Isabella was not interested in falling in love. Marco was not looking for a relationship.
The perfect combination for a foolproof agreement.
Right?
*
Isabella Hammond, the first female billionaire in her city, is a smart, straightforward and stunni...
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SEVEN YEARS AGO
I look at Lily's monochromatic books lying open on the table and shake my head. "If we had a house and we had to decorate it, would you only decorate it with black and white?"
Lily looks up from what she's writing and gives me a look. "No, I'd let you decorate it because you'll put so much of your colourful, vibrant, idiotic personality into it. When you decorate our house, it'll be like a watercolour palette threw up inside and I'll love it."
I laugh because of how ridiculous she is.
"I hope our baby is as ridiculous as you are," I tell her.
Lily nods her head. "Because if the baby is as ridiculous as you are, we might have to send our child to a mental institution."
"Hey, you love this person who might have to go to a mental institution," I retort, "What does that say about you?"
Lily looks at me and laughs. "I guess I backed myself into a corner there."
I laugh right along with her.
Suddenly, she stops laughing. "Oh," she says, straightening herself. "Ow."
I'm out of my chair. "Lily?"
I rush over to her.
She takes my hand.
"Marco, I think my water broke."
My eyes widen.
There's a strange feeling of nervousness and excitement that fills me up completely. "Really?" I ask.
Lily's face contorts. "I think I'm having a contraction."
"Okay," I tell her, "Okay. I'll get the bag and we'll go to the hospital, alright?"
"No, we have to wait – wait till they're two minutes apart."
I look at my watch. "Okay, I'm going to get the bag and we'll see when the next one comes, okay?"
Two minutes pass and Lily's face contorts again.
I stand. "Come on, angel. Let's go meet our baby."
* * *
Lily lets out another prolonged groan of pain.
I hold the cup of ice chips in my hand and try to rub her back.
"No," she snaps at me, the way she has been doing when she doesn't want me to touch her, ever since her contractions started.
Sometimes she wants me to rub her back and sometimes she doesn't.
It's a fine line to balance and I don't seem to have got it down.
"Ice chip?" I ask her.
Lily leans against the hospital bed and shakes her head.
