Chapter 12 Building a Life
Lara's pov
Six months later, everything had changed.
I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, and turned sideways to look at myself. Seven months pregnant. My belly was huge now, round and everyone knew already that I was pregnant.
The baby kicked constantly. Little jabs that made my whole stomach move.
Sometimes I'd just sit there watching my belly shift and roll, amazed that there was an actual person in there.
I looked different too. Healthier. My face had filled out, my skin was glowing—that pregnancy glow everyone talked about. My hair was thick and shiny.
Honestly,I barely recognized myself anymore.
But in a good way, everything has changed for good.
"Lara! Breakfast!" Damien called from downstairs.
I smiled and headed down.
We'd fallen into this comfortable routine over the past few months. Breakfast together every morning. Then Damien went to work while I studied. Evening walks in the garden. Dinner. Movies.
Just... normal life though.
Damien had enrolled me in online MBA courses two months ago. At first I'd told him that I couldn't focus, and wasn't ready for it. But he'd insisted.
"You're brilliant, Lara. Use that brain."
So I did. And honestly? It felt amazing.
Like I had a purpose again. A future.
I walked into the kitchen to find Damien plating eggs and toast.
"Morning," he said, smiling. "How was your night?"
"Good. Except this one kept kicking all night." I rubbed my belly. "I think it's training for soccer."
Damien laughed. "Strong kid. Takes after its mother."
We sat down to eat, falling into easy conversation about my classes, his work, nothing and everything.
This was my life now. It was so simple, peaceful and safe as well.Simple.
It still felt surreal sometimes.
That evening during dinner, the baby kicked. Hard.
I gasped, my hand flying to my belly.
"Are you okay?" Damien asked immediately.
"Yeah, the baby just kicked again" . "Oh my God. This kid is really going at it tonight."
Damien watched with fascination. "Can you feel it from the outside?"
"Yeah. It's wild."
I don't know what made me do it. Maybe it was the look on his face. Maybe it was just... time.
"Give me your hand," I said.
Damien hesitated. "You sure?"
"Yeah. Come here."
He moved closer and I placed his hand on my belly where the baby was kicking.
We waited.
Then, the baby kicked strongly against his palm.
He was amazed. "Oh my God."
"Right?" I laughed.
The baby kicked again. And again. Like it was showing off.
"That's incredible," Damien breathed. His voice was thick with emotion. "There's really a person in there."
"Yep. A person who likes using my bladder as a punching bag."
Damien's hand stayed on my belly, moving as the baby shifted. His eyes were shining.
"Hey," I said softly. "That's your son or daughter saying hello."
It was the first time I'd said it. The first time I'd called the baby "ours."
Damien looked at me, and a tear slipped down his cheek.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." I covered his hand with mine. "This baby is ours, Damien. If you want it to be."
He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against mine. "I want that. More than anything."
We stayed like that, the baby kicking between us.
And something shifted inside me.
Something big.
This was my family. Right here.
The next weekend, we went shopping for the nursery.
"We need to pick colors," Damien said.
"Something neutral since we don't know if it's a boy or girl."
“ Light green," I said immediately. "Like sage green. Something calming."
"Hmm. I was thinking yellow.
"Yellow?" I made a face. "That's so bright."
"What's wrong with bright?"
"It's not calming."
Damien grinned. "So we're having our first parenting disagreement?"
"Apparently." I crossed my arms over my belly. "I'm not backing down. Green is better."
"Yellow is more beautiful."
"Green is more sophisticated."
We were both laughing now.
The sales associate smiled. "How about sage green walls with yellow accents?"
Damien and I looked at each other.
"That could work," I admitted.
"Yeah. I could live with that."
We bought everything. Crib, changing table, dresser, rocking chair. Tiny clothes that didn't seem real. More stuffed animals than any baby could need.
"This is too much," I protested.
"Nah. Our baby deserves the best," Damien said.
Our baby.
Every time he said it, my heart melted.
That night, Damien assembled the crib himself.
"I can hire someone," I offered.
"Nah. I wanna do this."
Two hours later, he was still working.
Sweating, cursing under his breath, completely focused.
I sat in the rocking chair watching him.
There was something attractive about watching him work. The way his muscles flexed. The determined look on his face.
"You can take a break," I said. "It's almost midnight."
"I'm almost done. Just need to—there!"
He stood back, looking proud.
The crib stood in the corner of the sage green nursery. Perfect.
"You did good," I said.
Damien walked over and knelt beside me, his hand going to my belly. The baby kicked.
"Hey, little one," he said. "Your room is ready.”
I ran my fingers through his hair.
And I felt it. That warm feeling in my chest.
Not love yet.
But a close relationship .
That night, I woke up screaming.
The nightmare was vivid and very real.
Lucas standing over me, ripping the baby from my arms. Throwing me out into the cold.
"No! Please, don't take my baby!"
"Lara! Wake up!”
Damien's voice cut through. His hands on my shoulders.
I opened my eyes, gasping.
I was safe. The nightmare wasn't real.
But I was shaking, tears streaming down my face.
"He's gonna find out," I sobbed. "Lucas is gonna find out about the baby and take it from me—"
"No he's not." Damien climbed into bed beside me, pulling me into his arms. "He can't hurt you anymore. I won't let him."
"But what if he finds out? What if he comes for the baby?"
"I won't let him take anything else from you," Damien said . "I promise. He'll never touch you or this baby. Not while I'm here."
"You promise?"
"I promise.”
I clung to him, my face buried in his chest.
Slowly, my breathing steadied.
Damien's hand covered mine on my belly, protective and warm.
"I've got you," he murmured. "Both of you. Always."
"Don't leave tonight," I whispered.
"I won't. I'm right here."
He pulled the blankets over us. I curled into him, my head on his chest.
I felt safe in his arms .
"Damien?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm falling in love with you."
The words just came out. Raw and honest.
I felt his breath catch.
"You don't have to say that—"
"I'm not saying it because I have to," I interrupted. "I'm saying it because it's true.
I'm falling in love with you. And it scares me but it's real."
Damien's arms tightened around me. He kissed the top of my head.
"I love you too," he whispered. "So damn much."
We lay there in the darkness, the baby kicking softly between us.
And I felt completely safe. Completely loved.
Completely home.
Tomorrow there would be challenges and complicated ones .
Ma
ybe Lucas is trying to destroy us again.
But tonight? We had this.
Each other. The baby. A future that looked bright instead of terrifying.
I closed my eyes, Damien's heartbeat steady beneath my ear.
And I fell asleep smiling.
Home, Loved and Safe.