Alexander’s POV.
The last three days had been a perfect…three days of Christiana and the kids here, in my home, surrounded by security and the kind of tension you could taste in the air. We had the best of my team and her personal security covering every inch of the grounds, and yet there was this constant awareness that someone wanted to see us fall, someone as ruthless as Bianca Lewis Monroe. But right now, those threats seemed far away, pushed to the back of our minds, drowned in the intensity of the present.
Christiana was here. She and the kids were with me, and after years of distance, anger, and regret, she was in my arms.
Late last night, after we’d finally convinced the kids to sleep in their new room…carefully decorated just for them…Christiana and I had crept back to the master bedroom like two people who couldn’t believe they’d found their way back to each other. Her hair was a mess of curls across the pillow, her breaths soft, and I couldn’t stop watching her, as if at any moment she’d slip through my fingers again.
I reached out, brushing a hand over her bare shoulder, and she stirred, her eyes blinking open, meeting mine with a softness that cut through every cold wall I’d built around myself over the years.
“What are you thinking?” she asked, her voice still sleepy, like a whisper that could slice through stone.
I smiled letting my hand trace down her arm. “That I’m the luckiest man alive, and a damn fool for not realizing it sooner.”
She laughed, low and quiet, pressing her hand to my cheek, and in that moment, the world was a thousand miles away… Bianca, the threats, everything. It was just us.
Over the past three days, we’d been making up for lost time with a kind of desperation, through love making..and rough, hard sex… as if every touch, every kiss, could make up for the years we’d wasted apart. But it wasn’t just about the physical…it was the way she looked at me now, like maybe, just maybe, she saw something more than the hardened billionaire I’d become.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling me out of the moment. I grabbed it, glancing at the screen…another security update. I frowned, setting it down without a second thought. She noticed.
“More updates?” she asked, her eyes sharp.
“Nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow.” I leaned in, capturing her mouth with mine, and for a moment, she melted against me. But then she pulled back, staring at me with affection and exasperation.
“You know, you don’t have to pretend for me. I can see the tension in your shoulders, Alex. I know you’re worried.”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Of course, I am. But as long as you and the kids are here, with me, we have the best protection money can buy. I’m not letting anything happen to you.”
She gave me a soft smile, a sadness in her eyes. “It’s just strange, isn’t it? That after all this time, the thing bringing us back together is danger.”
I nodded, feeling the weight of those words. “Yeah. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t grateful for it.”
The silence that followed was comfortable, yet charged. She looked away for a moment, a slight blush coloring her cheeks, before she turned back to me with a challenging gleam in her eyes. “Then stop talking, Alexander, and show me.”
That was all the invitation I needed.
Later, as she slept beside me, I lay awake, thinking of the danger surrounding us and the plans I’d been putting in motion. Every detail was being examined, every security feed analyzed, and every lead on Bianca was being tracked. But here, in this room, with Christiana beside me, it was like none of it mattered. All that existed was this….this moment, this woman, and the
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undeniable fact that she was, and always had been, the only person I’d ever truly wanted..
And tomorrow, when the sun rose, I would protect her with every ounce of power I had.
The headlines were everywhere the next morning:
“Billionaire Alexander Williams Alistair Reunites with Ex–Wife Christiana Davis After Five Years of Separation”
I hadn’t expected it to blow up so quickly. Every news outlet, every gossip column, even business magazines had picked it up, and the internet was ablaze with our story. I could almost hear the collective gasp of the public, our reunion had become the scandal of the year, and everyone had something to say.
Christiana didn’t take it as well as I did. She sat on the edge of our bed, scrolling through article after article on her phone, her face was of discomfort and disbelief.
“This is a lot, Alex,” she murmured, shaking her head. “We could have eased into this..maybe kept it quiet.”
I wrapped my arms around her from behind, resting my chin on her shoulder. “Why hide, love? Let them talk. We’ve lived in the shadows long enough.” I looked into her eyes, hoping she’d see what I was trying to say. “I’m not ashamed of us. Are you?”
