"Are you...? Are you proposing?" Skylar gaped at her boyfriend of eleven months.
Stefan nodded somberly, "I've been planning it for a while but right here, right now seems like the perfect time to ask you this question. I love you Skylar Emily Hart and I love Penny like my own and I can't wait for the three of us to become a family. So yes, Skylar I'm asking you to marry me and make me the happiest man alive."
"Yes. Yes. A hundred times yes!!" Skylar squealed, nodding her head vigorously, her eyes brimming with tears.
Stefan placed a chaste kiss on her lips before turning to Penny and exclaimed, "you hear that baby? Your mama agreed to marry me!," much to the little girl's delight.
He took the diamond ring out from its velvet case and slid it onto her ring finger.
"I love you, Stefan. I can't wait to be your wife and for the three of us to become a family."Skylar kissed his cheek before placing her daughter in her lap so Stefan could sit next to them.
Samantha walked into the room, beaming at the sight of the happy family. "I hear congratulations are in order?"
"You knew about this!?" Skylar exclaimed.
"Of course I did, who do you think helped this clueless man pick out the ring?" At this, the two women giggled, conspiratorily.
"Sure. Make fun of the minority in this room, why don't you?" Stefan grumbled.
"Aww. You're gonna have to get used to it." Skylar teased her fiancée.
"Yeah but that doesn't mean I have to like it." Stefan pouted.
"Okay lovebirds. I just met the doctor outside, super hot, by the way, and he said that we can take Penny home in the next hour."
"You hear that baby? We can go home soon." Skylar cooed to her daughter who sleepily nodded her head.
"I sleep with Mister Cuddles, mama? And and Pinky Bear?" She clutched onto her new teddy bear.
"Yeah, baby. You can sleep with Mister Cuddles and Pinky Bear."
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
The drive home went smoothly with Penny asleep in her car seat. The couple held hands as they cruised through the streets of New York City to Skylar's penthouse on the Upper East Side.
When they reached home, Skylar picked Penny up from her car seat and Stefan followed with his overnight bag in tow.
Skylar carried Penny to her nursery and placed her in her cot and tucked her in.
She turned on the night light and was about to leave when Penny's tiny voice stopped her.
"Mama? Can daddy tuck me in?"
"Yes, sweetie. Give me a second."She assured her.
She walked out of the room and gestured to Stefan who was sitting in the living room. "Penny wants you to tuck her in."
Stefan looked taken aback for a second but followed Skylar to Penny's nursery, nonetheless.
"Daddy's here, baby." Stefan cooed to her.
"Can you tell me a story daddy?" the little one asked.
He sat near the foot of the bed and grabbed a book lying on her nightstand. "Once upon a time, there was a princess who had long golden hair and one day..."
Skylar stood at the entrance of the room and watched the man she loved tell a story to the tiny human being she loved more than life itself and for once in her life she found herself happy and content in her life, a feeling she had never experienced before.
She thought to herself, things can only get better from here on out.
Little did she know that a storm was brewing not very far from her and she was in the eye of the storm.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ethan Hemsworth was a restless sleeper. He had difficulty sleeping at night since that fateful day six years ago. He popped sleeping pills like candy to no avail.
There was another woman in his bed tonight, just like every other night but she was fast asleep, their recent activities had tired her out. He was still wide awake.
He got up and walked into his living room where his bar counter was situated. He poured himself yet another glass of the amber refreshment and downed it at once. He hoped the drink would help him fall asleep so he wouldn't have to think about them.
Mel never left his mind, no matter how hard he tried. Mel and the baby, the baby that died before it was even born.
It's all your fault, he reminded himself.
He threw the glass against the wall and watched it shatter into tiny pieces that covered the floor, glinting like diamonds.
He returned to bed and woke her up, just another blur faced woman so they could resume their previous activities. It was the only way to keep her out of his head. He succeeded.
- - - - - - - - - -
The news article that greeted him in the morning left him seething in his seat.
"Model and actress Skylar Hart engaged to CLASSIQUE modeling agency boss, Stefan King. The happy couple announced their engagement with a sweet post on Instagram in the early hours of the morning. We bet hearts are breaking all over the world since the duo has been topping Most Desirable lists in every magazine. We're happy we'll get to see Skylar's beautiful daughter, Penelope dressed as the cutest flower girl ever. Congratulations to the happy couple."
Ethan realized that there was no more time to waste. His best friend Damien picked up the phone on the first ring.
"So I'm guessing you read it?" Damien asked.
"Yes. We don't have any more time to waste, start the legal procedures," Ethan said sharply.
"Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?" Damien wanted him to be sure of his decision because once they set the ball rolling there was no telling what could happen.
"Yes, Damien. I'm sure. I want to file for custody. I will not have my daughter call another man, her father. Not as long as I'm alive."
"If you're sure. Okay. I'll do it now, " Damien agreed, grudgingly.
This was not going to end well.
Okay, so this is the new, edited version of the chapter. The storyline is different and as I've mentioned before, Skylar's name is no longer going to be changed.
A. xx.
YOU ARE READING
The CEO's Mistake (Editing)
Romance"You can't take my baby away from me!" Skylar was hysterical, her voice cracking towards the end. "Then maybe you shouldn't have kept her away from me!" Felix screamed, throwing his half drained glass of alcohol at the wall. "She's all I've got da...
