"It's..." I paused again, nerves getting the better of me. I knew she wasn't the type who enjoyed being the centre of attention, and this name was definitely going to draw a lot of it. I wet my lips and looked away, avoiding her gaze.

"Come on, just tell me. Why are you so nervous, baby?" she said gently, pressing a kiss to my knuckles and cradling my jaw to turn me toward her. Her face, soft, beautiful, reassuring, melted a bit of the tension inside me. She was clearly trying to make this easier for me, to help me feel sure of myself. And yet... why the hell was I still acting like a pussy?

This is Alysia, for God's sake. She's the kindest woman I know, getting mad is hardly in her nature. Still, somehow, she always has this effect on me. No matter how much time passes, she has this uncanny ability to make me feel like an awkward teenager again.

Taking a steadying breath, I shut my eyes and forced the words out before I could backtrack.

"Salysia. The name we went with... it's Salysia."

I cracked my eyes open, watching her closely, hoping for any sign of what she was thinking, but her expression gave nothing away, just a blank stare. That was unusual because Alysia was normally easy to read, like an open book. But right now, she was impossible to decipher.

I cleared my throat and went on, “As I said, I wanted something unique and catchy…something that felt personal to us. So... I came up with this name. I took ‘Sa’ from Samuel and ‘lysia’ from Alysia. Clever, right?” I let out a nervous laugh, trying to cut through the tension, but she just kept staring at me.

I bit my lip, waiting anxiously. I really hoped she liked it.

“I just thought it sounded cute and a little quirky, you know? But if you’re not okay with it, that’s totally fine too. We can still come up with some—” Before I could finish, she suddenly leapt at me, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck. I stumbled back a step but caught my balance, holding her close with my arms around her waist.

“The name is... amazing, baby. I love it,” she whispered into my ear.

I let out a relieved breath. “You do?”

“Mmhmm…” she smiled up at me, and my heart nearly burst from happiness. I picked her up and spun her around, making her laugh uncontrollably.

“What are you doing? People are watching, put me down!”

“Are they?” I looked around, then kissed her quickly. “Well… let’s give them a show.” Her eyes widened, and just as she started to protest, I pressed my lips to hers, slipping my tongue into her mouth in a deep, heated kiss. My frustration was obvious as being with her always lit something primal in me, like I was that lusty teenager all over again.

Not that I’m complaining. Not even one bit.

She let out a breathy moan as I bit her lower lip, but then gently pushed her away. “Y-you need to… let me… b-breathe.”

“I’m sorry, I got a little carried away.” I pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

“How did you come up with… this name?” she asked.

“At first, I thought of choosing something that represented us,” I said, smiling as I shrugged. “But then it hit me…” My smile softened. “You and Sam are my entire world now, and that’s how I chose Salysia—it means free spirit… a visionary.” I wet my lips and leaned in to kiss her again. I truly couldn’t get enough of her.

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Without thinking, my hand lifted to wipe them away. I couldn’t stand seeing her cry, not even when those tears were born of happiness.

“And then we went to the underwater aquarium, then toy shopping, then the park, and then…” Sam continued excitedly, barely pausing for breath. Ally listened to him with complete focus, a small, adorable frown creasing her face as she tried to keep up. They were on a video call, completely absorbed in their own little world, while I sat beside her, quietly taking in the scene before me. Watching their bond filled my chest with warmth.

My son and my wife.

God, it feels so fucking good to say that after such a long time.

When Beverly left us, I never imagined Sam would ever be the same again. His therapist had warned me that losing Bev was a massive shock for a child so young, and slowly, I began to lose hope too. He became painfully withdrawn. Apart from me and occasionally his nanny, he wouldn’t speak to anyone. Not kids of his age, not his nursery teachers and not even my parents. He would just stare silently when spoken to.

Then Alysia entered our lives, like a faint ray of hope. And none of us realised when that tiny glimmer turned into blazing sunlight, warming and transforming everything, especially my once-frozen heart.

Last month marked our six-month anniversary. Can you believe it? The same man who was once so opposed to this marriage now can’t imagine spending his life with anyone else. It’s funny how life works.

From what I can tell, Ally seems to have forgotten about it, but that’s perfectly fine, as long as she doesn’t grow suspicious about the surprise I have planned.

Yes, I decided to take her to Seattle to spend some uninterrupted time together and to celebrate our six-month anniversary there. I could also handle a few work commitments while we were in the city.

I left Sam in the care of Aiden and Gianna. I trust them completely, and I’ve seen how much Aiden loves kids, especially Sam. I know, without a doubt, that he’d risk everything for my son, and I’d do the same for him. That’s the kind of bond our friendship is built on.

“Goodnight, sweetheart. Take care and don’t trouble Uncle Aiden too much, okay? Be a good boy for your mom. Love you,” Alysia said gently.

“Love you, Momma. Love you, Daddy. Goodnight,” Sam replied, leaning forward to kiss the screen.

