Contract Marriage: I’ve Always Loved You

The next morning, as I wake up, I find Steve getting ready for the office. I check on the babies. They both are sleeping peacefully in the crib.

I can’t believe it’s been over a week since the twins came into the world. It feels like they were born just yesterday! And it’s incredible how Steve, my ex-husband, stands by me every day.

“Good morning, mommy,” he wishes to me, a warm smile gracing his lips, as I step down from the bed.

“Good morning, Daddy,” I respond to him in a cheerful tone.

It feels unreal that we’re living together again, not as a couple, but it still feels so good. Just his mere presence is enough to brighten my day. I really don’t want a life where he’s with me. Those eight months without him were miserable, and it was all my fault for hiding my pregnancy. I feel like such an idiot for doing that.

“Anyway, I’ve hired a nanny for the twins. She’ll help you in my absence,” he informs me, adjusting his tie.

“Steve, you didn’t have to do that. I can take care of them. Or do you think I’m not good enough to take care of them without you?” I ask, approaching him.

The thought of him thinking I’m not good enough for him or our babies makes my heart ache.

Steve turns to face me, his expression softening as he takes my hands in his. “No, Grace, it’s not about that at all. I know you’re more than capable of taking care of the twins on your own. But,” he takes a brief pause before continuing, “It can be overwhelming to manage everything alone. I want you to have some help, especially when I’m not around. I want you to have time for yourself.”

His words touch my heart, and I feel a lump form in my throat. I’m not used to someone genuinely thinking about me.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

I just stare at him because he has left me completely speechless.

How can a person like him exist? I’ve hurt him so much in the past. I have treated him so badly, and not just that, I even hid the news about my pregnancy from him. Still, from the moment he stepped back into my life again, he’s not just taking good care of our babies, but also of me.

He’s treating me so well, with so much care, which I don’t even deserve.

Unknowingly, his gestures are making me fall for him even more.

“We’re in this together, Grace. Now you get fresh. I’m here with the babies,” his words bring me back to earth, and I nod in response before heading to the bathroom.

***

As I step out of the bathroom, I find Steve by the crib, talking to Giana and Evan in a gentle tone. The twins look at him with their innocent eyes, captivated by their father’s voice.

“I don’t want to leave you both, you know that? Daddy has an important meeting today, but I promise I’ll be back soon.” He whispers to them, his love for them clearly visible in his eyes.

I stand there, observing the tender moment between Steve and the babies, feeling a warmth in my heart. It feels so fucking good to see this.

“Steve, now you can leave. I’ll take care of them, don’t worry.” I reassure him, heading over to them.

He nods at me before looking back at the twins. “I’ll miss you both, but mommy will be here with you, and she will take good care of you. Daddy will see you in the evening.”

He kisses their forehead before turning towards me. “Bye, Grace. If you need some help, just give me a call.”

I nod at him before caressing the cheeks of the twins and making funny faces to make them laugh. “Say bye to Daddy, my little munchkin. Bye, Daddy.” I hold their hands and wave them at Steve.

He smiles at us. “Bye, Giana. Bye, Evan. Be good for Mommy.” He waves at them as he exits the room, and I smile as I gaze at his departing figure. These little moments with him and our babies just feel so surreal and soothing to my heart.

After an hour, the nanny which Steve hired arrives. Her name is Olivia. She helps me with feeding, changing, and keeping an eye on Giana and Evan while I handle one of them.

As the day goes on, I feel grateful for the support. Managing twins alone would indeed be a challenge. The nanny’s presence allows me to catch my breath and tend to the needs of both Giana and Evan more efficiently.

At one point, Giana starts crying, and the nanny swiftly steps in and comforts her while I change the diaper of Evan. This makes me appreciate the decision Steve made to bring in a nanny to help me.

When I sit on the bed, placing Giana on my lap and talking to her, taping her nose, a knock on the door interrupts our joyful moment. Olivia has gone to the washroom, and Evan is sleeping in the crib.

I reach to open the door, cradling Giana. Dad… I mean, Steve’s father stood in the doorway with a stern expression.

When I will see that same warmth in his eyes like I did a year ago? I wonder if that day will ever come back.

“Grace, the media is here. You need to handle it; after all, it’s your fault that our family’s reputation is at stake.” His words hurt, but I nod because I know it’s my fault.

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle them-” I reassure him, but he snatches Giana from me, and goes inside, ignoring my words.

I feel a deep longing for the bond we once shared. I truly hope that someday I can experience that same love and care from him again. Every day, it’s what I pray for.

I compose myself and make my way outside the mansion, where the reporters eagerly await, cameras flashing. My heartbeat accelerates.

Calm down, Grace! Just calm down!

I wasn’t like this. I wasn’t afraid to face the world, and I didn’t give a fuck to what they think about me. However, now I’m afraid because I know I’m at fault. The guilt of my past mistakes has weighed heavily on me, and facing the media brings those feelings to the surface once again.

When we landed in New York and faced the media yesterday, Steve was there with me, but now I’m alone. I wish he was me right now. Alas, he isn’t, and I have to face it alone, like always.

I can do this because I have faced the worst before.

Taking a deep breath, I step forward, trying to maintain my composure as I prepare to face the barrage of questions. The reporters swarm around me, firing questions left and right, their microphones thrust in my direction.

“Why did you run away, Grace?”

