Page 103 of Silver Fox's Christmas Scandal
Beneath it, a framed sonogram image showed the unmistakable profile of our baby.
"It's a boy," I whispered, watching his face transform as the reality hit him. "Or… It's looking like a boy. I'm fourteen weeks now and it's early, but the nurse said she thinks it's a boy." I beamed with pride while his sex still drained from me, anxiously waiting to see his reaction.
Lucian stared at the sonogram for a long moment, his thumb tracing the outline of our son's tiny form through the glass.
When he finally looked up, tears were streaming down his cheeks.
"Our boy," I whispered before he pulled me down for another kiss. And I had a feeling it was going to be a long night.
32
LUCIAN
The conference room hummed with conversations and clinking glasses, transformed once again into Cross Capital's annual Christmas gala.
Red and gold decorations adorned every surface, and the same string quartet from last year played carols near the windows overlooking the Chicago skyline.
But this time, everything was different.
I moved through the crowd, shaking hands with shareholders and making small talk with board members, my nerves coiled tight beneath my composed exterior.
Tonight would change everything—again. But this time, I'd be the one driving the change instead of letting it happen to me.
Across the room, Tessa flitted about the room gracefully, checking on catering stations and ensuring guests had everything they needed.
No champagne flute in her hand this year, I noted with a private smile.
She wore a navy dress that accommodated her barely visible bump, her hair swept into an elegant updo that left her neck exposed. Every few minutes, our eyes would find eachother across the crowded room, and the electricity between us remained as powerful as ever.
Jamie worked beside her, both women orchestrating the evening's logistics flawlessly, thanks to the clear sky and open roads. The two of them had pulled off the event of the year, and I couldn’t be more proud.
"Lucian." Robert Vaughn appeared at my elbow, his expression cautiously optimistic. "Hell of a week we've had."
"Indeed." I accepted the glass he offered, though my stomach was too knotted to appreciate the expensive bourbon. "Thank you for your support with the board."
"Viktoria overplayed her hand. We all saw it." He glanced toward the entrance where my ex-wife held court near the bar. She was still a shareholder for now, but soon, she'd be ousted from that position too. "She thought she could leverage Elena's accident to turn sentiment against you, but that backfired spectacularly."
The board's emergency vote three days ago had been closer than I'd have preferred—seven to five in my favor—but a victory, nonetheless.
Several members who'd initially wavered came around when they realized Viktoria's campaign was motivated by personal vendetta rather than legitimate corporate concerns.
"Speaking of Elena," Robert continued, "how is she adjusting to being home?"
"Better than expected. She's stubborn as hell, which is serving her well in physical therapy." My chest warmed thinking of my daughter's determination to walk without assistance by New Year's Eve. "She's here tonight, actually. Against doctor's orders, but she insisted."
I spotted Elena near the dessert table, having been wheeled there by some kind stranger, but looking more alive than she had since the accident.
Her presence tonight meant everything—not just her physical recovery, but her emotional support for what I was about to announce.
The crowd began to thin near the makeshift stage where I'd give my annual address. I knew it was time to move toward the moment that would define my future.
I made my way toward the coat closet to collect my notes but found Tessa already there, hanging up a guest's forgotten scarf.
"Fancy meeting you here," I murmured, stepping inside and closing the door behind me.
She turned with a grin that lit up the small space. "Mr. Cross, this is highly inappropriate behavior for a CEO."
"Good thing I'm about to change that." I backed her against the wall of hanging coats, my hands finding her waist as I leaned down to capture her mouth with mine.
