Chapter 236 Surprises

Chapter 236 Surprises
Ben’s POV

I was so fucking proud of my wife. Lainey was facing her past and looking like a champion doing it. I could tell that she was searching the crowd for someone. Maybe her best friend at school, Lane?

“Are you looking for Lane?” I asked.

“Yes, I haven’t seen her yet,” Lainey answered, biting her lip.

“She will be here,” I stated. “Maybe she is just running a little bit late.”

Lainey leaned her head on my shoulder, our fingers still intertwined. “You’re the best husband a girl could ever ask for,” Lainey said, smiling.

“That’s because I have the perfect wife,” I replied.

As if conjured from our talking about her, Lane stepped up to us.

“LAINEY!” Lane squealed, reaching to hug Lainey.

“LANE!” Lainey shrieked back at her, embracing her in a tight hug.

“Oh, how I have missed you,” Lane said emotionally. “Two years is far too long.”

“I know,” Lainey replied. “Are you still on mission in Africa?”

“No, now I’m in Central America, but just for 2 more months,” Lane answered. “Then I’m not sure what I’m going to do.”

“Actually, I wanted to discuss that with you at dinner,” Lainey advised. “Is Seth here with you?”

Lane bowed her head. “Seth and I split up. The long distance relationship just wasn’t working,” Lane revealed.

“Then he wasn’t your true person,” Lainey said, smiling. “We’ll find you someone better.”

There was an announcement over the loudspeaker for everyone to take their seats for dinner.

Lainey and Lane walked together talking, as I followed behind them. I loved their easy way of being with each other, the bond that, no matter how long they are apart, they can pick up where they left off. It’s great because, as much as I’m excited about Lainey’s surprise after dinner, I’m not quite sure how she will react.

We sat down to dinner, enjoyed a great meal, and reminisced about prep school. We all decided we needed to stop at Mrs. Harris’ fish and chip shop for sausage rolls before we headed back to America.

“Lane, I was wondering if you’d like to come help me run the Lainey Halesten Charity Foundation in Dallas,” Lainey asked.

“Me? Really?” Lane questioned, excitedly.

“I can’t think of a better person,” Lainey explained. “You’ve been helping people across the world since you graduated. I think you deserve the position. Please say yes.”

“Oh, Lainey,” Lane replied. “I would love to work with you and support the charity.”

“Welcome, everyone. For those who don’t remember who I am or just didn’t care in prep school, I’m Eric Saunders,” a male voice came over the sound system. “It’s been a great evening so far. Everyone looks so great, but can I honestly say, Madelaine Black? Holy shit! Major glow up.”

I looked at Lainey, and she was blushing like crazy. I leaned into her. “Are you ok?” I asked.

“I’m fine,” Lainey whispered. “Being thought of as a hottie now is a great fuck you to all the people that looked down on me.”

“My hottie,” I growled in her ear. “Mine.”

Lainey blushed even more.

“And in true Hailstorm fashion, Benjamin Halesten,” Eric stated. “Ending up marrying the glow up girl, Madelaine, the girl he bullied in school.”

The crowd laughed.

“That being said,” Eric grinned. “If you can, please welcome Hailstorm up to the stage.”

Lainey looked shocked. I stood up and walked to the stage.

“It’s great to see so many people here tonight, both student alumni and faculty alumni,” I greeted. “Professor McDougal, how have you not aged in 10 years?”

“I retired so the students wouldn’t give me more grey hair or stress lines,” Professor McDougal yelled, and the crowd burst out into laughter.

“I can probably claim some of those,” I smirked.

“Yes, you can, Benjamin,” Professor McDougal called out. More laughter erupted from the guests.

“Right now, I’m supposed to introduce Phillipe Marceaux,” I advised. “But unfortunately, he wasn’t able to make it tonight. So there has been a change in the guest speaker.”

I looked over at Lainey and smiled. Lainey mouthed the words ‘I love you’ to me, making me smile even wider.

“As most of you know, a horrible prank was perpetrated by someone at the graduation party that destroyed the chance of Madelaine Black to read her valedictorian speech at the Graduation Ceremony,” I explained. “Although I wasn’t the one who performed the action, I was the one to make the joke of how funny it would be to have that happen. I would like to take a moment to invite my beautiful wife to the stage.”

People started applauding. Lainey tentatively stood up. did a small sheepish wave, and then proceeded to walk towards the stage. I helped her up the stairs.

Lainey was blushing, her adorable pink coloring gracing her cheeks when she was overwhelmed or embarrassed. “What are you doing?” She whispered to me.

“You trust me, right?” I asked.

“Of course,” Lainey answered.

I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her into my side. “I’d like to introduce everyone to my spectacular wife, Dr. Lainey Halesten,” I grinned. “You may be asking how the heck the arrogant Playboy billionaire’s son ended up with the kindest, smartest, and most selfless person on the planet. Honestly, I still don’t understand why she fell in love with me.”

“Why did you fall in love with him, Lainey?” Someone screamed from the tables.

Lainey didn’t miss a beat and leaned into the microphone and said, “He has a nice ass.” Then she shrugged. There was hooting, hollering, and clapping.

“I feel so objectified,” I fake gasped. “But seriously, I want to apologize to anyone, but especially Lainey, for being a total dumb ass in prep school. Bullying is never, ever, acceptable. To help combat this with education and programs, I stand here today to pledge 100 million dollars to establish an anti-bullying charity.”

The room erupted in a standing ovation.

“There is one more surprise I have, though,” I said, smiling at Lainey. “Since Lainey missed the Graduation Ceremony, I’m thinking we can indulge her tonight and let her read the speech she was going to share with us 10 years ago.”

Lainey looked at me like a deer caught in the headlights. I reached into the inside pocket of my tuxedo jacket, pulled out a weathered piece of paper, and handed it to her.

“How?” Lainey said, her eyes welling up with tears.

“Your mom said I should look inside the carved box your dad got you,” I grinned, caressing her cheek. “The floor is yours, Ms. Valedictorian.”