“Love you too, buddy,” I said, just before Ally ended the call.

“Did you notice,” I complained lightly, “how that little guy completely ignored me? Only at the very end did he remember his father exists and has been sitting here all along.”

She laughed, then leaned over to kiss my cheek. “Aww, babe… he’s just a child. Don’t be upset. He was just too excited.”

“Well,” I muttered, “you ignored me too.”

She smiled shyly. “What can I say? I was missing my son.”

I pulled her into my arms, holding her close. As I squeezed her thigh, I leaned in and whispered, “In that case… prepare yourself for your punishment, love.”

“Where are we going now?” Ally tugged at my sleeve, asking the same question yet again.

I only hummed. “Just a little more patience, sweetheart.”

She groaned, facepalmed, and then scooted slightly away from me, fixing her gaze on the view outside the window with an exaggerated pout. I nearly laughed at her little tantrum because I knew it wouldn’t last. She’s far too sweet to stay mad at me, even for ten minutes.

And I was right. Barely five minutes later, I caught her glancing my way.

I was scrolling through emails on my phone, yet somehow she still managed to draw most of my attention to her. There’s something about her, her presence or her energy, that I can’t quite explain. It has this undeniable power over me, one that makes me want to surrender completely, to fall to my knees before her. To me, she’s nothing short of a goddess.

She looked at me again. I knew that look, curiosity was eating her alive.

“Ally?” I called softly.

“Huh… yeah?”

“You want to ask me something, baby?” I slipped my phone back into my pocket and turned fully toward her.

“Well, yeah…” she hesitated. “When I went to the office today, I noticed Justin’s cabin was empty. Then I found out he’s been suspended. Strange, right?” She shrugged.

I met her gaze, carefully hiding my smirk.

That was my doing. I’d personally spoken to the company owner and pushed for that bastard’s suspension, though I’d wanted him fired outright. His boss insisted Justin was a good employee and promised he’d be strictly warned to stay the hell away from my wife. The owner, Friedrich Wilhelm, is an old friend of my father’s. In fact, my very first project as Dad’s assistant was designing the house Friedrich wanted to gift to his newly married daughter. But Alysia didn’t need to know any of that. So, just like her, I shrugged casually, doing my best to act completely unaware.

“It’s good news, isn’t it? That bastard had it coming,” I said.

She nodded, though the adorable crease between her brows still hadn’t disappeared.

Soon, the car came to a halt in front of his building. I asked the driver to park, and we stepped out, entering the elevator together.

“Are we meeting someone?” she asked.

I nodded.

“Who?”

“You’ll find out,” I replied with a smile, earning a loud groan from her.

“Damn it, why are you always so secretive?”

“I’m not,” I countered calmly. “I just don’t want to ruin the suspense.”

She huffed and leaned against me in resignation. Moments later, the elevator doors opened on the top floor, revealing a wide, luxurious corridor. I took her hand and led her towards the penthouse. I needed to sign a few work-related documents, and since I didn’t want to leave Alysia alone, I decided to bring her along.

We reached the penthouse door, and I rang the bell.

“You’re still not going to tell me?” she asked softly, hope flickering in her eyes. 

I nearly gave in—almost. “Why don’t you see for yourself?” I smirked.

She rolled her eyes, yanked her hand free in irritation, and I chuckled at her reaction. The door swung open, followed by an exaggerated, overly dramatic squeal. “Oh my God, oh my God—my dream girl, ALYSIA! You’re here! Am I hallucinating or what?”

I sighed, thoroughly unimpressed. I’d informed him about our visit a week ago, yet he never missed a chance to overreact.

“No, you’re not,” I said flatly, though he paid me no attention.

“No, no, this can’t be real. I need a big hug from Alysia to make sure,” he declared.

I clenched my jaw and shot a look at my stunned wife.

“Liam?” Alysia finally breathed out before suddenly launching herself at him. They shared a brief hug, while I glared at Liam, silently warning him to keep his hands in check or I wouldn’t hesitate to break them.

He only flashed me his signature, infuriating grin in response.

It’s not that I don’t trust Liam because I trust him with my life. He’s like a brother to me. He’s even made it clear that he sees my wife as the sister he never had. And even if he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have said anything. I know the man he is—good-hearted, irritating at times, but someone I understand and can handle just fine.

Still, I couldn’t stop myself from feeling jealous every single damn time. I like to believe it’s just part of who I am, especially when it comes to her. They eventually pulled apart, and then we exchanged a brief hug.

Finally.

Liam invited us inside, and we stepped into his place. Once we were settled in the living room, his housekeeper offered drinks. I asked for water.

For the next two hours, Alysia and Liam chatted nonstop, like two elderly women gossiping over evening tea, while I forced myself to focus on the paperwork in front of me. I had a headache by then, but honestly, working was still better than being dragged into their so-called “intellectual” discussion.