“How can you explain keeping the pregnancy a secret?”

Their words cut deep, bringing back memories of the pain and chaos I’ve experienced in the absence of Steve. I want to scream, to lash out at them for their insensitivity, but I know that won’t solve anything. So, I gather my strength, ready to face their questions with resilience.

I answer their inquiries in a calm tone until one reporter crosses the line.

“Are these babies even Steve’s? Or did you have an affair?”

A frown appears on my face and I clench my hands, glaring at the reporter. How the fuck could he raise questions about my character? I just fucking feel like to kill him.

There is a sheer silence as everyone awaits my response. Before I can say anything, Steve storms there, his face red with anger. He grabs the reporter’s microphone, causing my eyes to widen in shock.

Is he really here?

“How dare you question the legitimacy of my children!” His voice booms, and in a fit of rage, he lands a punch on the reporter, causing chaos among the media.

I gasp, taken aback by the intensity of Steve’s rage. It’s not like I’ve never seen him in anger before, but this is different. It’s not just anger; it’s a raw fury that I’ve never witnessed from him before.

However, what Steve did, I’m glad because that reporter deserved it. In fact, many more punches.

“I won’t let anyone question the paternity of my babies or insult Grace. Get lost now!” He growls in outrage, and his bodyguards quickly escort the reporters out.

I watch him in astonishment as he takes a moment to collect himself. As he turns towards me, I see a mix of anger and concern in his eyes.

“Grace, are you okay?” He asks, his tone softened.

Before I can answer him, his father storms to us, his face contorted with anger. “What the hell, Steve? You punched a reporter for this woman. Are you out of your mind?” His voice is harsh enough to tighten my chest with sharp pain.

Steve answers him with determination in his eyes. “She’s the mother of my children, Dad. I won’t let anyone question her or our family. I won’t tolerate insults thrown at her or our babies.”

His father argues, “She’s tarnishing the family’s reputation with her actions. Can’t you see, Steve?”

Hearing his hurtful words is like a stab in the heart, causing intense pain.

“This is my family, Dad. I won’t let anyone, not even you, speak ill of Grace or my babies.” Steve retorts, causing me to stare at him in amazement.

I’m touched by the way he is supporting me, but history is repeating, they both are again fighting because of me. I can’t create a rift between them.

Dad, still fuming, finally utters, “Fine, have it your way. But remember, you’ll regret this, son. You’ll regret supporting this woman as I had regretted in the past. Mark my words.”

With that, he storms out of the room, and I wonder, ‘Will I ever gain his trust again?’

Steve turns to me, concern etched on his face. “I’m sorry. That was out of control.”

He turns to leave, and I immediately stop him by entangling my pinky finger with his. It happens automatically. As he turns towards me, his gaze shifts from our entwined fingers to meet my eyes.

“Your support means a lot to me, Steve. Thank you.” I move closer to him and then place a soft kiss on his cheek, standing on my toes.

A smile flashes on his face. “I like your way of thanking me, ex-wife.”

I reciprocate the smile, filled with immense gratitude for having him by my side. He truly is a blessing in my life.

The person who was the pain in my ass in the past has now become the pillar of support I never knew I needed. I never thought that our journey, beginning with a one-night stand and contract marriage, would bring us to this point.

But the word ‘ex-wife’ stings, because I long to be more than that. I yearn to be his wife, not just temporarily, not as an ex, but as his forever wife.

“Steve,” I begin, still holding onto his pinky, “as much as I appreciate your support, I don’t want to cause conflict between you and your father. I can’t bear to see you two fighting because of me.”

He looks at me with a reassuring smile, keeping his gaze fixed on me. “Grace, you’re important to me, and I won’t let anyone question or insult you. I’ll always stand up for you.” I feel lumps forming in my throat.

Will he just stop doing this? He’s driving me insane with his unwavering support. Is he the same Steve who despised me? I can’t believe it.

“I understand, and I’m grateful for that, but I also don’t want history to repeat itself, Steve. I don’t want to be the reason for a divide between you and your father.”

“How can a person change so much?” He asks in a disbelieving tone. “First, you weren’t ready to accept your mistake, and now you’re taking all the blame on yourself.”

I take a deep breath, my gaze meeting his. “Even I can’t recognise the person I have grown into, Steve. It’s like I’ve transformed in ways I never imagined. In the past, I was quite selfish, but now I’ve become much more selfless. That’s why now I don’t want to cause any tension between you and your father.”

He sighs. “Grace, you aren’t creating any tension between us. He is thinking wrong about you. He has to understand that you have changed.”

I plead, holding his hand. “Steve, I’ll face his hatred because I deserved it. Please, you just stop fighting with him for me.”

“Grace, I can’t stand by and let anyone insult you. But I’ll find a way to handle this without causing more issues with my father.” As he reassures me, I heave a sigh of relief.

Finally, he understands me! Thank God.

“Thank you, Steve. I just want your father to see himself that I’ve changed and I’m not the person I used to be.”

As he places his hand on my face, for a few seconds I close my eyes, losing myself in his touch. “Grace, I’ll work on helping him understand, and I won’t let you face his hatred alone.”

I smile at him, feeling so grateful for his support. And the way he gazes at me like I’m his everything, it’s absolutely intoxicating.

I’m head over heels in love with this man, and there’s no stopping.

***