100 Chapter 100: Noah’s Birthday Planning
100 Chapter 100: Noah’s Birthday Planning
Aria’s POV – Days Later (
“Absolutely not.”
Damien looked up from his tablet, confusion crossing his face. “What’s absolutely not?”
“That.” I pointed at the screen showing a full-sized animatronic T-Rex. “You’re not buying our son a twelve-foot dinosaur that costs more than a car.”
The kitchen smelled like the coffee I’d brewed earlier-dark roast, still warm in the pot. Morning light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making the marble countertops gleam. I’d been reviewing contracts when Damien had started his online shopping spree.
“But look how realistic it is.” He turned the tablet to show me, his eyes bright with excitement, like a kid himself. “It roars and moves its head and”
“No.” I crossed my arms, the silk of my blouse cool against my skin. “It’s too much.”
“It’s his birthday.”
“It’s his fourth birthday.” I moved around the kitchen island to peer at his screen, my bare feet silent on the heated floors. The animatronic dinosaur was impressive—I’d give him that. Also completely ridiculous. “He doesn’t need extravagant gifts. He needs memories.”
Damien’s expression softened. The tablet screen reflected in his blue eyes. “I want to give him everything.”
“I know.” My voice was gentle. I could see the guilt written across his face, the same guilt that had been there for months now. “But everything isn’t always things. Sometimes it’s just… being there.”
He set the tablet down on the granite countertop. The slight click echoed in the quiet space. “You think I’m overcompensating.”
the warmth of his skin, the way “I think you missed years.” I touched his hand, feelin his fingers tensed under mine. “And you’re trying to make up for it all at once. But Damien-you can’t buy back time.”
“Then what do I do?” The vulnerability in his voice cracked something in my chest. His
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hand turned over, palm up, almost pleading. “How do I show him I’m sorry? That I want to be the father he deserves?”
“You show up.” I squeezed his hand. His fingers were long, strong, the same hands that had held me few nights ago. “Every day. For every little thing, Thats what matters.”
He turned his hand over completely now, lacing our fingers together. His grip was firm. “When did you get so wise?”
“When I became a single mother and realized stuff doesn’t matter.” I smiled, looking down at our joined hands. His thumb traced small circles on my wrist. “Love does. Presence does and showing up does.”
“I’m showing up now.” His eyes held mine and making promises I wasn’t sure I could trust yet. “For both of you.”
The moment stretched between us. I could hear the clock ticking on the wall. The hum of the refrigerator, even my own heartbeat.
“So no dinosaurs?” He finally asked.
“No twelve-foot dinosaur,” I confirmed. “But maybe a reasonable-sized one that won’t traumatize the other children.”
“Deal.” He pulled up a new search, his other hand still holding mine. “What about the party? Where should we have it?”
“I was thinking the park”
“The Bellamy Hotel has an amazing children’s ballroom”
“Damien.” I gave him a look, pulling my hand away to pour myself more coffee. The liquid was still hot, steam rising. “The park. Where kids can run around and be kids, not some stuffy hotel.”
“Bellamy isn’t stuffy.” He scrolled through photos, stubborn as always. “Look, they have a bouncy castle and”
“Park.” I took his tablet away, setting it out of reach. “Trust me on this.”
He studied me for a moment. “You really think simple is better?”
“I know it is.” I set the tablet down on the far counter. “Noah doesn’t care about fancy
venues or expensive entertainment. He wants dinosaurs, his friends, and both his venues or expensive entertainment. He wants di parents there. That’s it.”
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100 Chapter 100: Noah’s Birthday Planning
“Both his parents.” Damien’s voice went rough. He stood from the barstool, moving closer. “I like the sound of that.”
“Don’t get used to it.” But I was smiling, my cheek warming. “This is just for Noah.”
“Just for Noah,” he echoed, though his expression suggested otherwise. He was close now. Close enough that I could smell his cologne, see the flecks of darker blue in his
eyes.
The elevator dinged, breaking the moment.Olivia Grant stepped out, her auburn curls bouncing with each step, carrying shopping bags that rustled with every movement.
“Please tell me those are party supplies and not more medical equipment.” I moved to help her, grateful for the interruption. My heart was beating too fast.
“Party supplies.” Olivia set the bags on the counter with a soft thud. Tissue paper peeked out from the tops. “And maybe some medical equipment. You can never be too prepared.”
“She’s joking,” I told Damien, who’d gone pale.