After I finished with the files, we moved to the dining table for dinner. That’s when Alysia asked, “What’s on the menu, Liam?”

“Me-n-u,” he snorted.

Alysia burst out laughing, and I dropped my head onto the table.

God, I seriously can’t handle them.

When the food finally arrived, I didn’t waste a second and dug right in. Meanwhile, Liam and Ally continued their endless chatter, and she ended up telling him the entire Justin incident.

“And out of nowhere, Smith showed up and landed a perfect knockout punch straight to his jaw,” she said, shivering. “I swear I even heard something crack.”

I placed my hand on her thigh and squeezed gently, trying to calm her, while shovelling another forkful of pasta into my mouth.

Then Liam spoke. “Man, I’m really disappointed in you.”

I scoffed.

“What? Why?” Alysia asked, looking between us. I only shrugged and went back to eating.

Liam shook his head. “I was the one who taught him the basics of boxing.”

That much was true. Liam is obsessed with boxing, completely, hopelessly in love with it. If marrying a sport were possible, he’d have done it already. Back when we were doing our master’s together, he’d taught me a few moves. I wouldn’t call myself a pro, but I was decent back then. Eventually, though, I stopped practising once I got sucked into the corporate world.

Liam, on the other hand, never quit. I’m certain he’s still at it.

“So?” Ally prompted, while I deliberately ignored them and took another bite of pasta.

“He did it all wrong, Sia,” Liam continued. “In boxing, the opponent is supposed to stay down after a knockout punch. If I’d been there, I’d have snapped his neck.”

He smirked darkly, and I sighed.

“Whatever,” Ally laughed, clearly taking it as a joke. A moment later, Liam laughed too.

She has no idea how dangerous Liam can be, and I hope she never does. I remember all his bloody fights. Only I know the depth of his violence and how far removed it is from anything normal.

Clearing his throat, Liam finally changed the subject. “So, lovebirds…how’s married life treating you?”

“Better than ever,” Alysia chimed in instantly, turning towards me with a wide grin. My heart skipped a beat, though I chose to ignore the part where Liam had called us lovebirds. I’d deal with him later. Definitely not in front of Ally.

“And what about you, Mr Parker?” Liam asked.

I glanced at Alysia, who was already watching me expectantly.

“Very good,” I replied with a small smile, then leaned forward to pick up my glass of water.

“So… when will I be meeting another junior Parker?” he asked with a grin.

Alysia immediately choked on her food, and I spat the water straight ahead. I whipped my head toward Liam, shooting him a sharp glare. He instantly nodded, realising his mistake.

“W-what?” Alysia asked, her eyes flicking between us, confusion written all over her face.

Guilt flashed across Liam’s expression before he suddenly burst out laughing.

Both of us stared at him, completely baffled.

Between laughs, he said, “Tell me, Alysia…when will I see Junior Parker again? I didn’t get a chance to meet him when I visited LA, and now you didn’t bring him here either. I really miss that kid.”

I let out a quiet breath. Thank God.

Alysia smiled. “He’s staying with my brother right now, but trust me, he misses you too.”

We chatted casually for a while after that. No one brought the topic up again, not Liam, not me, and surprisingly, not even Alysia. I couldn’t tell if she’d genuinely forgotten it or was just pretending to ignore it. I desperately hoped it was the former.

“I need to use the restroom,” she said eventually.

“Sure, Aria will guide you,” Liam said, gesturing toward his housekeeper. The woman nodded, and Alysia followed her.

The moment they were gone, I turned a hard glare on Liam, who already looked apologetic. “Why did you have to open your big mouth?”

“I didn’t know she didn’t know,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“That’s exactly the point. Then why say anything at all?”

“You told me you’d tell her in Seattle,” he explained. “So I assumed you already had. I just asked casually.”

I sighed heavily. “I didn’t. I never found the right moment to drop that bomb.”

“Relax,” he said. “I think she’ll take it well. You saw her at dinner, she seemed fine. That’s why she didn’t get angry. Just confused.”

“You don’t know her the way I do,” I replied quietly. “She stayed silent because she didn’t want to cause a scene in front of you. I’m sure she’ll bring it up once we’re back at the hotel. And right now, I’m just hoping it goes well.”

I exhaled, my fingers unconsciously twisting the ring on my finger, the one she had given me. I glanced down at it, my chest tightening.

Liam scratched the back of his neck. “Well… if it doesn’t go well,” he shrugged, “and she kicks you out, you know where to find me.”

“Fuck off.”

The entire ride back to the hotel, she kept her distance. Every attempt I made to talk to her was met with one-word replies. She even shifted away from me, pressing herself closer to the window. All the signs were there. This isn’t going to end well.

When we finally reached the hotel, I reached for her hand, but she slapped it away. Fuck. She was really angry.

Inside the room, she went straight into the bathroom to change, not even sparing me a glance. After changing, I stood on the balcony, smoking a cigar, when I sensed her presence behind me.

“So… Junior Parker, huh?”