattered flower petals, the judge signing Emma's adoption papers, our first dance as husband and wife. It felt surreal that after all the obstacles and near-misses, we were finally here.

The shrill ring of my phone on the bedside table shattered our peaceful bubble. I glanced at the screen and frowned. It was the European team calling—unusual for this early in the morning. Goddamn it. Couldn't I have just one uninterrupted morning with my wife?

Sophia raised an eyebrow. "Work already?"

I hesitated, my finger hovering over the screen. Something felt off about this call. The timing was too deliberate, too intrusive on what should have been our private time. My gut twisted with suspicion.

"You should answer it," Sophia said, nodding toward the still-ringing phone. "Must be important if they're calling at this hour."

With a sigh, I grabbed the phone and slid out of bed. "I'll take this on the balcony," I said, heading for the glass doors, already feeling the tension creeping back into my shoulders.

The cool morning air hit my bare chest as I stepped outside. "Blake Sterling," I answered, keeping my voice neutral despite my irritation bubbling just beneath the surface.

"Blake, it's Mike." The CFO,his voice was tense, all business. "You need to fly to London immediately. The merger is falling apart, and the board is getting nervous. I've arranged an emergency meeting for tomorrow morning."

My jaw clenched so hard I thought my teeth might crack. "Mike, I just got married yesterday. I'm not flying to London right now." The audacity of this man was fucking unbelievable.

"This can't wait," he insisted. "The company situation is deteriorating faster than anticipated. They're threatening to pull out completely. If we lose this deal, it could knock twenty percent off our stock price overnight."

My free hand curled into a fist. The familiar pressure of being pulled in two directions—family versus business—squeezed my chest like a vise. "I understand the urgency," I said, struggling to keep my voice level, "but I'm not coming to London today or tomorrow. I'll stick to our original plan and be there next week."

I looked out at the New York skyline, feeling the weight of responsibility pressing down on me. But I also thought about Sophia, about our daughters.

"I'm not coming earlier," I said firmly, heat rising in my voice. "My son needs me here. Jasper just got out of the hospital, for Christ's sake. My daughters need stability. My wife deserves a proper start to our marriage."

"Blake—"

"No." I cut him off, my resolve hardening like concrete. "The company has survived worse. And if the board can't wait one fucking week for me to handle my family responsibilities, then maybe I should just sell my shares and be done with it."

There was a long pause on the other end. I could practically see Mike's face turning that particular shade of purple it did when he was controlling his temper. "You don't mean that."

"Test me and find out," I replied, my voice cold enough to freeze hell over. "I'll be in London next week as planned. Not before."

I ended the call before he could respond, sliding the phone into the pocket of my pajama pants. I stood there for a moment, taking deep breaths to calm myself, looking out at the city below. My hands were shaking with anger. That manipulative son of a bitch. Always trying to control me, control everything. Using the company as a leash to yank me wherever he wanted.

When I turned around, Sophia was sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for me. She'd pulled on a silk robe, her hair tumbling over her shoulders. Her eyes were watchful, concerned. She always could read me like a damn book.

"Bad news?" she asked quietly.

I walked back to the bed and sat beside her, the mattress dipping under our combined weight. "That was Mike. He wants me in London immediately. There's a situation with the merger."

Her face fell slightly, though she tried to hide it. My heart squeezed. This woman had been through so much because of me and my complicated family. "When do you need to leave?"

I took her hand, intertwining our fingers, feeling the unfamiliar weight of the wedding band on her finger. "I told him I'm sticking to our original plan. I'll go next week, not before."

"Blake," she said, her brow furrowing, "we've been married for less than twenty-four hours."

"I know." I squeezed her hand, hoping she could feel all the things I couldn't quite express. "And that's why I'm not rushing off to London today or tomorrow. The company situation is... complicated. More than I realized. This trip might help me secure control, maybe even position us to sell it eventually."

Sophia nodded slowly, processing this information. I could almost see the gears turning behind those perceptive eyes. "It's not the ideal start to our marriage, but we've always had to deal with reality, haven't we?"

I nodded, grateful for her understanding. Sophia had never been one to demand the impossible or throw tantrums when life got complicated. It was one of the countless reasons I loved her so damn much.

"We'll get through this," she said with a small smile. "We always do."

I lifted her hand to my lips, pressing a kiss against her knuckles. "Thank you," I said softly. "For understanding. For being you. I promise I'll make it up to you."

As I looked into her eyes, I felt that familiar surge of love and commitment. We'd built something precious together—a family, a home, a partnership that could weather any storm. No business crisis could ever be worth risking that. Some things, once lost, could never be replaced.

And I was never going to lose this again. Not for all the fucking money in the world.