“I’m partially joking.” Olivia grinned at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Don’t worry, Damien. I promise not to turn Noah’s birthday into a medical seminar.”
“Much appreciated.” He stood, straightening his shirt. “I should go pick up Noah from preschool. Unless” He looked at me, and there was something hopeful in his expression. “Did you want to come?”
The offer surprised me. Not because he asked, but because he was asking instead of assuming.
“I have a conference call in few minutes.” I checked my watch “But tomorrow I’ll go with you.”
“Tomorrow.” His smile was bright,the kind of smile that made my stomach flip. “It’s a
date.”
“It’s not a date”
“Feels like a date.” He was already heading for the elevator, that grin still on his face.
“See you
both later!”
The elevator doors closed on his expression. Silence filled the penthouse then Olivia exploded.
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“He’s got it bad.” She pulled out streamers and balloons, the plastic crinkling. “Like, embarrassingly bad.”
“He’s trying.” I started unpacking supplies, grateful for something to do with my hands. Paper plates, dinsour napkins, plastic cups. “I’ll give him that.”
“Trying?” Olivia raised an eyebrow, setting down a bag with a thump. “Aria, the man looks at you like you hung the moon. He’s not trying. He’s completely gone.”
“It’s guilt.” I arranged paper plates in neat stacks, the cardboard smooth under my fingers. “He feels bad about what happened.”
“It’s love.” Olivia touched my arm, her hand warm. “And you know it, you are just too
scared to admit it.”
“I’m not scared”
She cut me off, her voice firm. “Don’t think I didn’t notice the change. few months ago you were all ‘I’ll never forgive him.’ Now you’re planning birthday parties together and blushing when he leaves the room.”
“I’m not blushing.”Â
“You’re totally blushing.” She laughed, the sound echoing in the kitchen. “It’s okay to be happy, you know. To let yourself have this.”
“What if I let myself have it and he takes it away again?” The words burst out as my hands stilled on the supplies. “What if I trust him and he destroys me? I barely survived it the first time, Liv. I won’t survive it again.”
Olivia pulled me into a hug. She smelled like vanilla and antiseptic-the hospital must have been busy today. Her arms were strong around me. “Then don’t let him destroy you, keep your power. But also” She pulled back to look at me, her hands on my shoulders. “Don’t let fear rob you of something real, Thats man has changed. Even I can
see it.”
“You hated him a few months ago also.”
“I still hate him a little.” She shrugged, going back to unpacking. Streamers spilled across the counter-green and blue and purple. “But I hate seeing you miserable more and Aria-you’re happier when he’s around. Noah’s happier, that has to count for something.”
“It counts for confusion.” I slumped against the counter, the cold marble pressing into
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my
lower back. “I don’t know what I’m doing, Liv. One minute I want to murder him, the next I want to” I cut myself off.
“Want what?” Olivia’s smile turned wicked. She set down a pack of balloons and leaned against the counter, facing me. “Jump him? Tear his clothes off? Finally deal with all that sexual tension?”
“Olivia!”
“What? You’re adults. Adults have needs.” She went back to unpacking, pulling out dinosaur-shaped confetti. “And honey, the way he looks at you? That man has a lot of
needs.”
Heat flooded my cheeks. “Stop, we are not talking about this.”
“Fine. But for the record-angry sex is very therapeutic.” She pulled out dinosaur napkins with T-Rexes on them. “Just saying.”
“We’re not having angry sex.”
“What about make-up sex? Reconciliation sex? ‘I’m-sorry-I-was-a-complete-ass’ sex?” “We’re not having any kind of sex!” But I was laughing now, the tension breaking. Then I paused, biting my lip. “Wait. Although… We have had sex twice, not counting the rounds we went though.”
The pack of balloons Olivia was holding dropped to the counter. “BITCH!” She screamed, whirling to face me. “And you never thought to inform me?!”
“Olivia!” I hissed, eyes widening. “Can you not yell that across the entire penthouse?”
“Can you not keep secrets like this from your best friend?” She grabbed my arm, shaking it. “Twice? You can’t count the amount of rounds? When? Where? How? I need details immediately.”
“Girl” I tried to find the words, heat spreading up my neck. “You can see we had the issue with Marcus and everything. It’s been chaotic. So yes, we’ve had sex.”
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“I don’t care about Marcus right now.” Olivia’s grin was enormous. “I care about this. So? How was it? Was he good? Please tell me he was good because after all this buildup, if he was bad in bed, I will personally
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