Chapter 99 99
Two Years Later
Sofía stood frozen in the bathroom, staring down at the pregnancy test trembling in her hand. Two faint horizontal lines stared back at her.
Positive.
Her breath caught. Her heart skipped unevenly in her chest.
Happiness bloomed first warm and sudden but it was quickly chased by nerves. This hadn’t been planned. Not at all. She had been careful. She was on pills.
But Mr. Fernando Ruiz had never once believed in protection.
She was still staring at the strip, lost in the swirl of emotions, when the bathroom door opened and Fernando stepped inside.
The moment he saw her, instinct pulled him to her. His arms wrapped around her waist like gravity itself had commanded it, drawing her back against his chest. He buried his face in the curve of her neck, breathing her in.
Then he noticed the test.
His body went still.
His eyes narrowed slightly, then he turned her around abruptly so they stood face to face. His large hands framed her cheeks, lifting her gaze to his. His eyes widened — animated, questioning asking what his lips had not yet formed.
“I’m pregnant,” she whispered.
He tried truly tried to contain the grin spreading across his face.
He failed.
A loud, unrestrained laugh burst from him as he crushed her against him in a bone-tight embrace.
“C–can’t breathe,” she muffled against his chest.
He released her instantly.
Grinning like a boy who had just been handed the world, he cupped her face again and squeezed her cheeks until her lips puckered before capturing them in a heated, hungry kiss.
She moaned softly as his tongue claimed her mouth.
Without warning, he lifted her and set her on the bathroom slab. Her eyes widened when his hands slid to her knees and gently but firmly parted her legs as he stepped between them. She wore only a bathrobe, and beneath it she was completely bare she had just showered.
“F–Fernando,” she breathed.
He silenced her with another kiss deeper, rougher.
His hands untied the knot of her robe and slipped it from her shoulders. The kiss broke with a wet, breathless sound. His palms explored her curves, settling on her breasts, drawing a trembling moan from her lips.
“F… Fernando… the kids are outside,” she panted, pushing lightly at his chest.
He ignored the protest, undoing his fly and pulling her closer until she felt him. She yelped softly.
“Then we’ll make it quick,” he rasped.
He thrust into her without warning, and her back arched instantly.
He growled in satisfaction.
She moaned in pleasure.
“Consider this my thank you for another baby,” he murmured against her skin, voice thick with desire.
She giggled breathlessly between her moans.
“Fuck, baby… you like it?” he asked, his teeth grazing her ear her weakest point.
Her head nodded helplessly.
“Say it, doll,” he growled, increasing his rhythm.
“Y–yes!” she cried as he bit lightly at her neck before soothing the mark with his tongue, chuckling low in his throat.
It was quick.
But it was everything.
Passion.
Love.
Need.
Nine Months Later
“Princess Part Two is coming,” Alexandre teased with a grin, glancing at Charlotte, who looked thrilled at the thought of meeting her long-awaited little sister.
“Shut up. Either call her Princess or call her by her name,” Dominique muttered darkly, earning an amused lift of Alexandre’s brow.
“We don’t even know her name,” Alexandre replied casually.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” Dominique said.
“Damien… I’m scared,” Charlotte whispered softly, clutching her brother’s arm.
Damien turned to her with a gentle smile. “Why are you scared, princess?”
“What if my sister doesn’t like me?” Charlotte asked timidly.
Damien cupped her small face in his hands and made her look at him. “When you were born, we wondered the same thing. And now look at you, you love us more than anyone. Don’t worry. Our little sister will love us too.”
He tucked her under his arm.
As he did, he felt someone watching him.
His eyes shifted and landed on Gabrielle. She stood beside Alexandre and Dominique, staring at him intensely. The moment he caught her, she quickly looked away.
The door opened. Aunt Corinne stepped out and called them inside.
They rushed in, crowding around the crib.
All five of them stared in awe.
When the baby finally opened her eyes, Alexandre smirked. “Pay up.”
Dominique grumbled under his breath. “It might look different in better lighting.”
“Forest green,” Alexandre announced proudly. “Just like Alpha. Not your jade green.” He held out his hand. “Twenty dollars.”
Dominique sighed, pulled money from his pocket, and handed it over. Alexandre tucked it away smugly.
Damien, Gabrielle, and Charlotte stared at them in disbelief.
“She’s not a hybrid,” Fernando said softly.
Everyone smiled.
Everyone except Charlotte.
Her smile wavered. No one was like her.
“You’re our special princess,” Fernando added gently, ruffling her hair.
She giggled again, reassured.
“What’s her name, Dada?” Charlotte asked innocently.
Sofía, exhausted but glowing with quiet joy, smiled from the bed.
“Eugénie,” Fernando said, brushing his thumb over the baby’s pink cheek.
“Eugénie!” the five of them repeated together.
The poor baby startled at the sudden chorus. Her chin quivered.
“Uh oh,” Alexandre muttered, immediately making exaggerated faces at her which only made things worse.
Eugénie burst into tears.
“You scared her, dumb head,” Gabrielle scolded, and moments later they were ushered out of the room.
“Remember when Charlotte was born?” Dominique said. “We did the exact same thing. She cried too.”
The boys laughed.
Charlotte only smiled shyly.
She was always shy. Gentle. Soft-spoken. She couldn’t stand raised voices. Timidness was stitched into her nature.
When the others dispersed, Damien quietly followed Gabrielle down the hallway. She hadn’t noticed him.
She entered her room and walked straight to the window.
There, perched comfortably, was her sparrow.
Gabrielle began chatting with it softly, as if it understood every word. Only heaven knew what secrets they shared.
“Gabrielle?” Damien called.
She jumped, clutching her chest. “You scared me!”
He chuckled. “Why were you staring at me in the lounge?”
Her mouth snapped shut.
“Me?” she asked innocently, scrunching her nose.
“Yeah, you. Who else?” he replied dryly.
“Coco is here,” she said, pointing to the bird.
He blinked. “You named a sparrow Coco?”
She looked away shyly. “I liked the name.”
He swallowed, suddenly unsure what to say.
After a moment, he simply smiled and waved.
She waved back.
And he left her there with her sparrow named Coco and her quiet, secret thoughts.