Chapter 246

Annie's POV

The house was quiet in the late evening, filled only with gentle breathing and the distant sound of waves kissing the Long Island shore. Lucy's golden hair spread across the pillow like a spring creek catching the last rays of sunlight. She patted the space beside her, her deep blue eyes twinkling with expectation. As I lay down next to her, she nestled against me, her small hand absently playing with the hem of my nightgown.

The room was bathed in the soft glow of her unicorn night light,casting gentle shadows on the walls adorned with her artwork. Her drawings had improved dramatically in recent months-stick figures gaining detail,houses acquiring windows and chimneys, and smiles appearing on previously expressionless faces.Howard had proudly framed each new creation,treating them like masterpieces worthy of the Met.

"Lucy, I want to talk about what we discussed earlier," I began softly, my fingers combing through her silky hair. "About your dad and me possibly getting married."

I felt her body stiffen slightly in my arms, sensing her hesitation.Her small fingers stopped fidgeting with my nightgown and instead clutched it tightly.

"How do you feel about it?" I asked. "If you're uncomfortable or have any concerns,you can tell me. Your feelings matter the most to us."

Lucy remained silent for a moment, her eyes fixed on the window.Manhattan's nightscape was barely visible outside, distant buildings reduced to dark silhouettes against the night sky, twinkling lights like earthbound stars.

"It's not that I don't like you getting married," she finally said, her voice small but steady. "Tm just a little scared."

"Scared of what, sweetheart?" I asked gently,feeling the unease deep within her.

She looked up. tears glistening in her eyes like tiny diamonds. "I didn't come from Daddy's tummy, and I didn't come from yours either. If you get married and have a baby, will you forget about me?"

Hearing such worries from her five-year-old lips made my heart clench painfully. This wasn't just a child's casual concern about the future, but a real fear from a little girl who had already experienced profound loss. The yacht accident that claimed her parents had left invisible scars that occasionally surfaced in moments like this. I pulled her closer, feeling her tiny heart beating nervously against mine.

"Why didn't you tell your dad about these worries?" I stroked her back,asking softly, feeling each small vertebra beneath may fingers.

"Daddy would say I'm being silly," she wrinkled her little nose,burying her face in the crook of my neck. The scent of her strawberry shampoo mingled with the clean smell of freshly laundered pajamas. "He always says I'm so smart and mature compared to other kids. But sometimes I still get scared,you know."

I glanced at the family portrait hanging on Lucy's bedroom wall-a drawing she had made herself, with three stick figures holding hands in front of a house with a chimney releasing curls of smoke. The tallest figure was labeled "Daddy," the middle one "Mommy" (meaning me), and the smallest "Lucy." The three of us stood beneath a bright yellow sun, our stick arms connected in an unbroken chain.

"Lucy, let me ask you something," I said, shifting slightly to see her expression better. "Has your dad ever loved you less because you didn't come from his tummy?"

"Of course not!" She immediately looked up, her eyes wide with indignation. "Daddy loves me so much! After Mommy and Daddy went to the stars. I didn't want to talk to anyone, but Daddy slept next to me every night. When I woke up crying from nightmares, he always held me."She gesticulated with her small hands, pantomiming Howard's protective embrace. "His friends all said he stopped working,but Daddy didn't listen to them at all."

Her tiny hands unconsciously gripped my nightgown again,twisting the fabric into little bunches. "Daddy told me many times that his work isn't as important as Lucy! Even when those important people in suits come to our house, he always makes sure I'm okay first."

Looking at this golden-haired little girl, I suddenly understood the source of that deep protectiveness in Howard's eyes. Lucy wasn't just his brother's orphaned child; she was the person who had redefined the meaning of life for a man who once only pursued business success. Before her, Howard had been known as Manhattan's most eligible bachelor, focused entirely on building his empire. Now, he was first and foremost Lucy's father.

"You know, Lucy," I adjusted my position so we were face to face, our noses almost touching, "sometimes family isn't about who gave birth to whom,but about the people we choose to love. No matter what happens in the future, whether your dad has other children or not, you'll always be special to him. You taught him how to be a father, and that's something no one can ever take away."

The waves from Long Island gently lapped against the shore outside,like

the whispers of time passing. Lucy's expression gradually shifted from worry to calm, like the sea after a storm. Her breathing slowed,and the tension in her small shoulders began to melt away.

"Really?" She nodded, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly. "Actually, I really want you to marry Daddy. Then we'd really be a family!Penny says when grown-ups get married, there's cake and pretty dresses,and everyone dances."

"We already are a family," I kissed her forehead, feeling its smooth warmth against my lips. "A piece of paper doesn't decide whether we're a family or not. But you're right-it would make your dad very happy. And yes.there would definitely be cake."

"What about you?" She tilted her head curiously, her small finger pointing at my face with childlike directness. "Would it make you super happy too?As happy as when you finish drawing a really good picture?"

I didn't answer immediately, my thoughts drifting back to the diagnosis I received months ago-after that miscarriage, I might never be able to conceive again.

"It would make me very happy," I finally answered, from the bottom of my heart. "Being with you two is the happiest thing in my life. Even happier than finishing the best drawing ever."

Lucy smiled contentedly, adjusting her position in my arms. "Mommy,I'm not scared anymore. Can you sing me a sleep song? Like the one Penny's mom sings to her."

So I softly hummed the song my mother used to sing to me in childhood,about oceans, stars, and love that never fades. Lucy's breathing gradually became even, though her small fingers still held mine tightly.Looking at

her peaceful sleeping face, the gentle rise and fall of her chest.I silently made a promise: no matter what storms came. I would protect this child and our family.

Outside, stars dotted the nighat sky. I recalled Howard's meaningful words earlier-"I've waited this long"-and wondered how many stories he had yet to tell me. But none of that mattered now, because we had all the time in the world to weave the future that belonged to the three of us.