Page 91 of Always Been You
Loving Lawliss is the easiest thing I’ve ever done.
And seeing her happy fills me with a joy I never thought I’d deserve.
We moved out of the penthouse to the estate across from her parents’ house. My parents’ home.
It was one of the first things I retrieved and bought back when I had the money, but I never returned to it until now.
Lawliss has made it hers, breathing warmth and life into the walls that had been abandoned. She even built a kiln for her pottery and she’s seven months pregnant now.
I’ve joined more family dinners than I can count, and each time, the Duas act like they aren’t one of the wealthiest families in the country. With our latest merger, their worth jumped into the multibillion range, and they deserve it. They work harder than anyone I know.
“Why did you name her Lawliss?” Elisa suddenly asks, and I suppress a sigh. Here we go again.
Chaos, that one. I like how her mind works and how she comes up with the wildest ideas and the craziest questions.
It’s due to one of her ideas Lawliss stepped out that night; we met again and I’m forever grateful. I even told her I owe her a debt. She just grinned and said she’d collect it in due time.
She doesn’t realize I’d do anything for this family without being asked because they aren’t just Lawliss’s family anymore. They’re mine, too.
“Did you foresee the future, Dad?” Elisa presses. “I mean, did you know she was going to be a lawyer, so you named her Lawliss?”
Andrei sighs, rubbing his temples. “Oh, dear… I wish I had that kind of foresight. I would have named you Brat. Brat Dua. It rolls off the tongue well.”
“Dad!!” she shrieks.
We all laugh.
Dinner is over, but no one leaves. We’re all sprawled across the room, full and content.
Lawliss is sitting with her mom and Aria, refusing to sit with me. Her reasoning? She wants to sit with the ‘moms’ so she can learn how to be a good one.
Her logic is flawed, but what do I know? In our home, her word is law.
I glance over just as Elisa wraps her arms around her father’s neck. And I have to admit... I’m curious about the name too.
“Elisa…” Andrei warns, already tired.
I chuckle.
“When I was pregnant with the twins,” Ines says softly, “I passed out on the road. The good Samaritan who took me to the hospital—her name was Lawliss.” That answer seems to satisfy her. She jumps to her mom while my eyes dart to Lawliss, a sharp flashback hitting me.
Her body limp in my arms. The fear that gripped me, the helplessness.
I shake my head, pushing the memory away. When my gaze meets Andrei’s, I know he’s thinking the same thing.
He gives me a small smile and an unspoken understanding passes between us.
After a while, Lawliss finally comes to sit beside me. I kiss her cheek, and she leans in, resting her head on my shoulder.
“When is the wedding ceremony happening?” Lauren asks us. She’s sitting across from us, with ice cream in hand.
I glance at Lawliss.
We’ve talked about this at length. Our relationship nearly ended because of this so we had to clear the air. To the world, I’m her fiancé. To her family, I’m her husband. But none of that matters. What matters is that we are together.
“After the baby is born,” Lawliss replies. “So, next year.”
I exhale in relief.
