Chapter 54 #54
Chapter 54
~Dante~
I watched Shailyn sleep beside me, her face peaceful in the moonlight filtering through our bedroom window. Her dark hair spread across the white pillowcase, and her hand rested protectively over her still-flat stomach.
She's always unconsciously protective of our little bean.
Mine.
The word pulsed through me like a heartbeat, constant and demanding.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand. I grabbed it quickly, checking to make sure the sound hadn't disturbed Shailyn. She stirred slightly but didn't wake.
A message from an unknown number.
I frowned, opening it.
The screen filled with a series of numbers and symbols that looked like random gibberish:
\`\`\`
01001000 01100101 00100000 01101011 01101110.
Want to know what it is? With a fucking flying emoji
What the fuck?
I quickly forwarded it to one of my tech guys with a simple message: "Decode this. Now."
Then I deleted the original message and blocked the number.
I set the phone down and looked back at Shailyn. She'd shifted in her sleep, turning toward me, one hand reaching out like she was searching for me even unconsciously.
I smiled, pulling her close against my chest. She molded me immediately, her body fitting against mine like it had been designed for this exact purpose.
"Dante?" she murmured, still half-asleep.
"I'm here, baby," I whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Go back to sleep."
"Mmm," she sighed contentedly, burrowing deeper into my embrace. "What time is it?"
"Early. Too early. You need more rest."
"Can't sleep anymore," she said, her eyes fluttering open. "The baby's making me restless."
"Our little bean is already causing trouble?" I teased, my hand moving to her stomach.
She laughed softly. "Apparently. What are you doing awake?"
"Just thinking about the presentation," I lied smoothly. "You're doing such incredible work on the project, baby. I can't stop thinking about how brilliant you are."
Her cheeks flushed. "I just helped a little."
"A little?" I tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet my eyes. "Shailyn, without you, none of this would be possible. You know that, right?"
"I... I guess."
"No guessing," I said firmly. "You're the most brilliant person I know. The most important person in my life. You and this baby are everything to me."
"I love you," she whispered.
"I love you more," I said, kissing her deeply. "More than you could possibly understand."
…
Later that morning, I was in my study when Shailyn knocked softly on the door.
"Come in," I called.
She entered, holding a tray with coffee and toast. "I made you breakfast."
"You didn't have to do that, baby."
"I wanted to," she said, setting it on my desk. "You've been working so hard lately. I wanted to take care of you for a change."
I stood and pulled her into my arms. "You take care of me just by existing."
She laughed. "That's cheesy."
"It's true," I insisted. "Every moment with you is a gift."
"Dante..." she started, then hesitated.
"What is it?" I asked, immediately alert.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"Why don't we have more pictures together?" she asked. "I was looking through my phone earlier, and there aren't many photos of us. For a married couple, I mean."
Fuck.
I kept my expression neutral. "We've never been big on taking photos, baby. We preferred living in the moment rather than documenting everything."
"Really?" She frowned slightly. "That doesn't feel like something I'd do. I feel like I'd want to remember things."
"You had your accident," I reminded her gently. "Maybe that changed your perspective. It made you realize memories are more important than pictures."
"Maybe," she said, but she didn't sound convinced.
"Hey," I cupped her face. "Does it bother you? Because we can start taking more photos now. As many as you want."
"Would you?"
"Of course," I said, pulling out my phone. "In fact, let's take one right now."
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close as I held the phone up.
"Smile, baby," I said.
She did, and I snapped several photos. In each one, she looked radiant, happy, completely in love.
Perfect.
"There," I said, showing her the pictures. "See? Beautiful."
"We do look happy," she said softly.
"Because we are happy," I insisted. "Aren't we?"
"Yes," she said quickly. "Yes, of course we are."
But there was something in her voice, a hesitation that made my jaw clench.
"Shailyn, is something bothering you?" I asked carefully.
"No, I just..." she trailed off, biting her lip.
"Just what?"
"Sometimes I feel like I'm missing something," she admitted. "Like there's this piece of the puzzle I can't quite see."
My heart rate picked up, but I kept my voice calm. "That's the amnesia, baby. It's normal to feel that way."
"I know, but..."
"But what?"
"Do you think my memories will come back?" she asked, looking up at me with those trusting eyes.
"I don't know," I said honestly. "The doctors say it's possible. But Shailyn, even if they don't, it doesn't change anything between us."
"Doesn't it?"
"No," I said firmly. "Because what we have now is real. What we're building together is real. The past doesn't matter as much as the future we're creating."
"You really believe that?"
"I know that," I said, kissing her forehead. "And I need you to believe it too. Can you do that for me?"
"I'll try," she said.
"That's my girl," I murmured, holding her close.
My phone buzzed. The guy I told to decode the message.
I glanced at the message: "Decoded. It says: “She will remember.'"
My blood ran cold.
"What's wrong?" Shailyn asked, noticing my expression.
"Nothing, baby," I said quickly, pocketing the phone. "Just work stuff."
"Are you sure? You look pale."
"I'm fine," I insisted, forcing a smile. "Just tired. The project deadline is coming up soon."
"Maybe you should take a break," she suggested. "We could go out for lunch? Just the two of us?"
"That sounds perfect," I said, grateful for the distraction. "Let me just finish a few things here first."
"Okay," she said, kissing my cheek. "I'll go get ready."
She left, closing the door behind her.
The moment she was gone, I pulled out my phone and reread the decoded message.
"She will remember."
Who the fuck was this?
And what did they know?
I typed out a message to my assistant: "I need increased security on Shailyn. Immediately. No one gets near her without my approval."
I thought it through again. What the fuck do they want to do? I think it's better to ensure Shailyn doesn't remember anything at all cost. I'd have to take matters into my own hands.
I typed out a message to my assistant. “Get an appointment for me with Dr. Gerald. Make it happen today.”
I love her too much to let her go. I'll do all I can to ensure she doesn't ever leave me, till death do us apart.
Then I opened my photo app and scrolled to the pictures I'd just taken.
Shailyn's smiling face filled the screen, happy and trusting and completely mine.
I set one as my phone wallpaper, then my lock screen.
Perfect.
She was perfect.
And I would do whatever it took to keep her that way.
Even if it meant destroying anyone who tried to remind her of who she used to be.
Let them try.
I'd fought too hard, manipulated too carefully, constructed this reality too perfectly to let it fall apart now.
Shailyn was mine.
The baby was mine.
This life was mine.
And heaven help anyone who thought they could take it from me.
I heard her footsteps coming back down the hallway and quickly schooled my expression into something warm and loving.
"Ready?" she asked, appearing in the doorway in a beautiful blue dress that made her eyes shine.
"Always," I said, standing and offering her my arm.
She smiled and took my arm, and as we walked out together, I caught our reflection in the hallway mirror.
The perfect couple.
And I intended to keep it that way.