She gave a soft sigh, leaning into me. “It’s not that… it’s just…” She trailed off, glancing down. “I’m not used to this kind of attention.”
pulled her closer, brushing a kiss to her temple. “Then let me handle it. You and the kids mean everything to me, and I’m not about to let the opinions of strangers take away from that.” I grinned, hoping to lighten the tension. “Besides, we look good together. Don’t you think?”
She laughed, finally relaxing a little. “I suppose we do.”
Just then, little footsteps thundered into the room, and I looked up to see Emma and Ethan sprinting toward us, their faces beaming with excitement.
“Mom! Dad!” Ethan exclaimed, practically leaping into my arms. “Everyone in school is talking about you and Mommy being back together! Even Miss Helen said you’re a ‘power couple. What’s a power couple?”
I chuckled, scooping him up onto my lap. “It means your mom and I are unstoppable when we’re together,” I said, winking at Christiana.
Emma tugged on Christiana’s hand, her eyes wide with fascination. “Mommy, can we tell everyone we’re a family again? Like, for real?”
Christiana looked at her, momentarily speechless, before nodding, her voice gentle. “Yes, sweetheart. We’re a family, and we’re not hiding that from anyone.”
Ethan’s eyes sparkled as he looked between the two of us. “So, are we going to start doing stuff together? Like… family stuff? Maybe even a trip?”
Christiana and I exchanged a glance, and I saw the same spark of possibility in her eyes that I felt. It was hard to deny that, despite the craziness of everything, this felt right. Complete.
“Tell you what,” I said, giving them both a conspiratorial look, “how about we plan something special this weekend? Just us. We’ll make it a family day, no distractions.”
The kids erupted into excited cheers, their joy infectious. Even Christiana couldn’t help but smile, her eyes softening as she watched them. She leaned in, her fingers brushing mine, and whispered, “You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?”
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I turned to her, my gaze stely, “I am, love. I’m not letting go this time. Not for anything”
Her lips parted slightly, the faintest glimmer of vulnerability showing before she nodded. And in that moment, I felt like I’d won something far more valuable than any business deal, more precious than anything money could buy.
Our quiet moment was shattered by the sharp sound of heels echoing down the hallway. I didn’t even need to turn around to know who it was. The tension practically radiated through the walls.
Madam Margaret Alistair, my mother, burst into the room, her face a storm cloud of fury. Her eyes landed on me first, then on Christiana, her gaze narrowing with unmistakable disdain.
“Well,” she began, her voice icily calm, “I see that the rumors are true. You’ve gone and dragged yourself back into this… this fiasco, Alexander.”
The room fell silent, the kids instinctively retreating behind us. Christiana stiffened, her expression guarded, but I reached for her hand, squeezing it in silent reassurance.
“Good morning, Mother,” I replied, my tone deliberately calm. “I assume you’ve seen the news?”
“Oh, I’ve seen it, all right.” Her gaze was sharp, slicing between us like a knife. “Do you have any idea what kind of mess you’re making? The Alistair name has standards, Alexander. Standards that are clearly being disregarded here.”
Christiana straightened beside me, and I felt her grip tighten on my hand. “With all due respect, Mrs. Alistair,” she said, her voice steady, “your son made his decision. Our decision, actually. We’re a family, and that’s not up for debate.” Mother’s face turned stony, her eyes narrowing with barely restrained fury. “Is that so? Well, I certainly hope you’re prepared to deal with the fallout. The press, the board, the entire family is talking about this… disgrace.”
“Enough, Mother,” I cut in, my voice firm. “This is my life, my family. And if anyone has a problem with that, they can take it up with me.” I glanced down at Ethan and Emma, who were watching with wide, anxious eyes. “I’m not going to let anyone, not even you, come between us.”
The silence that followed was tense, thick with unspoken words. My mother looked at me, her gaze cold and unforgiving, before she turned on her heel, her footsteps echoing down the hall as she left.
The moment she was gone, I looked at Christiana, her expression was of determination and disbelief. I wrapped my arms around her and the kids, feeling, for once, like we’d made it throu
gh the storm.
This was only the beginning, but as long as I had them, I knew we could face anything.
