Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband

46 It's Daddy Time

(Winona)

"Hey there, sweety. I have a surprise for you." My voice is light and cheerful, but my heart races with anticipation.

She smiles at me, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Is it a present?"

"Not really, but there will be lots of gifts later." I kneel beside her, brushing a stray lock of hair from her

face. "Okay."

"You remember my friend Jayden we talked about?" I ask, trying to keep my tone casual.

She nods, her eyes brightening with excitement.

"He's here to meet you and say happy birthday."

Her eyes light up, and she bounces slightly in her seat. "Yay!"

"Do you want to come out?" I ask, my heart pounding in my chest.

She nods eagerly.

"Let's take you in your pushchair, so you don't get tired out too soon." I lift her gently and settle her into the pushchair, making sure she's comfortable. "Ok, Mommy." Her voice is soft and trusting, and it breaks my heart a little.

Maybe I should have let Jayden come in here for a more private first moment. Anyway, I get her comfortable and push her out to the party room.

The sight of the decorations and the stack of presents already compiled from several people from the office, and of course, Phillip and Jayden's, makes her eyes go wide with wonder. "Wow! Pretty," She says, her gaze sweeping the room. "Presents!"

"It's going to be fun opening them, but let's wait until our guests arrive. They'll all be here in half an hour." 1 glance at Jayden and see him staring at Abby, his expression softening. "Abby, this is our friend Jayden." I push the chair closer, feeling a lump form in my throat.

He kneels down on one knee in front of her. "Hey there, kiddo."

She studies his face, her little brow furrowing as she looks into his eyes. I can see moisture gathering in his, and it hits me hard, making my chest ache. "Same eyes," Abby says to him, her voice filled with innocent wonder.

God, how do kids just know these things?

"Yeah, we do, huh?" Jayden's voice is thick with emotion.

Her tiny hand reaches out, stroking his cheek gently. "Are you my daddy?"

do it's Daddy Time

I'm so not ready for this. Tears trickle down my cheeks, blurring my vision.

"Yeah. I am. Nice to meet you, Abby." His voice breaks slightly, and I can see how much this moment means to him.

"I'm four today." Her voice is proud, and I can't help but smile through my tears.

"I know right? Happy birthday." Jayden's smile is full of love and tenderness.

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"Would you like to go sit in the throne?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.

She nods, her eyes shining with excitement. I dry my eyes quickly and take her over.

Jayden stands up and grabs Ashlyn by the hand, and they walk over to us.

"Abby, this is Ashlyn. We're married." His voice is gentle, but I can sense the tension behind it.

Abby looks up at Ashlyn and yells, "No!"

"Abby, sweetheart, remember your manners." My voice is firm, but I feel a pang of guilt for putting her in this situation.

"Mommies and Daddies get married." Her voice is defiant, and I can see the confusion in her eyes.

"Abby. That's not always true. Remember families come in all shapes and sizes." I remind her, trying to soothe her.

"No!" She pouts, crossing her arms.

I helped her get settled into her seat for the afternoon, "Now Abby, you say hello to Ashlyn please and stop being grumpy." I use my firm tone, so she knows I'm not happy with her behavior.

Her big, angelic eyes look at me and then at Ashlyn. "Hello."

"Hi, Abby. Happy birthday." Ashlyn's smile is forced, but she's trying.

"Thank you." Abby smiles at her at last, her mood shifting.

"Okay then, well, you all get comfortable with drinks and snacks. Sit anywhere. I'll go get the oven food heated. The other guests will be here soon. Phillip, can you give me a hand?" I want to give them some space with Abby. We'll be flitting back and forth so I can keep an eye on things.

"Sure." He comes into the kitchen and puts his arms around me. "I'm sorry for acting like an idiot. I shouldn't let him get under my skin."Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

"No, you shouldn't. But he does have a way of inserting himself under your skin. I guess it could have been worse. Thank you for everything today." I try to smile, but my nerves are on edge.

He presses his lips to mine, and I'm not quite expecting that. I pull away a little, feeling a bit flustered.

"I'm looking forward to us finally sharing a bedroom later," he says, his voice low and suggestive.

Shit, I'd completely forgotten I'd talked about that. "Me too." I lied.