Chapter 257: ~ 257
Chapter 257
~Octavia~
Eight months ago, the turquoise waters and sun-drenched sands of Bora Bora had saved my soul. I still closed my eyes sometimes and recalled the absolute, intoxicating peace of that private island sanctuary.
Franklin had completely and utterly disconnected us from the rest of the world. He had confiscated our phones, ignored the international media layout, and spent two entire weeks doing nothing but worshiping me on the white sands. It was the deep, emotional reset we desperately needed after the blood-stained incident in Manhattan.
But a Flemington queen does not stay hidden in paradise forever.
The moment we returned to New York, I successfully resumed my tech duties. Now, heavily pregnant and officially full term, I was practically a walking fortress.
My once-flat stomach was now very protruding. I was exhausted, my ankles were swollen, but my mind was as sharp and lethal as a razor blade.
"The architecture for the new encrypted server layout is complete, Mrs. Flemington," a smooth, professional baritone voice reported, drawing my attention back to the boardroom table.
I leaned back in my chair, my hand instinctively resting over the top of my massive baby bump as I looked at the two men sitting at the front of the room. One of the lead developers, who had been working with me, nodded in absolute agreement. Standing right beside him was our newest corporate acquisition, Ethan Mendez.
Ethan was a brilliant, exceptionally capable new Team Lead whom we had employed months ago to replace Miranda. He was a master of backend architecture, completely respectful, impeccably polite, and an absolute asset to the team. He never crossed a single boundary, always maintaining a highly professional distance.
The problem wasn’t Ethan. The problem was the towering, brooding shadow sitting at the absolute head of the table.
Franklin sat with his broad shoulders rolled back, his dark tailored jacket unbuttoned, and his hands loosely clasped together over his chest. His expression was a mask of cold, impenetrable stone.
His piercing dark eyes were boring directly into the side of Ethan’s head with a look that looked almost like he wanted to kill him.
Franklin completely and utterly disliked him.
It didn’t matter that Ethan was an exceptional employee. It didn’t matter that Ethan’s work had increased our tech division’s stock value by fifteen percent. He saw him as a threat and claimed that he has caught him staring.
Every single time Ethan moved just a fraction too close to my chair to point out a line of code on a laptop screen, the temperature in the boardroom plummeted to absolute zero.
"We can launch the beta phase by Friday, provided the chairman approves the final compliance budget," Ethan added, turning to look toward Franklin with a respectful, professional nod.
Franklin didn’t blink. He slowly shifted his icy, predatory gaze from the projector screen to Ethan’s face. The silence that followed was so heavy you could hear the soft hum of the central air conditioning.
I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing out loud. I was secretly, deeply amused by my husband’s silent, ridiculous jealousy. It was a beautiful, constant reminder of how fiercely he worshiped the ground I walked on.
"The budget is approved," Franklin spoke, his rough baritone a dangerous, low rumble that sent a tiny, thrilling shiver down my spine. "But the encryption data keys stay entirely on Octavia’s private server. You will deliver your status reports directly to Ms. Victoria. My wife does not need to be disturbed by this, Mr. Mendez."
"Of course, sir. I understand completely," Ethan replied smoothly, entirely smart enough to recognize a polite, billionaire threat when he heard one. He gathered his tablet, gave us both a respectful bow, and quickly exited the boardroom alongside the other developer.
Once the doors clicked shut, the terrifying, untouchable CEO vanished. Franklin instantly rose from his chair, walking down to me. He dropped to one knee right beside my chair, completely discarding his corporate authority as his large, warm hands slid gently over the sides of my massive belly.
"He stands too close to you," Franklin growled softly, leaning up to press a firm, possessive kiss against my lips, his thumb tracing my jawline.
"Franklin, he was looking at a database registry," I laughed softly, tangling my fingers into his thick, dark hair. "He is an excellent team lead. You need to stop terrifying the staff."
"I don’t care if he’s the pope, sweetheart. No man looks at you or stands in your space while you’re carrying my child," he murmured, his dark eyes softening into a gaze of pure, unfiltered adoration as he pressed his ear directly against my stomach.
Right on cue, the baby gave a violent, aggressive kick right against his cheek.
My eyes watered instantly. The third-trimester pregnancy hormones hit me hard, completely bypassing my logic. Just seeing my massive, lethal husband kneeling on a boardroom floor, talking to my stomach, made a sob tear through my throat.
"Franklin," I cried out, the tears spilling over my eyelashes as I sniffled.
"Sweetheart? What’s wrong? Are you in pain?" he asked instantly, his frame tensing as he looked up at me with absolute panic.
"No," I sobbed, wiping my face. "You’re just... you’re too handsome. It’s not fair. And I want a glazed donut with extra hot sauce right now."
Franklin blinked, completely stunned for a moment by the wild, bizarre craving, before a soft chuckle escaped his lips. He stood up, pulling a silk handkerchief from his pocket to gently wipe my cheeks. "You’ll have your donuts in five minutes, Octavia. I’ll have them clear out the bakery."
True to his word, Franklin fiercely tracked down and provided every single insane craving I had throughout the day. By the time evening rolled around, I was completely exhausted, my body aching for the soft comfort of our new estate’s mattress.
But Franklin had other plans.
"We have a client dinner at the suite downtown," Franklin murmured as he helped me slide into an elegant, flowing maternity gown of midnight silk. "It’s a mandatory appearance, sweetheart. I’ll keep it brief."
"Fine," I sighed, leaning against his chest as he securely fastened my jewelry. "But the moment it’s over, you are carrying me to bed."
When the private elevator opened directly into the grand, double-height penthouse suite, the entire space was completely dark.
"Franklin? Did we arrive early?" I asked, frowning as I took a tentative step onto the polished hardwood floor.
Suddenly, a massive wave of warm, brilliant lights flared to life all at once.
"SURPRISE!"
A beautiful, roaring chorus of voices echoed through the massive penthouse. I gasped, my hands instantly flying to my mouth as my eyes widened in absolute shock. The entire house had been transformed into a breathtaking, ethereal paradise of white roses, twinkling fairy lights, and elegant drapery.
Standing right in the center of the room was my entire universe.
Victoria, Annie, Ava, and Sarah rushed forward first, their faces glowing with absolute joy as they surrounded me, pulling me into a massive, careful group hug. Behind them stood my mother and dad, their eyes shining with happy tears as they smiled at their heavily pregnant daughter. Even Grandfather was there, standing alongside a grinning Clinton, and our close inner circle.
It wasn’t a corporate client dinner. It was a stunning, deeply emotional surprise bridal shower.
"You completely fell for it!" Victoria laughed, wiping a tear from her eye as she looked at my shocked face. "Franklin and Clinton spent weeks planning this behind your back."
I turned back around, looking at my husband who was standing by the elevator doors. Franklin had a soft, proud smile on his lips, his hands casually tucked into his pockets as he watched his family surround his queen.
The tears began to fall in earnest now, not from hormones, but from a profound, overwhelming sense of absolute love and peace.
I won’t trade this joy for anything else.
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